Anthracite XM 2.0 SEi Turbo Manual

[robert_e_smart]

I think a lot of tcts get new exhausts unnecessarily because of this gasket going.

[Ciaran]

Wouldn't you look sick after shelling out the guts of 300 notes for a whole new exhaust system only to find it was the manifold gasket all along!

[Aerodynamica]

..And in my case the exhaust was falling apart!

[MTXM]

Well done for pressing on with the latest task Graeme and just to confirm that I did replace the exhaust manifold gasket about eighteen months and the part was genuine Citroen. As the original lasted 130K it might be a bit extravagant to change it again! Regards, Matthew T.

[Dean]

The head gasket kit will likely come with a new one and the old one will have now been compressed.
Its just me but for the few extra quid get the set, then you have the manifold gaskets which you will need along with valve stem / cam seals and rocker seal which always bakes hard.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cylinder-Head ... 4627eda905" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Bga-Gaske ... 5d4ea65532" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

D

[Aerodynamica]

Thanks all, everything is on order including all gaskets. Water pump and timing belt kit. Straightforward so far but mistake I made was with the exhaust manifold - I split it at the gasket(terrible access to the nuts) where I should have split it at the join above the turbo (only 4 nuts) and lifted the manifold off still attached to the head but you learn..

I'm afraid Matthew the exhaust manifold nuts were loose and the manifold has been blowing at each end (though I'll admit I didn't hear it) but at least it made loosening the nuts east apart from the access.. It is a shame to scrap the barely aged exhaust gasket but since it's a notorious spot on this engine it'll be replaced all the same.

Photos top follow this evening but the head gasket wad in terrible state - all decayed and crumbling.

And cylinder number one was indeed full of coolant - looks like it's also been running at a different temp to the rest. Some of the water channels in the gasket were partially blocked restricting coolant flow so really need to be sure the head isn't warped - very carbon fouled too

I'd like to remove the thermostat housing on the end of the head but after removing the 5 screws it is still retained by something possibly the end bearing of the camshaft. How is this removed? There's no distributor to drive so I'm guessing it's a camshaft bearing?

The earliest I'll be able to take the head to the engineering place is Friday afternoon so could be quite a while before any movements next well.. It's a diesel cylinder head specialist so I might get it back with glow plugs fitted

[Dean]

After removing the 5 long bolts the only thing holding the housing on is two stailess dowls and the mating surface which is coated in a hard setting sealant, this thermostat housing also forms the oil return from the cam box / n/s cam shaft bearing as there is no oil seal that end, lightly sand the mating surfaces and use gasket cement sparingly on reasembly, this will no doubt be your running issue.

do not lever the housing off, whack it with a rubber mallet, the dowls are offset to each other, one front and one back from memory.

Check the manifold is flat while its off, may be worth getting it lightly skimmed while its off if not.

corrosion of the tear drop recesses in the head where the restricted waterways are drilled is common if there have been missed coolant changes in the engines life, if there are head problems due to corrosion let me know, i may be able to spare one of my stock in exchange for your old one but it should be fine.

D

[Aerodynamica]

Thanks Dean out doesn't appear to have any corrosion just lots of silt build up on those restrictions.

I'm getting the head skimmed anyway but are you saying that the oil return in that end housing might have been blocked? (or oil starvation)

I also found the o rings in the oil tube for the camshaft are all heat hardened. It actually looks like the cam loves on number 1 have a trace of wear on them either due to contamination or oil starvation of that cylinder. It's not bad but there are small signs of wear

Anyway the head is booked in on Friday so it'll be next week before I find out the state of the head. I think it'll be fine because this was not a full blown head gasket breakdown - call RAC - situation, just stayed showing symptoms ticking over outside the garage.. Quite lucky in a way..

In the mean time I can fit the new water pump and overhaul the removed items

G

[Dean]

No nothing nasty like that, it is just an oil return passage from the camshaft where it has no oil seal on the gearbox end, it wont block as its huge and carrying very little flow.

The head will be fine, its such a solid lump and the waterways self bleed fairly well so i cant see a problem to be honest.

D

[Aerodynamica]

Cheers Dean,

Managed to get a few snaps via phone



Crumbling gasket




The exhaust gasket- can see where it's been blowing





Cylinder head, can see no 1 cylinder different colour- might be running at a different temp but could just be the coolant ' washed' the carbon out..


Bit of cruddy build up


But I managed to clean the inlet manifold and rocket covers





Also the turbo plenum so it'll look better when it's all finally reassembled