The MGF Register Forums

Hi all,
Had a noisy tappet so decided to give them a clean, timed the engine removed the cam wheels cam ladder and cams. Cleaned the tappets found two suspect one's so changed, refilled buckets with clean oil and put back.
Replaced camshafts inlet cam dowel into inlet slot on wheel and exhaust cam dowel into exhaust slot on wheel pulled engine round two revolutions all ok, turns over on key but refuses to start. I know I've done something wrong but I can't think what it is?
Any help would be welcomed
Steve

Does your engine have a distributor or is it a MEMS3 with a cam angle sensor.

I'm guessing you haven't plugged something back in, or maybe it looks like it's plugged in but isn't.

Did you use the proper sealant on the cam ladder?

Mens 1.9 with dizzy cap, used the correct sealant on ladder, I had the plug caps marked before they were removed so went back in the correct order. Now going through all the electric connections incase I moved something without noticing, will let you know how get on.
Thanks for the reply
Steve

Did you correctly position the camshaft pegs in the correct slots in their respective cam pulleys?

[The inlet cam peg and inlet cam pulley slot should both be at 4 o'clock and exhaust peg and cam pulley slot at 8 o'clock. With those in the right positions set the camshaft alignment lines and lock with the locking tool. You then fit the cam belt having ensured the crank is in the correct position also. I'd cut and post a diagram from the 'K-Series' manual, but can't remember how to do it!..old age getting the better of me! ]

Thanks Tipper,
That could be the problem, I'll look tomorrow and check if it ever stops raining and let you know.

Just a quick update, removed belt to double check position of cam dowels, seems OK have attached image of wheels removed locking tool to take picture crank at 90 btdc the two tipex marks are where the dowels are behind the washers

My interpretation of the photo and the diagram suggest you've got it right.

Thanks Jonaf for the diagram, thanks Tipper I thought I was going completely mad. Had the belt off again earlier just to check I've lost count how many times, I noticed a loose piece of insulation tape by the near side boot hinge. If you remember I posted a few weeks ago starter would not turn over while up in the Lake District. Peeled back and found 4 broken wires, Black/red tracer, purple/red tracer. Plain purple and last but not least a plain black. Now all soldered up and covered in heat shrink have not checked yet on wiring diagram where these went .Turned the key still no start, plugged in the p scan, no faults logged I'm now running out of ideas.
Steve

You need correct timing, compression, fuel and spark. Does the fuel pump sound when you turn the ignition on? Is there spark at the plugs?

Hi Jonaf,
Using the fob, you can unlock the doors, if you wait you can cancel the immobiliser, turn the key and the fuel pump pressures the system and there is a spark at the plugs, run out of ideas now, I don't like admitting defeat, but it might be towed to my local garage on Monday
Steve

Did you take a compression test?

I'll try that tomorrow

Low compression, off too the garage in the morning.

It's been a while but from dim memory the angles shown in the diagrams to set the pulley are only the INITIAL settings to bolt on the pulleys.

The exact timing spot for one of the cams, I think it's the exhaust one but not certain, is right up on the cam lobe and
it won't sit there. So I needed to make 2 steps:

1- apply the 4 o'clock - 8 o'clock rule and put the pulleys on

2- rotate the pulleys to the timing marks and hold there with the cam lock.

I hope this makes sense as a last ditch effort.

Thanks for that Robbomc, but went on the back of the recovery truck earlier. I think the problem was when I cleaned the buckets out, filled the pistons up with clean oil. I'm thinking if there was no movement in the tappets when I bolted the cam ladder down that would have pushed the valves slightly open, 2 revolutions on the crank and I felt nothing. What I am concerned about would the pistons in buckets expand further and push the valves into the pistons? Anyway when I hear or call in to have a look, I'll update, this is running longer than Coronation St
Thanks all will update as soon as I hear
Steve

If you have no or low compression then this is almost certainly due to the valves being forced open. It is not an unusual problem in rebuilt K series engines.
The trick is to restart the car by being towed. This usually restarts the engine. You then keep it running at approx 2000rpm and gradual ease off on the throttle - going back up to 2000rpm if it looks like stalling. This can take about 15mins. Once it ticks over without stalling the problem is cured.

Thanks candaes, l'll bear that in mind, I heard from the garage earlier, when they turned it over they could here chuffing noise on the inlet / exhaust, so if that's the lifters holding the valves open or there bent and not closing I'm not sure.

Garage gave me a guesstimate of between £600-£800 to carry out work on head, I declined there offer so car now back home. Removed camshafts tonight so all valves should be closed, replaced spark plugs but found it fairly easy to turn over on the crank. Will put a straight edge across the head tomorrow and measure down to the top of the valve stems to see if any difference in measurements.

Finally have the engine running, took the camshafts off Friday evening and removed the tappets ready for Saturday. Put a straight edge across the head and measured from the bottom of the rule to the top of each valve stem and they were all the same. Removed all the pistons from the buckets emptied out the oil and reassembled. Refitted everything today, almost started but then died, last resort tow down the road behind wife's Micra and it started within 10 metres. Left it ticking over for about 5 minutes was still a little bit tapperty, took it for a run, about a mile now silent, if I had towed it last weekend as candaer suggested it would have saved a lot of work ( lessons learned )