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Thread: Ok.. It's head gasket time!

  1. #41
    Member
    Join Date:  Sep 2016

    Location:  Cardiff

    Posts:    93

    My VIN:    11789

    Quote Originally Posted by Parzival View Post
    I'm guessing that since they had the fans hot wired to run 100% of the time, that who ever did that was fighting with heat, and over heating. Sucks that you are inheriting the ghosts of these past issues with the car. Lucky for that car, you are dedicated to implementing the proper fixes, and its gonna be a great car when you're done I'm sure! Just out of curiosity, was the plastic oil fill screen on the valve cover intact?
    Yeah- ironically I was going to be buying the the DeLorean now, in 2019.

    However, Prices were going up (as were most classic cars), and because of the brexit announcement, the pound / dollar exchange was hurting.

    There was nothing around at the time under £20K and this one came along .
    I was working in Scotland, where it was situated - I went to see it and realised that it was in a state!!! - a typical project car - not the turn key example I wanted to buy.

    The car is the last one built in a batch of 50 - that were exported to the Middle East.

    There's a thread here on it's discovery, but I think that the pictures no longer "work".

    http://www.deloreaneurotec.uk/viewto...p?f=103&t=1613


    It's not going to beat me, and I don't have a bottomless wallet so I'll have to do most of the work myself - hey it keeps me busy !!!
    Last edited by SpudMurphy; 03-16-2019 at 03:35 PM.
    Currently resurrecting Vin # 11789 - One of the batch of 50 exported to the Middle East in 1982.

  2. #42
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Northern NJ

    Posts:    8,570

    My VIN:    10757 1st place Concourse 1998

    It sounds like you have your mind made up and are doing this for the experience as much as anything else. Try to cut both heads an equal amount, cutting off the least you can. Harder to do when you do it one at a time because you don't know what you have to take off the second head but now you have put the first one back on! Put it together but you should consider adding gaskets or shims to make up the difference. You should have done *some* testing before you took it apart if it ran, like a compression test, combustion gas test, leak-down test, so you know what needs fixing and what doesn't. Very unusual for the oil warning light sender to get stuck. Most of the time the light stays on because the wire going to it gets burned up and grounds out. Once you get it running again use some motor flush and then change the oil. Put a mechanical gauge on it and actually measure the oil pressure to verify good oil pressure. Pressure test the coolant system BEFORE you install the intake manifold. That way if you see any leaks you can fix them without having to take the manifold off. The fans should not run continuously. It is bad for the electrical system. Get the "O" switch connected and working. The water pump is usually replaced when you take off the intake manifold along with all of the gaskets, seals, belts, hoses, thermostat and idler bearings. The vendors sell what they call the "Master Kit" that has everything you need including all of the copper seals for the fuel system. Best to do all of this at one time so you don't have to go back in again. When you find signs of previous work, oftentimes you must take it all apart and redo it because it usually isn't done correctly. Follow the procedures in the Workshop Manual especially the torque procedure for the heads. Replace all of the small rubber vacuum hoses under the intake manifold and double-check the routing. Be sure to get the distributor timing set correctly too. That could have caused the spark plug to overheat and shed the porcelain. When you get the heads done, lap the valves to assure a good seal. Take your time and have fun.
    David Teitelbaum

  3. #43
    Member
    Join Date:  Sep 2016

    Location:  Cardiff

    Posts:    93

    My VIN:    11789

    Hi David.

    All great advice. The valves have already been checked using a dedicated tester in the workshop.

    I wish it was a case of me wanting to do this for the experience. You couldn't be further from the truth.

    I had spent a lot of time working on refurbing this car and it was "getting there". Now it's all taken apart again - a big step backwards.

    Doing it one head at a time will be fine - we'll measure carefully.

    I have a friend - a 71 year old Volvo mechanic who also did a lot of Rally mechanics with Ford cars - He's an amazing guy who is still incredibly active - now with over 55 years experience of swinging spanners.
    He owned his own Volvo business which he sold on and still flourishes to this day - so he knows the PRV very well and he is helping me with this.

    Yup, indeed the oil can in the pressure light sensor was stuck fast - when I removed the sensor , the can part was still in the engine stuck fast. An m14 tap bit into it and it came out. I've only read of one other instance of this on the internet , but I'm sure it is probably a lot more common than that?

    The timing was way out (initially) so yes, the new plugs I put in didn't stand a chance!

    this shows the new sensor and part of the old one - the other part was stuck inside the oil gallery.


    P5312718.jpg
    Currently resurrecting Vin # 11789 - One of the batch of 50 exported to the Middle East in 1982.

  4. #44
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  Jun 2011

    Location:  Belfast

    Posts:    158

    My VIN:    4087

    Club(s):   (DOC-UK)

    Might be worth checking your cam journals if you haven't already, before skimming the heads. On my old heads that were warped, there was heavy scoring where the cam sits which meant the heads were scrap I believe.

