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Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:51 pm
by Cosmicbike
Otherwise, bumper off, one bracket remains stubborn and will need the bolt cutting. Metal panel in front of radiator also removed, so a couple of bits to paint if I get the time, after rust treatment.
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Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 6:00 pm
by Cosmicbike
Waiting for silicone to set in the bathroom, so a couple of hours in the sunshine this afternoon. Making a start towards getting the head off, so started with getting all the timing marks lined up and tipex marks placed here and there.
Oil was drained last night, so today I drained the coolant, rather muddy at best, so I've also removed the radiator and flushed through which was also rather muddy! Expansion tank has also come off and had it's first dose of cleaning, need to give it the gravel/rice treatment to get it proper clean though.
Progress
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Royal PITA to remove the ehaust manifold, needed to take one of the power steering pump mounts off to get clearance to bring it off the studs.

Couple of interesting things. First off there was no exhaust manifold gasket fitted. Possibly more interesting, certainly from the smokey motor point of view, it the rather oily cylinder 2 port on the block and the manifold. Odd that, since the plugs were all the same (carbon fouled, but dry).

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Inlet side next, then we'll see about getting the head off...

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 9:00 am
by D366Y
Fair play to cracking on with it - also a little odd that the coil is upside down...?? Never seen that before haha :lol:

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 9:31 am
by Jasonmarie
D366Y wrote:Fair play to cracking on with it - also a little odd that the coil is upside down...?? Never seen that before haha :lol:
Yes agree with Dan also the coil upside down I thought there was oil in a coil as well ?

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 12:22 pm
by Cosmicbike
Jasonmarie wrote:
D366Y wrote:Fair play to cracking on with it - also a little odd that the coil is upside down...?? Never seen that before haha :lol:
Yes agree with Dan also the coil upside down I thought there was oil in a coil as well ?
So that explains the rev counter going backwards, and all the smoke. I do wish you'd told me before I started stripping the engine into component parts ;)

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:43 pm
by D366Y
Cosmicbike wrote: So that explains the rev counter going backwards, and all the smoke. I do wish you'd told me before I started stripping the engine into component parts ;)

:lol:
Basic car mechanics there!

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:34 pm
by Cosmicbike
A little time this afternoon, so off with it's head! Nothing too troublesome, a thump with a rubber mallet broke the seal. Bloomin' weighty mind these heads....
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Now, given the oily No2 cylinder exhaust port, I half expected to find the head gasket failed between cylinder and oil way, but all seems well. The oily No2 is very well evidenced on the exhaust valve mind...
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Now, those valves look quite big, so out with the Vernier caliper and lets see what we've got...

Stroke:- 66mm (standard for a 1600)

Bore:- 87.6mm (standard for 1600)

Inlet Valve Diameter:- 42mm (that's 2000 sized)

Exhaust Valve Diameter:- 34mm (that's 1600 GT sized)

Nice little mish mash :lol:

Not really sure where to go with this now. I'm thinking towards stripping the head and rebuilding, possibly with a standard cam (or maybe 2ltr one), at least then I know what I have. Either that, or rebuild with the current, unknown cam, treat it as a learning exercise and then see if I can get it to run nicely. Likely the later, rather than throw money at it.

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:39 pm
by Cosmicbike
Just a thought. Whilst the head is off, any other things worth doing? I'll try and remember to do the oil check to see if I lose any down the rings.

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:22 pm
by D366Y
Since you've got the head off I'd say strip it back a bit and clean it all up properly yourself and while you're at it throw a 2litre cam in there - if you don't know what's in it then I would imagine it to be much harder to try and get the idle etc. set properly as you mentioned previously it kept cutting out anyways

A brand new cam and followers is around £100

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:49 pm
by Cosmicbike
D366Y wrote:Since you've got the head off I'd say strip it back a bit and clean it all up properly yourself and while you're at it throw a 2litre cam in there - if you don't know what's in it then I would imagine it to be much harder to try and get the idle etc. set properly as you mentioned previously it kept cutting out anyways

A brand new cam and followers is around £100
That was my thinking. Only thing I'm not sure about is whether the enlarged valves will have an impact on this. The joys of modified heads. Worst case in the long run I'll just chuck a 2ltr in it :)

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:11 pm
by Cosmicbike
Work is getting in the way of progress ATM, but after a night shift last night it seemed a shame to waste the sunny afternoon. I sat in the sunshine and started stripping the head. Managed to remove all the rockers and guides, all carefully labelled though no plans of these going back in since the cam will be replaced.
Spark plugs removed, and on the list to replace, so looking for recommendations for the bits below please

Spark plugs
HT leads
Point/Condenser/Rotor
Coil

Starting to really quite enjoy this now :)

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:23 am
by D366Y
HT leads I use accuspark leads - 30 quid or so but are pretty decent and have served me well and haven't broken when I try and pull them off the spark plugs like the cheaper shit I used to use did

Coil I'd say don't replace if the current one is OK/still works?

