Setting up timing on a 2.0EFI

[G Force]

Hi Simon.

Here’s my top tips for a right first time approach to refitting the cylinder head on the 2.0l engine.

Never put the cylinder head face down on the bench, this would damage the valves & / or the head face.

Block prep. Protect the bores with cloths from any debris before removing all traces of old gasket and give a light clean with a sanding block & fine wet/dry just to remove rust & water staining. To stop the new gasket getting contaminated with gunk etc. and to ensure the correct torque down of the head, remove all traces of oil and coolant from the bolt holes with compressed air if available, if not (screw a head bolt all the way in by hand to remove majority of liquids, then get the rest with a fine rag and screw driver). Fit the two locating dowels firmly into place. Finally clean head surface with solvent such as brake cleaner. Carefully remove the protective cloths.

Bolt check. Clean up all the head bolts to remove rust and clear the threads. Check the bolts for stretching, pay attention to the top portion of the threaded area and above, look for any increase in the distance between the gaps of each thread in that area compared to the threads that screw into the block. This is called necking and suspect bolts should be renewed.

Head prep. With your nicely skimmed head all that should be needed is a quick visual and a clean with solvent to make sure it is nice & clean & dry. Correctly fit the gasket and double check the engine in the safe position before you place the head in place, making sure it sits down fully over the dowels.

Before fitting the bolts very lightly oil the threads and under the integral washer of the later bolts or both sides of the washers on the earlier bolts, whichever you have. Then place the bolts in the holes of the head, don’t drop them in as this can bruise the treads, then screw all the bolts finger tight.

The tightening sequence is starting from the centre bolt at the spark plug side of the head, then the centre bolt manifold side, then move round the head in a clockwise spiral rotation until you eventually finish on the outer bolt at the cambelt end on the manifold side.

10, 6, 2, 3, 7
9, 5, 1, 4. 8. Distributor end.

I don’t have a manual but this is how I used to torque the head, but it may have been revised over the years. Hopefully someone such as henscr might know if this has been changed.

Torque first to 35lb ft. in sequence. Then again to 60lb ft. Run engine until hot and then allow to cool down fully. Then slacken each head bolt in turn by one flat and then re-torque to 60 lb ft.

Regards, Gary.

[SimonR]

Perfect - that's very useful to know.

I got the head back today, they've skimmed it, lapped the valves, fitted new oilseals to the valves and camshaft and drilled out / fitted inserts to four exhaust manifold studs which wouldn't budge when I dismantled it. They also readjusted the valve gaps as they were way too big.

One final question - does anyone have a manual to hand which details the torque / method for refitting the headgasket bolts?


Thanks :-)

[G Force]

Hi

I suppose while we're on the subject, for anyone who dosen't know, because the 2.0l engine is not a safe engine the cam timing marks are set at 90 degrees BTDC. In this position, this ensures the pistons are all level, half way down the bores well away from the valves. When refitting the cylinder head it is important to line up the cam timing marks on the crankshaft first, to avoid any valve / piston contact.

[G Force]

, the engine number starts 20HE and it looks like it has round teeth on the cam pulley. :-)

Hi Simon

Yes what I should have said is HB onwards, but the procedure is the same for yours as I described for HB.

Gary

[SimonR]

Cheers for the replies, gentlemen, the engine number starts 20HE and it looks like it has round teeth on the cam pulley. It also has a round oil feed hole in the head gasket (of course I found this out after I bought an oval HG set!!)

Can't wait to get it back and get the engine running again :-)

[G Force]

Hi everyone,

My cylinderhead is hopefully going to be ready for re-fitting next week and I'm wondering how I can ensure that I don't put it back on and get the timing 180 degrees out. .

Hi Simon.

The timing marks on the 2.0l HA & 2.0l HB engines are slightly different but both are straight forward, so you won't get the timing 180 degrees out.

Timing marks on HB engine, (round tooth belt) Notch on crank pulley lines up with a pointer screwed into the oil pump at aproximately 2 O, Clock. There are two dots on the front of the camshaft pulley that line up either side of a hole in the top of the camshaft cover backplate.

Timing marks on the HA engine (square tooth belt) Notch on crank pulley lines up with a notch on a tin plate directly above the pulley at 12 0, Clock. There is a dot on the rear of the camshaft pulley that lines up with the centre of a veiwing hole in the top of the camshaft cover backplate.

Cheers, Gary

[Russ]

Set the marks on the cam to line with the bolt at the top and the bottom pulley with the mark on the pulley at the marker.

You can normally get factory manuals at P'bro for about a fiver

[H48HPE]

no Haynes manual for a 2.0 maestro, but they did do one for 2.0 Montego which may come in useful engine wise?

Also if you keep an eye on ebay those Rover Manuals that cover everything come up from time to time. I bought one new from Rover in about 2002, if you want one Rimmer brothers might be able to get you one? but I remember when i bought mine paying over 30 quid - and i'm sure if you get one off ebay it'd be cheaper when it comes up


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Austin-Maestro...item43a08cf6e1


one on now for 28 quid - expensive, but they do cover everything and have more detail than Haynes


Andy

[SimonR]

Hi everyone,

My cylinderhead is hopefully going to be ready for re-fitting next week and I'm wondering how I can ensure that I don't put it back on and get the timing 180 degrees out. Annoyingly I don't have a manual for the 2.0 EFI - is there actually one in existance? I've got Haynes and Autodata manuals but alas they don't include this engine.

Info gratefully received - cheers!

PS if anyone's interested, the head had to come off because one of the exhaust studs was snapped which was causing exhaust gasses to escape at one corner of the manifold. The only way I could find to sort this out was to remove the head with the manifolds attached. By the time I'd got them off the head, there were 4 bolts/studs that needed to be drilled out and replaced! What a pain. While it's having that done, I'm also having the valve stem oil seals replaced, the cam/shims checked, the cam oil seals replaced and the valves relapped.