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Red GX 'Betty'

Got it out and took the cam cover off and I see this...
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Looks bloody horrible, not happy :(
What do you guys think?
 
That wont help :) but usually when an engine is well maintained its almost a bronzey orange colour iirc.
While its out you can clear the gunk out while its sat there.
Needs a good flush
 
You have lobes on the cams and links on the chain, as long as the cylinders and big end bearings and crank journals etc look ok, I'd just run some engine flusher through to clean it then treat it to some decent oil.
 
i,ve bought 2 engines like that before, and i had to dig the crud out, strip them fully, soak them in g101 and steamclean everything
 
Time to start properly stripping this 1.3 then :) ill take pics as I go along and I'll probably be asking you lot for help at some point haha
 
It's easier than you think Scott, just make sure you label and take photos for reference :)
Thanks :) I've taken engine to bits at college and built them back up so I should be alright but if I get sick I've got you lot behind me to ask questions to :d
 
Didn't get much done tonight as I had to go round my grandads as it was his 80th birthday. Got back at 10ish and got the throttle body off, both manifolds off and all the lose wires and hoses off. Gonna have to crack on tomorrow evening if I get a chance!
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Spark plugs are a bit black/ sooty and no.4 cylinder was a bit wet (smelt like fuel)
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That's all for now.
 
Definitely lack of servicing there then. I'm sure you'll give this engine the love it needs :)
Yeah everything is just black inside! Whats best to clean all the dirt off with? Brake and clutch cleaner and tooth brush? I'll give it some love but it will get thrashed when its back in the car haha :p.
 
Yea something like that. I use a cheap engine degreaser. £1 a can. Few of them works a treat. I'd vote toothbrush but it might be difficult. A kiddies bottle brush helps too
 
Get a quote for a chemical dip
Edit: Is around £40 from what I remember, save you bags of time and effort and will get oil and water pathways spotless
 
Yeah everything is just black inside! Whats best to clean all the dirt off with? Brake and clutch cleaner and tooth brush? I'll give it some love but it will get thrashed when its back in the car haha :p.

I normally just use fresh petrol to be honest, let it sit for a while then get stuck in with a stiff brush
 
dont have one unfortunately
I just remembered a trick we used to do on the tssc forum, get one of those oven rack cleaning kits with the oven cleaner and bag. As long as there are no bronze parts fitted to the head, put it in the bag with the cleaner overnight and then in the morning you hose it off and the dirt and grime just glides off. This was done with cast iron heads mind, you should check that it is aluminium safe. It's like 6 quid iirc, and almost zero effort. Chemical dip on the cheap hehe
 
Got a question, would it be better to swap the crank, rods and cams into the 1l engine or swap just swap the 1l pistons into the 1.3 engine? Just thinking about the bores of the engines. My 1l has done 132k miles now so the pistons are going to be worn to the same as cylinder bores so if I put them into the 1.3 cylinder bores they won't be worn the same way
 
Could you not just fit the 1.0 pistons with the rings from 1.3 onto the 1.3 rods?(keeping the rings to their original cylinder)
 
Got a question, would it be better to swap the crank, rods and cams into the 1l engine or swap just swap the 1l pistons into the 1.3 engine? Just thinking about the bores of the engines. My 1l has done 132k miles now so the pistons are going to be worn to the same as cylinder bores so if I put them into the 1.3 cylinder bores they won't be worn the same way
you dont get a lot of wear on the bores or pistons scott, most of my spare engines still have the factory honing marks, but the rings will probably be worn at that milage
 
you dont get a lot of wear on the bores or pistons scott, most of my spare engines still have the factory honing marks, but the rings will probably be worn at that milage
Thanks frank, also I can't budge the cams out the journel closet to the sprocket. The other ends lift off a bit
 
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