I think it's about time for another update.
The van went well all last summer, but there were oil leaks from the engine, and oil drops blown out of the breather which indicated rather too much blow past the piston rings. The engine also felt like a petrol engine when turned over by hand, so there was obviously a compression problem which needed investigation.
First option was a job I've done many times, which was new rings and bearing shells to extend the engine's life. This can be done without pulling the engine. Then once I had got the head off, I could check the bores, and take it from there.
There is a lifting eye bolted on the back face of the cylinder head, which would prevent the head coming off, so first job was to remove it. You can just see it top right of this photo.
It's right against the bulkhead, so I bent an old open ended spanner into a right angle so I could get at the bolts. Then released the gearbox mounts and jacked the engine forward half an inch to get clearance to remove them.
Then, confident that I could get the head off, the gearbox, was removed (Again!), so I could do the rear crankshaft bearing. This meant that a temporary support would be needed at the back of the engine, so I used a timber batten across the back off the engine hatch, out of the way, and a steel strap to a bolt hole at the back of the engine.
Then I could remove the jack from under the engine and remove the sump.
But it's never that easy........................
The steering arm was in the way, so it had to go.
It's really tight to get a socket to the top bolts, and no access for a spanner, so the engine was jacked up about half an inch. until I could get a socket in there. Once unbolted, and the ball joints popped, the steering arm could (just) be jiggled out, and the sump was easily removed.
The sump was nice and clean inside. Well anyway, as clean as an old diesel sump can be. No sludge, swarf, lumps of metal, or other nasties to be seen.
Next job was to remove all the bits and pieces from the engine to free up the head.
It's surprising how much room there is once the various bits come off. Plastic bags over the diesel pipes to keep dirt out.
The engine had to be lowered again to get the rocker cover off, and once the rocker assembly had been unbolted (DON'T FORGET THE OIL FEED PIPE DOH!) the head could be unbolted. The head didn't want to budge though, bashing it with a block of wood from underneath didn't have any effect, so I welded up a puller which bolted into holes in the side of the casting, and pushed down on one of the head studs.
Now that's a real beast of a tool, using the fine thread and nut from a set of gear pullers, and some scrap steel. Needless to say, it did indeed pull the head off!
With the head off, the cause of the sticking was easily seen.
The second stud from the front at this side was rusted in its hole. This was caused by the long head nuts which can pool condensation, giving it all the time in the world to run down the threads into the hole.
The studs were removed with a slilson wrench (the threads weren't long enough to use two locked nuts), and that rusty stud needed some serious effort. I had to use a BIGGER stilson, then an EVEN BIGGER stilson, plus lumps of wood to stop the engine rotating on its mounts.
Now it was obvious that the bore wear was too great for plan A. New rings would bash against the wear ridge until they broke. I'm a bit surprised about this wear in a relatively low mileage engine.
Plan B was immediately put into action. New liners. It's a pity they aren't "lift out" wet liners like the 4203s, so the block would have to go to the local engine reconditioners to have the old liners pressed out, new ones pressed in, bored and honed.
Oh well. this van was always going to be a project.
Now the short engine is ready to lift out.
That top bolt near the engine for the injection pump is a real swine to get at. That must be why it wasn't done up properly. I cut up a 5/32 allen key, and used it in a 5/32 socket with a long thin extension.
I've made up and fitted a lifting eye, so just the engine mounts to release, and it should lift out. I've ordered an engine crane, which should be here tomorrow. Can't think why I never had one before.
I've also ordered a Perkins 4108 rebuild kit from parts4engines.com. As I already had a set of genuine Perkins rings, they agreed to knock the price of the rings off the kit. Very helpful.
This is starting to get expensive!
[edit]Edited for spelling[/edit]
