[Jezcar]

Hi all

I'm new to this forum ( but use one for my own car and they've been very helpfull recently after head on that needed replacing) but need some help/info with regards to wifey's car if poss please.

My wife has an Agila 1.0L (Z10XE engine) its a 2001 model with 39k miles (genuine) on it, I know it's not a corsa but thought this would be the best place to come as the corsa has the same engine.

OK, Pretty sure head gasket is f****d as got mayo in oil filler and dipstick also hoses presureize like rock and the temp goes up fan comes on and then temp just goes up and up till top of red!!!

What I need help with is this:-

1) Do I need to replace the head bolts or are they reusable?

2) Do I/should I get the head skimmed?

3) Do i need a timing kit or can I get away without and/or fabricate something myself?

I am currently a bit short of readies at mo as I had to spend over £550 in parts buying a brand new head casting, valves, hydraulic lifters, belts and water pump etc etc for mine recently, good old 1.8L Rover engines!!!

Any advice will be geatly appreciated.

Cheers

Jez

 

[Danjmc]

Always good practice to replace head bolts after removing them but a lot of garages would just re use the old ones.


Would definitely get the head skimmed, its only about £25 and you don't want to find out that the head is too warped after putting everything back together.

Wouldn't need to replace timing chain/guides etc with the mileage on the car but if your stripping it all anyway and you can find a kit that's not too expensive id put a new one on anyway.

 

[taurus]

Buy new headbolts for those engines. You can get away with some of the 8v engines but not that one.

The head will need skimming and pressure testing.

The timing kit - you can make a bar to lock the rear end of the camshafts easy enough, and it's possible to cobble something the right size to lock the crankshaft. Two drill bits will do to lock off the aux tensioner and the timing chain tensioner. Which leaves the phase disc tool - as you know the Haynes has the outline to make one so it you can fabricate something it will work, but it's not as easy as using the proper bolt on phase disc tool.

Bear in mind that if those have been cooked then the timing cover gasket behind the water pump may also have deformed - so check it carefully. Often that's the actual cause of the initial failure anyway.