2000 V40 1.8 Head Gasket / cambelt change

[wurlycorner]

Hi all,

My first post here and I'm after some assistance for my girlfriend's ungrateful Volvo...

Her ex partner completely neglected it, so over the last year it's had me showering it with maintenance (both front ARB bushes, drop links, new discs and pads, brake fluid change, battery, coolant flush/change etc etc) and it's just repaid me by emulsifying its oil and drinking coolant (my assumption being the head gasket...)

It's got the 1.8 4184S2 engine (~130k miles).

I've read Haynes and a few other articles on-line, but I haven't been able to get to the bottom of what special tools really are absolutely essential for changing the head gasket (and cambelt) and what you can get away without. And ALSO, where to get said tools.

Specifically the Camshaft locking tool. Haynes description for making the tool is intelligable (as one would expect from a modern Haynes manual). I've seen more info on the tool on-line, so after that I'm sure I could knock one up, but to be honest on top of the rest of the job, I really don't think it's worth the hassle!
I haven't managed to track down the genuine item anywhere so I'm wondering if the Sealey universal camshaft locking tool (VSE888) would work? A local factors is selling this for £32 (for which price, it is just worth the saving in hassle!). Does anyone know if this would work?

So what's the advice please? Would that tool work ok?
Are there any other special tools apart from that, that I really must have for the 2 jobs?

I'm not a novice to changing head gaskets and cambelts (done a few over the years) but this is my first twin cam.


Incidentally, cheapest I've found head set and bolts is eurocarparts (£61.20 and £37.20 respectively), cheapest cambelt kit is ebay item 190394211577 (£63.50). Anyone got any advance on those perchance?


Thanks,
--
Iain.

[andy_d]

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=57125
see there for how to contact "rufe" of FRF swansea, and the discount code.

you will be supprised, nicely, by the cost of the gen parts for this.

your going to need some sort of engine support to do this as the top left (as stood at the front of engine bay) engine mount needs to come off.

while your in there, the cambelt tensioner , aux belt + tensioner may as well get a replacement, you have to pull the aux belt to change the cambelt,,

AndyNorthface, changed his 850 cambelt without needing to lock the cams with a specialist tool, ,,

he applied 3 long cable ties , between the holes in the camshaft pulleys,



If you can get to suitable holes on the '40s cams, you may be able to use the same method,, and save the cost on the locking tool .

[wurlycorner]

Thanks the response Andy,

Originally Posted by andy_d

your going to need some sort of engine support to do this as the top left (as stood at the front of engine bay) engine mount needs to come off.

I was assuming the usual trolley jack/block of wood underneath would suffice?

Originally Posted by andy_d

AndyNorthface, changed his 850 cambelt without needing to lock the cams with a specialist tool, ,,

he applied 3 long cable ties , between the holes in the camshaft pulleys,

That's a very interesting idea... From photo's in Haynes it looks like that should be possible and obviously I'd rather avoid having to buy ANY tool (genuine or otherwise) if poss, as I'll only be doing the job once!

Anyone tried this method on a V/S40 by any chance???
--
Iain.

[inchley313]

I wouldn't worry too much about locking the cam shafts as the pullies will need to be removed before you can remove the head!! Just make sure that before you remove anything, the timing is already spot on, turn the engine to TDC and mark the pullies well so you know what position to refit them in afterwards!!

[wurlycorner]

Steve, ref your PM - thanks. Can't reply yet (need to get to 30 posts apparently). I'm hoping it isn't the head and it's just the gasket, but if I'm wrong, I'll certainly bear you in mind! You'd probably need to send me your contact details though by the looks...

Compression tested it now and no.4 cylinder is 50psi down on the others. (helpfully, when Haynes says the crank sensor connector is above the inlet manifold, it of course means it's on the bulkhead at the back of the engine bay grrr.....)

Had the top timing cover off and a quick look in the dark, it looks like the tywrap idea will be a non-starter unfortunately - see pic below...



The sprocket on the right of the pic is completely different. It's bolted to the boss in the centre, which is in turn bolted to the end of the cam from behind.

[wurlycorner]

Originally Posted by inchley313

I wouldn't worry too much about locking the cam shafts as the pullies will need to be removed before you can remove the head!! Just make sure that before you remove anything, the timing is already spot on, turn the engine to TDC and mark the pullies well so you know what position to refit them in afterwards!!

That's how I've always done it on engines in the past, but I've read in a couple of places about this engine saying that it must not be attempted without them or timing may be irretrievably lost (though I can't understand that either, as Haynes then talks you through stripping the top half of the cylinder head, which involves taking the camshafts out, which then means you've lost that locked timing position anyway, all of which leads me to believe I'd just do it the same way I've always done them, marking all pulleys and shafts etc!!!).

I have no intention of taking the camshaft and tappets out to check them (unless I see something obviously wrong with them once it's off the bottom half of the head) as I have concerns there at the moment - I'm just going for a straight head gasket and timing belt change this time, unless I uncover any nasties en-route that take me further...

Can't see why I also can't take the top half of the cylinder head off with the pulleys still in situ though? Can you elaborate please?
--
Iain.

[inchley313]

If you can take the head off with the cams insitu, it would be much easier in the long run, I haven't done a head gasket on one of these engines but every other car I have ever done has a plastic cover behind the cam pullies so you have to remove the pullies to remove the head as the plastic covers are solid and attached to the block!!

If this is not the case on your engine, your on a winner!!!!

[Dog_Book]

paint marks on the pulleys

[wurlycorner]

Had a nightmare getting the bits delivered (Yodel are an utterly utterly crap courier!) finally turned up today, to find that the head set had been packed into a box that's too short and the gasket had been bent to fit!

Mail order only (not in local branch) so presumably can't be replaced tomorrow (when I want to do the job).

Fuming isn't quite the word...
--
Iain.

[inchley313]

Yodel are a pain in the AR5E!!!!!!!! It took nearly 2 weeks once for a parcel to turn up from them over the Christmas period and my little girl had to wait until January for one of her Christmas prezzies!!!

Fortunately, Yodel here on the Isle of Man is now being delivered by another firm who have taken on the contract here and they're a firm I know very well and trust!! (It's nice when you now the bosses and staff at these firms!!)

Hope you get it sorted soon!! Good luck.