Banana Push Rods..!!

[eurorep]

Just when you dont expect it .. bang goes your timing belt ..! My old dog was quite happy till it snowed.! Why dont this happen in July? Anyway, bang went the belt, something else went clonk. Passed a few days waiting for Postie, belt and tensioner arrived. Did what Mr Haynes said in the book, timing, etc. pins. Clonk, bang, crash and after removing the rocker cover was too surprised to see the push rods bent more than a Politician.! Now being in Germany, things here are more expensive, it found what i needed back in the UK, waiting for Postie ... In the morning i ll finish taking the head off No doubt there will be valve damage .. new ones on their way. My question to the guys who know their trannies is this. Provided i set the crank at the right position with pin in the flywheel, pin in injection pump and i then put the repaired head with camshaft pin back in place .. is there any chance of damage as i replace push rods and tighten down the rocker shaft.? am i right in thinking the rockers need to be really slackened off as much as can be so i can manually turn the crank, and set each to the correct valve clearance.? Just dont want to go to all this expense and miss something really important and the whole bloody lot goes bang again ..! Happy days you lot ... : P

[AndyG]

Have you taken the head off yet

[eurorep]

Hiya,,,almost...it got to getting quite dark and i was running out of candles.! Removed all head bolts in the correct sequence but unable to remove the 4 in the middle until i get the right alan key socket in the morning..

[AndyG]

Well, if you did a bit of searching on here first, you'd know that you wouldn't have to remove the head

I'm not sure if it's too late at this stage to simply put back the bolts back you've already removed That's up to you

I'd have removed the rocker assembly, pin locked the engine, then drop in the new push rods, fit the rocker assy back on and continued to fit the cam belt and tensioner
Lastly check all the tappet clearances and you're virtually home

[eurorep]

Thanks for your reply,,the only reason i decided to replace the valves was this. After contacting several mechanics over here i was told that damage would have occured to the valves. Even ADAC,, like uk..AA or RAC told me the same after piggy back home. When i removed the rocker cover a couple of the rockers had jumped out of the push rod at an angle off the cap of the valves. At this time the head is held in place by the 4 alan bolts, the others removed. New push rods come next week but problems trying to find valves. Are you saying i could save a job becoming bigger if i just replace push rods and gaskets and leave the head as is not worrying about the valves.......Is it possible the valves could be undamaged?
Either way...i thank all for looking and your knowledge is appreciated.

Eurorep@hotmail.com

[ake]

The valves will be fine, just change the pushrods and reset the timing and tappets

[AndyG]

Exactly
These Di engines are bullet proof (unlike any of the newer vans and other brands) and the rods are sacrificial along with the odd rocker, if you're unlucky
Valve/piston damage might be possible if the engine was screaming at the time I suppose

[ake]

Have you ever actually known a Di bend a valve Andy I don't think I have, but some unlucky lad somewhere will have

[MinorMatt]

I didnt even replace my push rods when my belt broke... Lump hammer special to straighten em out

[ake]

I didnt even replace my push rods when my belt broke... Lump hammer special to straighten em out

I know a guy who did that at the side of the road, he was mobile again in under an hour

[Frag]

Done my fair share of broken/stripped belts,
Bent valves are about as likely as head gaskets on a di

[AndyG]

I know a guy who did that at the side of the road, he was mobile again in under an hour

It took me a little longer, as I had to fetch the parts

[ake]

I do like a picture of your van Andy

[Altransit]

I do like a picture of your van Andy

Even better, a picture of both of his working vans

[jay]

wanna bet about valve damage!!

This is the result of someone in my very old white swb that was doing 70mph and the belt snapped and then they tried tow starting it around the block...valve bits embeded in the pistons and head...But my old black beasty van was bought with a snapped belt and that ran ok after doing just the belt and straightning the push rods in a vice...I have also done the same to another transit at the side of the road as well..