Dollywobbler's Dreadful Dyane - Back on the road

[Junkman]

 

What's that snotty stuff?

 

A roast sparrow.

[dollywobbler]

I'm interested! Real oily bits = proper thread.

 

I have used the grinding paste method on a Vincent motorcycle head/barrel joint. It is one of those rare jobs where the quick, cheap and easy method is also the best.

 

Was the Dyane obviously noisey from this leak? I had a VW with a similarly leaking head/barrel joint and it made a terrible racket.

 

Not noticeably so. Not exactly quiet anyway!

 

 

 

 

 

What's that snotty stuff?

 

A carrier bag that has melted a bit and been coated in oil. Probably just added to the delicious aroma of leaky head joints.

[Coprolalia]

Keep posting please, again don't have much to contribute to the thread, but I love following a good engine rebuild. The more greasy bits the better, so lots of photos and keep going, ta muchly!

[DeeJay]

A roast sparrow.

 

 

A carrier bag that has melted a bit and been coated in oil. Probably just added to the delicious aroma of leaky head joints.

Aren't you supposed to cook them in bacofoil?

[Six-cylinder]

This poor car doesn't seem to attract much attention these days on here. Does that mean it isn't just me that loses a bit of interest after the Collection Caper excitement?

Not as exciting as the collection stuff but still interesting especially as I have two cars with these engines to take care of. I don't say much because I don't know much about the nuts and bolts of these engines and I am just absorbing knowledge.

[dollywobbler]

This is only the second time I've attempted to dismantle an engine. The key thing is to not accidentally pull the barrel off the piston when removing the head as it's a right bloody faff to get back together again if you don't have ring compressors! Then there's the battle to get all five engine bay exhaust clamps sealed again when reassembling...

 

They're incredibly joyous for the mechanically inept to work on, but you have to be VERY careful with tightening torques. Haynes helpfully massively overstates what the tightening torque for the oil feed bolts to the head is by the way - to the point that you WILL strip the thread if you follow their figures. Same with the head bolts and spark plugs. Easy does it! Oh and you'll need all of the sockets you never thought you'd need - like a deep 12mm one for the head bolts.

[mercrocker]

Great thread...I am a bit of an interested observer rather than keen do-er but I like these threads in the same way as 1960s Practical Motorist mags. Good tip from Mr Rialto (I think) on the paddling pool too. I know somebody who Gunked and stripped a bike engine in their kids sandpit (they had outgrown it, apparently) which had the bonus of a nice tight bung in it.

[320touring]

MayI respectfully suggest that now is the time to fit this with a cheeky turbo off a copen or somesuch?

 

BOOOOOOOOOOOST!

[dollywobbler]

MayI respectfully suggest that now is the time to fit this with a cheeky turbo off a copen or somesuch?

 

BOOOOOOOOOOOST!

 

Hey, it's already got BOOOOST! (by which I mean the engine fan lamely blows air into the air filter to create the world's mildest supercharger effect).

[twosmoke300]

One off cx500/650 or xj650 would be perfect

[dollywobbler]

Hmmm. A pal has suggested that if it's pumping oil out at quite a rate, the barrels/piston rings may be shagged. £129 for replacements. Not a bad price, but that won't be happening anytime soon. I'll settle for cleaning it up, fitting a few new seals and hoping for the best because Autoshite. And skint.

[richardmorris]

What's the oil breather like? Have you tested crankcase pressure with a manometer ( length of clear hose on a board?)

[dollywobbler]

Don't be daft. Of course I haven't. Wouldn't know where to start. I did pinch the breather from Elly's original engine, which was about 50,000 miles old. It lost lots of oil be for that, but barely any on the Goodwood trip. I think I opt to reassemble as is, give it a bloody good clean and then monitor.

[ruffgeezer]

I think there are still some 2cv engines across the road from work, wan me to enquire as to if you can come and give them a new home?

[dollywobbler]

Worth an ask. I've got friends over your way if I can't take them on.

[PhilA]

I do like this thread. Your films are entertaining also.

 

I'd never noticed before that without the bonnet on, with a really big squint without my glasses on at a distance, it looks a bit like a DS with square lights. From the correct angle.

 

Approve of repair methods. The amount of pressure on the sealing faces with such a small surface area has got to be massive. Nice that the design allows an easy repair like lapping the head to the barrel. Carry on!

 

Phil

[richardmorris]

Photo and text from Keith Would.

 

water or lhm test gauge. get the engine ticking over, remove dipstick and push pipe into the tube and watch what happens between the two levels.

a new valve should give 20cm difference, citroen specified a min of 6cm. more than 10 is ok.