Points and condenser you can get from the Capri club relatively inexpensively (5-10quid) or could look at electronic ignition and save yourself time in the future adjusting the points

Sparks I used champion NGKs I think??

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 1:05 pm
by pbar
I wouldn't get an Intermotor coil, had trouble with my brand new one just not working properly, put the old one back on and works fine. I know another member on here (Jim) also had trouble with a new Intermotor coil.

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 3:51 pm
by Cosmicbike
What with work and hiking around Cornwall I've not been at the car much. The sun was out today though, so after lunch I sat in the sunshine and continued with stripping the head. I took the rockers off last week, and today was valve removal. Mindful of losing the collets I was cautious not to compress the springs too much, and all 8 valves out with no problems.
The valve stem seals are shot to bits, some cracked in half as I removed the valves, the remainder are brittle. Valve seats look ok, but a good clean of the head required and then I'll lap them back in.
I've left the camshaft in for now, I'm going to rebuild with the existing to start with, so little point in removing it. Added to the fact I can't get the securing nut undone :roll:
Hope to get some time at it next week....

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 4:03 pm
by Brooksy
Cosmicbike wrote:What with work and hiking around Cornwall I've not been at the car much. The sun was out today though, so after lunch I sat in the sunshine and continued with stripping the head. I took the rockers off last week, and today was valve removal. Mindful of losing the collets I was cautious not to compress the springs too much, and all 8 valves out with no problems.
The valve stem seals are shot to bits, some cracked in half as I removed the valves, the remainder are brittle. Valve seats look ok, but a good clean of the head required and then I'll lap them back in.
I've left the camshaft in for now, I'm going to rebuild with the existing to start with, so little point in removing it. Added to the fact I can't get the securing nut undone :roll:
Hope to get some time at it next week....
Yep, work can be a nuisance but there's worse places to be hiking around than the Westcountry eh!
:goodluck: with the head rebuild.

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:56 pm
by Cosmicbike
So much for camping! Sick little one means staying home, so with sicknote sparko on the sofa I decided to clean the head, exhaust manifold and valves. A combination of regular WD40 to degrease, then Mr Muscle oven cleaner to get the worst of the carbon off. Head came up nicely, and the valves are now free of the thick layer of carbon, you can see the Ford stamp in the middle now :)

Valve seats are in reasonable condition, don't look too pitted so hopefully they will lap in nicely. That's a job for another day.

I tried a bar to lock the camshaft so I could undo the pulley, but it wasn't having it and I didn't want to damage the pulley. Seems like a good choice to stick with that cam then..

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:34 pm
by Not_Anumber
Oven cleaner is superb stuff for working on cars with. Its just about the only stuff that will dissolve the 'coal ' like deposits that collect around injectors on diesel engines when the injector seals have started failing. Great at cleaning inlet manifolds, EGR valves too.

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 4:54 pm
by Cosmicbike
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Looking good. And permission given to bring the now clean and not stinky head into the conservatory to lap the valves rather than sit out in the cold (not enough room in the garage with the car in it :(

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:55 pm
by Cosmicbike
Quite a productive few days. Head rebuilt and fitted back onto the block last night. Manifolds and pipework, radiator etc refitted this afternoon. Replaced the points, condenser, rotor arm and HT leads. New cam belt fitted. Unfortunately fan belt from Capri Club was too short by a good couple of inches too short, so old one put back on.
A little trepidation as I tried to start her up, but on the button and sooo much smoother, no missing, no oil smoke. Timing still very advanced, so had a bit of a play and it's now at 8 degrees, may well need to advance a bit more but will see how we go. Bit of petrol smoke, but as yet the carb is untouched and probably needs a service kit. That at at least 6 month old petrol won't help.

Happy bunny now, going to bleed the brakes, check the pipework and then get her taxed and on the road for Summer, complete with a drivers seat!!

Re: Laser 1600

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 7:02 pm
by Brooksy
:cool: Well done and roll on the summer eh.