While it's sunny and I am "working from home", I didn't want to wait till the weekend to tackle this job. This is the most comlpex job I've done on a car so, as you can imagine, it's fairly easy (if you know what you're doing
)Tools required:
1x ratchet with a 10mm socket
1x 10mm spanner
1x allen key for the rocker cover bolts (not sure what size - fairly standard)
1x flat head screw driver
2x jubilee clips
1x house key
So, what have we got?
Oh look, oil... everywhere... (even more behind the bulkhead)
OK, take off the engine cover and undo the circled bolts. Then move the wiring strip support thing somewhere out of the way. Undo the air hose clip on the front and remove it. I couldn't remove the other hose as there was no space at all, so that was removed when I pulled the rocker cover off later.
And here it is with things unbolted.
Now, remove the upper timing belt cover. This was an absolute pain in the arse as the space is quite limited and I had to resolve to shouting and swearing. There are 2 bolts and 1 nut holding it in place. I couldn't get the camera in to show you, but one is behind the bulkhead near the pipe, which is not obvious. The other is in the middle (between the two sprockets), which also holds the intermediate cover. The nut is at the bottom of the cover. You have to have pretty long arms to get to it - I could only find it by feeling it. Anyway, all in all, it was a pain that took over an hour.
Once, the timing belt cover is off, undo all the screws from the rocker cover and unscrew the camshaft position sensor. Note its exact place, as the distance between it and the camshaft sprocket is quite critical.
Then gently prise the cover off the head. Here's the result.
New gasket
Just remove the old one from the cover and replace.
Refitting is the reverse of removing, with some exceptions. On both hoses, I put new jubilee clips on. The one on the side of the cover didn't have any clips, so I thought it would be good to. And one on the front is a pain to clip back together, so I fit a normal jubilee one.
While refitting everything, I manage to step on my timing belt cover, snapping off two lugs
So, now I have to get a new timing belt cover. Will get the garage to replace it when they do the timing belt.Amidst all of the above, I managed to lock myself out of my flat, so I had to get a locksmith to relieve me of £65 to open the door as my girlfriend wasn't going to be home for another 3 hours! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Still, the car started first time with no issues. I think it's also quieter now when accelerating (less rumble), but that may be psychological.
)