 

refit dipstick, remove vent pipe and place hand over  outlet.  if you can feel a powerful in and out rush of air or similar to the effect of opening the filler cap then the valve has failed and an in-line replacement may work. if on the other hand the flow of air is very weak then the valve is blocked and only a replacement will do.

[jonathan_dyane]

Is there much of a wear lip in the barrels? If it was me I wouldn't be able to resist pulling them off to inspect the pistons and check the rings for condition and gap...

[dollywobbler]

That's been mentioned on another forum too. I'll check them next time I'm in tinker-mode. Really can't be arsed with ring checking though!

 

I may even give the manometer a go, but I've got to get the engine back together before trying that anyway. Thanks Richard.

[forddeliveryboy]

Hmmm. A pal has suggested that if it's pumping oil out at quite a rate, the barrels/piston rings may be shagged. £129 for replacements. Not a bad price, but that won't be

happening anytime soon. I'll settle for cleaning it up, fitting a few new seals and hoping for the best because Autoshite. And skint.

 

Unusual to find knackered pistons/barrels on these engines - the quality of replacements isn't anywhere near the quality of originals - but when faced with no choice, obv anything's better than nothing. I once 'rebuilt' a 425 which was down on power (the 12hp ones usually are, this was spectacularly slow and the owner took it to the South of France every year) and that was needed was a gentle re-hone of the bores and do the valves - after enormous deliberation and consultation I even left the rings in since they were still good. Result - transformed and still as good ten years on.

 

As RichardMorris mentions, the crankcase breather is probably past it. Use old 2cv plastic fuel line with a bit of the rubber line to join it to the dipstick tube, it takes 5 or 10 mins max. Add a drop of antifreeze to make it easier to see the level. Test at a variety of revs, make sure you don't suck water in once the breather is working right!

[jonathan_dyane]

Well if you do nothing else remember that you MUST replace the pushrod seals...

[dollywobbler]

On order! Along with a new front crank seal.

[UltraWomble]

This poor car doesn't seem to attract much attention these days on here. Does that mean it isn't just me that loses a bit of interest after the Collection Caper excitement?

Im following the thread. I have a soft spot for the Dyane, I prefer these over the 2CV as they are (IMHO) more practical. I also went to London & back in one of these once. In the rear seat. Just because people dont comment doesnt mean no one is interested.

Old French Car, Oily bits, Hammer & Screwdriver action - whats not to like?

 

Keep up the good work Ian.

[beko1987]

I know f all about Dyanes or 2cvs so don't comment. I still read every update though, and wish I had the time and space to do such a project!

[Felly Magic]

Dyannes do bring back a lot of childhood memories, as a friends mum had 2 of them, a blue un and a burgundy one, was scary going to their house in Bramham along the A1 from my house in Kippax I can tell you

[For Fiats Sake]

Following thread with interest, maybe over a month without updates is a tad long to hold the average shiters attension?

 

I was offered use of a 2cv once when the SD1 was being troublesome - never did though - I wonder what my life would be like now if I had.......

[dollywobbler]

Lack of updates entirely related to lack of work. I was just having a silly grumble as when I actually did some work, it didn't seem to generate much interest. I appreciate all the comments from thread lurkers though and it shall inspire me to greater efforts.

[forddeliveryboy]

Im following the thread. I have a soft spot for the Dyane, I prefer these over the 2CV as they are (IMHO) more practical.

 

Too right, and with just 2hp more than a 2cv, I always seemed to be going 10mph faster at any given time. Better aerodynamics, roomier, better seats, stronger shell, better made. They cost twice as much as a duck. Superb little cars which would carry as much as an Escrote van.

 

Rather than spend money on new engine bits (I'd prefer to pull apart half a dozen junked engines and make a good one or two out of the best bits) there's always the option of buying a scrapper R-series BMW twin. No need to pay specialist prices for conversion bits either, if you're understood by the local engineering workshops.

[dollywobbler]

That would be a little churlish given that my mate makes the conversion kits. I'm a firm believer that power corrupts though. As much fun as they are, I just like the original engine more.

[dollywobbler]

Shit.

 

My Dyane's engine has a better rep for scoring than I do. Suggests a ring issue.

 

So, do I order up new barrels and pistons (not that I'll be able to afford it this month and probably not next month either) or do I drag out the forgotten spare engine from the back of my garage? It came with the free green 2CV a while back and probably hasn't run for the best part of a decade or more. It does turn though...