  5. #45
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Northern NJ

    Posts:    8,570

    My VIN:    10757 1st place Concourse 1998

    If you have an experienced Volvo tech he should have more and better knowledge than you are going to get here. Sounds like this motor was abused for the plug to melt and the oil sensor to get stuck. Having the timing way off was very bad and would contribute to all of the other problems. Sounds like you are in good hands.
    David Teitelbaum

  6. #46
    Member
    Join Date:  Sep 2016

    Location:  Cardiff

    Posts:    93

    My VIN:    11789

    Quote Originally Posted by David T View Post
    If you have an experienced Volvo tech he should have more and better knowledge than you are going to get here. Sounds like this motor was abused for the plug to melt and the oil sensor to get stuck. Having the timing way off was very bad and would contribute to all of the other problems. Sounds like you are in good hands.
    It was always going to be a risk when I bought the car.

    in the scheme of things having been in Dubai for 12 years then dry stored in the UK since 1994, it's very good condition rust wise. When I took the head off the "crud/gunge" around the liners was minimal. I'm afraid shit happens when a car sits around all this time.

    Anyways I'll post an update in a few weeks - good or bad
    Currently resurrecting Vin # 11789 - One of the batch of 50 exported to the Middle East in 1982.

  7. #47
    Member
    Join Date:  Sep 2016

    Location:  Cardiff

    Posts:    93

    My VIN:    11789

    Quote Originally Posted by dmc4087 View Post
    Might be worth checking your cam journals if you haven't already, before skimming the heads. On my old heads that were warped, there was heavy scoring where the cam sits which meant the heads were scrap I believe.
    Cheers - good call - they all look fine. will check again when I'm down the workshop = the tech guy did have a look at them and felt with his finger nail - as I say all seems to be ok
    Currently resurrecting Vin # 11789 - One of the batch of 50 exported to the Middle East in 1982.

  8. #48
    Member
    Join Date:  Sep 2016

    Location:  Cardiff

    Posts:    93

    My VIN:    11789

    As I say , I was getting on ok - I was at this stage then had to strip down a lot of the work that I had already carried out.

    gutted to be doing the head - but better to be safe than sorry :-(


    progress before head.jpg
    Currently resurrecting Vin # 11789 - One of the batch of 50 exported to the Middle East in 1982.

  9. #49
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Northern NJ

    Posts:    8,570

    My VIN:    10757 1st place Concourse 1998

    Comments from seeing the picture;
    You have the auto bleeder installed. Usually done because you either have leaks or blown head gaskets or both.
    Wrong hose (universal with the corrugations) going to the water pump.
    The header tank was replaced with the S/S one.
    Water pump was replaced.
    The air intake was modified (the heat stove over the exhaust manifold was removed).
    Some kind of bracket by the engine cover hold-open.
    Throttle recall shield missing.
    Last edited by David T; 03-18-2019 at 12:30 PM.
    David Teitelbaum

  10. #50
    Member
    Join Date:  Sep 2016

    Location:  Cardiff

    Posts:    93

    My VIN:    11789

    You have the auto bleeder installed. Usually done because you either have leaks or blown head gaskets or both.
    - Yup, I installed that. I thought that I may have had an air lock. The car is currently up on blocks and is not driving, so I had most of the bits to do it , and thought why not as it makes the bleeding a lot easier in my situation. I have a shut off valve on it, and also a bleeder on the front of the car
    Wrong hose (universal with the corrugations) going to the water pump.
    That was on the car when I got it - it's all ok, and I like the look of it.
    The header tank was replaced with the S/S one.
    Water pump was replaced.
    I replaced the header tank and changed the water pump, all the hoses (except for the two large ones that come out of the water pump), aluminium coolant pipes that run under the frame, rad and fans - so it has a lot of positive things, that should mitigate the risk of over heating
    The air intake was modified (the heat stove over the exhaust manifold was removed).
    I took the stove pipe off, many people seem to have done that. I also got rid of the cast iron headers and the old exhaust and replaced it with a modern SS one . It was manufactured without a cat so I didn't add one. The new one dispensed with the balance pipe that runs behind the engine - the pipe where wiring looms go to die. Talking of looms I re routed the loom that goes over the top of the engine. Even Barrie Wills states that he was not proud of that!
    Some kind of bracket by the engine cover hold-open.
    I made that because the original plastic bracket was missing. It is non invasive and can easily be put back stock
    Throttle recall shield missing.
    I'll never have that on my car. IMO they look dreadful. I wonder if the middle East cars even had one? I will be getting one though as I do like the look of the ones made by DPI
    Currently resurrecting Vin # 11789 - One of the batch of 50 exported to the Middle East in 1982.

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