Niall's 2000 306 XS A.K.A Craig

[Niall]

At least you know what was causing it now and you have got to the bottom of it, hell it will nearly be a new engine when your done

It will be a fully rebuilt engine by the time I'm done haha. But still, at least then it should go strong for another 100k!

[mark_airey]

It will be a fully rebuilt engine by the time I'm done haha. But still, at least then it should go strong for another 100k!

Exactly what I was thinking mate, if you change it all then there can't be anything left to cause problems Seriously though, best of luck with it, I really hope that you get it sorted and all goes to plan

[Niall]

Pistons have gone in for a good clean up and to have the rings fitted. Getting them back tomorrow eve with all my parts so will get cracking getting it back together on Saturday. Then mot Saturday as that runs out this Friday

[C.A.R.]

Think positive! Think how smart your engine is going to be when it's all rebuilt...

I think you'll need to take it steady though, I'm fairly certain that rings (just like bearings) need bedding-in, so you will have a run-in period. When my bottom end went, I was told to take it steady for 500 miles (just under 2 full tanks of fuel in a GTi6!)

You don't want to be doing all this again in autumn...

[Niall]

Think positive! Think how smart your engine is going to be when it's all rebuilt...

I think you'll need to take it steady though, I'm fairly certain that rings (just like bearings) need bedding-in, so you will have a run-in period. When my bottom end went, I was told to take it steady for 500 miles (just under 2 full tanks of fuel in a GTi6!)

You don't want to be doing all this again in autumn...

Nah I'm going to take it easy which will be difficult as I never got to give it a good thrashing when the new head went on
Still it's got a nice long drive to fcs in a few weeks to bed it in. Just means everyone will probably leave me behind on the drive up there haha. I was going to put it on the rollers at fcs but won't be now.

[C.A.R.]

Yeah I would, just to play it safe. I was told to stick under 3000 revs, but that was a complete bottom-end rebuild.

Just don't be tempted to out-drag anyone on the convoy!

[mark_airey]

mixed views around on the whole bedding in of piston rings, some argue that "taking it easy" can do more harm than good as the cylinder pressures are needed to force the rings into position and against the walls of the cylinder to seat them properly and to create a proper seal, if this isn't done the rings will wear incorrectly and continue to leak so its argued that giving it some beans within the first 20 or so miles is advised to make sure that they seat properly.

There are pro's and cons to both ways TBH but just thought it was worth mentioning really

[Niall]

mixed views around on the whole bedding in of piston rings, some argue that "taking it easy" can do more harm than good as the cylinder pressures are needed to force the rings into position and against the walls of the cylinder to seat them properly and to create a proper seal, if this isn't done the rings will wear incorrectly and continue to leak so its argued that giving it some beans within the first 20 or so miles is advised to make sure that they seat properly.

There are pro's and cons to both ways TBH but just thought it was worth mentioning really

Yeah I've also heard that mark. The place who are fitting the rings recommended I go easy for a while and they have decades of experience in engine rebuilds so going to go with what they say I think. Then if it starts burning in a few weeks I can say "did what you said, new rings please......you can do t all this time!" hana

[Ruan]

I'm all about the short, hard loading...

Don't keep on the throttle for long periods, but short squirts to help press the rings into the bores and seal nicely, then let it cool down, remember there'll be more friction and hot spots as not everything is bedded in nicely as a 50k mile engine...

Go real steady for the first 100 miles, the build it up from there... That's the best way to get the rings to seal well without damaging anything...

[C.A.R.]

There was a bloke on the Focus forum selling an Omex 150 ECU and loom - don't know whether it was a good price or suitable application though, but it was up for £250 which sounded reasonable.

[Niall]

Right pistons are back nice and clean, new rings fitted. Got two of them in (much much better fit) and then we had a disagreement with the ring compressor. In all fairness it is probably older than me so I'm going to go and get a new one tomorrow after work then continue rebuilding it.


Half way through honing the bores. There is some damage to the bores (were sure this engine had been partially siezed at some point!) but it shouldn't be a problem.

[4WayDiablo]

And just to check the bores arent fooked are they?

[samass]

how you going about honing the cylinders?

[Ruan]

Holy cock, the state of those bores! You can even see where the piston has met the bore even past the top ring line and taken off a lot of the carbon that sits at the top...

Yeah, no WONDER it was eating oil!!!!

Thank god you're honing them out!

[Niall]

how you going about honing the cylinders?

Bought a honing tool mate

[ginge191]

great work... so where does the turbo fit into all this :think: ?

[Matt]

Niall want to do the seals on mine? Done a good job mate fingers crossed it all goes back together alright

[Niall]

Yep but I'm not using cheap ones. Made that mistake once! Order some from pug. About 50 quid.

[Matt]

£50 for the set? That's sounds alright

[Niall]

£50 for the set? That's sounds alright

50 for just 16 valve guide seals. Everything else is extra! You might as well do cam shaft seals ( 2 at about 12 quid from pug bit can get them cheaper)

[Matt]

Fair enough, may do all this after pay day

[Niall]

Fair enough, may do all this after pay day

Yeah there's no point in swapping the head if you haven't done all the seals. You just know they will go! Would be easy then to do the piston rings if you wanted as well but you would need to get the rings fitted.

[Niall]

Right good bit of progress this evening.

Finished honing the bores



Got the remaining pistons in with my shiny new compressor that will now not get used again!


(that looks timed up correctly yeah?)

Got them all in, new shells in and torqued up. Oil pump went back on and the sump had a bloody good clean (it's been leaking since I've had it so there was years of oil and crud on there!

Also got the air con compressor back on, modified my matrix hose so it didn't have a kink In it and cleaned up the block face ready for the new gasket and head.
Hopefully get the head back on tomorrow morning before I go out then finish it sunday!

[Niall]

IT LIVES!!!!

[samass]

great success! no smoke?

[Niall]

great success! no smoke?

Tiny whisps of it but I expected that because the exhaust is still gunked up with oil and I built the engine with a lot of oil so that all has to burn off. No where near as bad as it ever has been though and it doesn't smell oily any more.

[Eeyore]

good stuff!

[samass]

sweeeet!! yeah id guess that's just remnants in the exhaust/building oil like you said. just leave it idling for a bit then take it for a much needed, gentle spin!
bet you're chuffed haha

[Matt]

Good stuff mate always awesome when something turns out alright

[cully]

well done nial now run it in with varying loads not a constant rpm