Hi all I hope someone can help me out here.
I?ve got an 2 litre fiat Ducato camper van on a G reg. It seems as though the exhaust manifold is blowing slightly. So last weekend I got under the van to replace the gasket only to find that the top nuts holding the manifold to the engine block are inaccessible. I even took the rocker cover of the top of the engine to see if I could gain access that way but it didnt help.
I?m obviously missing something stupid here, I cant believe that the engine has to come out to get to these nuts.
Has anyone out there done one of these before and if so, how did you solve the problem.
Thanks
Tom B
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Tomboy,
I hope for your sake that it isn't the engine I'm thinking of. (Diesel - flat black plastic 'valve cover' ) If it is, you'd better start learning some new swearwords !
It's been a while since I've done one, but from memory, first of all the inlet manifold has to come off, I think this means taking the alternator off. Once the inlet manifold is off, the exhaust manifold bolts can be undone, but it can't be removed until a steel water pipe running underneath it is taken off. This is connected to short rubber hoses at the back of the engine. The hoses will be soft and swollen and must be replaced.
Everything is inaccessible and awkward - but you might just be able to do it without taking the engine out.
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If Tomboy is right re. 2 litre it will be petrol; the diesels of that vintage were2.5.
Still a swine of a job; I would expect that the gasket has blown because one or more of the manifold bolts have sheared. If this is in fact the case there is no need to try to do the job from underneath, the head has to come off! If it is any consolation, fortunately the engine is low tech, pushrod & tappets etc not much different to doing an OHV Ford Anglia. However the head bolts should be replaced & torqued properly as per Peter Russek manual.
To give an idea of costs, when I had same problem I removed & refitted head myself, machine shop charged about £120 to replace all bolts, grind valves & true head.
BTW the manifold bolt problem is not uncommon; one theory is that it is caused by a spongy rear gearbox mount, if this hasn?t been replaced check this is OK to prevent a recurrence.
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Thanks steptoe.
It is the 2 litre petrol. And I was intending to replace the gear box mounting anyway as I?m getting a bit of rattle on the gearstick under load.
I?m just thinking now, is it possible ( while I?m doing the mounting ) to drop the gearbox a couple of inches and get to the manifold nuts that way? Or is taking the head off the only way I?m going to do it?
Tomboy
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Not sure as my manual only lists manifold removal as part of the engine dismantling procedure but its worth trying anything to avoid lifting head.
In my case the nut & part of the stud was missing ( also lots of exhaust sealer round the manifold, blew just after I bought the van privately?hmm?) and I felt there was not much chance of replacing the stud in situ.
Sorry to labour the point but are you sure all your studs are present and not sheared halfway down the shaft, the gaskets don?t usually blow unless this happens.
I guess if these engines didn?t have houses attached they would have been down the scrappy long ago!
Anyway best of luck, Steptoe
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