Cylinder head mishap

[Trevor]

Fitted cylinder head which had been pressure tested and lightly skimmed last year. Couldn't understand why it wouldn't crank over on a socket and ratchet for a full cycle, after checking and rechecking everything I ended up taking it off and found this.

How does a precombustion chamber just drop out, can it be refitted without this happening again?

Should I be seeking recourse with the firm that tested the head? What are my options to fix this?

 

[Trevor]

Just realised a bit of muppetry has occurred, this must have dropped in when fitting the head (still shouldn't have happened in my view) but I can see now that the edge of the bore passes through the surface and normally holds them in place.

 

[mrdelmonti]

Well if anyone was going to ask a daft question it was going to be you...

 

[Trevor]

This is up there in my top 5 of daft things that have happened when I'm doing a job

 

[Roger Fairclough]

All 4 pre-combustion chambers are cracked. This could cause the chambers to loosen in the head.

Roger

 

[Beau]

It's normal for the combustion chambers to have some cracking And they shouldn't fall out like that, most likely they haven't been put in properly and I would be inclined to check them all before putting anything back together

 

[Trevor]

My local garage told me when I queried this that the cracking is common on most diesels and they wouldn't normally replace them as they usually don't get any worse than this.

Certainly Toyota want a fair penny for new ones and out of my budget. My plan tomorrow is to use some plastic coated wire through the glow plug hole to retain the combustion chamber whilst refitting the head.

 

[AndyCook]

lucky you turned the engine over by hand - and not by the key!

 

[Trevor]

Very true Andy, I wanted to take things slowly and accurately as most of this is all new work to me, just goes to show that there are good reasons to follow good practice but I could never have second guessed this particular issue.

I think Lil' Blue is toying with me just as I get to thinking I'm close to finishing.

 

[Crispin]

My plan tomorrow is to use some plastic coated wire through the glow plug hole to retain the combustion chamber whilst refitting the head.

No expert Trevor but when the head is on will the pre-combustion chamber solid fit? Thinking if there is any rattle that it might end up destroying itself in a few months from vibration. The fact that you have to hold it in place suggests it might unless the head/block "crush" it in place.

Sure someone cleverererer will come and correct me.


Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Roger Fairclough]

The surface of the PC chamber should be flush with the head. If they are, then the head gasket should hold the chambers in place. I assume that the chambers were still fitted when you had the head surfaced. This in itself may have loosened the fit. How much was machined from the Head?

Roger

 

[Trevor]

The head had a very light machining just to bring it back to bright and the chambers were still in. I've had a go at refitting and today it's a nice tight interference fit using a wooden hammer handle, it's snug now and I can't pull it out. The only thing I can think of is the head has been in the greenhouse for ages, maybe the heating and cooling cycles have loosened that particular chamber and I hadn't noticed when carrying and fitting the head.

As it feels okay now I'm going to refit and see where we go from there. Still very bizarre though.

 

[Trevor]

Head back on and engine now cranks cleanly.

 

[AndyCook]

good news

when is the big moment going to be - when the key is turned ?

 

[Crispin]

Win for the hammer approach

 

[clivehorridge]

Interesting story... well done Trevor. Lil' Blue will be back in business soon by the look of it!

 

[Chris]

I've a tear in my eye.

Dad.

 

[Trevor]

good news

when is the big moment going to be - when the key is turned ?

There is still a fair bit of work to do before I get to that stage but I'm hoping at some point next week, the truck needs a new MOT and I'm trying to have enough tinker time if it fails. It's going to be tight for Lincomb but that's what I'm aiming for.

 

[Trevor]

I've a tear in my eye.

Dad.

Joy, Laughter or Sadness Chris?

 

[Davet]

Old post but 1 kz-te cylinder heads are not supposed to be machined they are a throw away item as you have just put you valves closer to your piston hence why there is so many thickness head gaskets for them be very carefull doing this