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SENATOR-Gone!


Stevebrookman

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Dropping stuff in an engine bay can be a right mare if the car has an undertray. I thought I would have to buy a new big green knob for the battery disconnector on the DS yesterday, visions of a similar situation to a few years ago when I dropped a rotor arm and didn't get it back until I removed the engine (for other reasons). Fortunately the bright greenness saved the day once I had found a torch and there was the little bugger inside the radiator fan cowl.

All these words just to say that I feel your pain. Have you had it running yet?

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Dropping stuff in an engine bay can be a right mare if the car has an undertray. I thought I would have to buy a new big green knob for the battery disconnector on the DS yesterday, visions of a similar situation to a few years ago when I dropped a rotor arm and didn't get it back until I removed the engine (for other reasons). Fortunately the bright greenness saved the day once I had found a torch and there was the little bugger inside the radiator fan cowl.

All these words just to say that I feel your pain. Have you had it running yet?

 

No-tightened up the head bolts and gave up for the day-needed a fresh mind!

it will need a few more hours yet-all the water pipes, exhaust pipes, electrical connections and rocker arms.

 

Steve

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Then the splined socket came off dropping into the head

Slightly OT but... I did my 4 plugs the other day and had to buy a 16mm PlugSocket. It held the plug in a rubber guide but it gripped the plug harder than the extension could pull the socket off = socket stuck in plug tube :(

 

I binned the rubber guide and lowered the plugs down the tube with my 'magic magnetic extender' then tighten 'em in :)

 

The magnetic tip is gr9 for retrieval of wayward junk!

 

 

TS

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Rockers and tappets being put in tonight. Chain sprocket last night- a bit of a pain as the camshaft was not perfectly aligned for the slot on the sprocket. Managed in the end with the help of a longer bolt (to locate the sprocket-later replaced with normal bolt)  and all timing marks are aligned.

 

Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

Evening all,

Had a good go today with my "wonderful" Senator. Even managed to start it.

 

Started to adjust the rockers with the engine running and the oil started to turn a lovely shade lightish brown.

 

Looks like I either pinched the head gasket putting it on or the "O" ring that sits on the head moved.

 

I'll leave it a few months (to get my interest back!)and get my Royale going. I'll try and get it under the car port as more room as well.

 

Onwards and downwards

 

Steve

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Happy days!

I remember a bunch of us trooping mob handed into the workshop to do just that: lift a Senny head off (a 24v too!). In the end we left it to one of the fitters, who was a competition power lifter, quite a big lad, and even he struggled a bit.

Chocolate camshaft was quite common on Vauxhall Opel OHCs, I always assumed it was just that: poor quality case hardening.

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Thought I'd have a "quick" look at the Senator after I got home. Two hours later I ended up with this.

 

h3_zps5b0fiwwb.jpg

 

I'm getting good at this-must be the practise.

 

One problem I saw was a hole blocked with sealant (wont be using it again!)

 

h1_zpshxoeb0a3.jpg

 

No other obvious faults-"O" ring was in place

 

h2_zpsffu55dvf.jpg

 

I'm thinking too much paste and the fact I couldn't do the head bolts up for at least an hour as I dropped the splined socket into the head.

 

another pic

 

h4_zps7yowltvk.jpg

 

steve

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Fair play for getting stuck in for round two. If having to do a job twice peeesice you off as much as it does me, you are mighty peiced.

 

I'm with the chaps, Defo dry on a headgasket. I always used to use hylomar on thin paper rocker gaskets until it didn't work, so I moved to hermatite red, better but still not good. Then an ex RAC patrolman said 'use grease' on the paper rocker gasket, brilliant. Don't use grease on a OMGHGF though

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Yep-my fault!

I was given advice just to smear around the corners as Bren said, but went " slightly" overboard. Will send for a HG today and will also get a chain block from ebay to lower it down slowly. It,s a very heavy lump- bit like me!

 

Anyway- if anyone wants a hand getting a CIH head off- I'm your man- just no good at putting it back on!

 

No sealant this time!!!!!

 

Thanks again

 

Steve

 

Ts

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