Hi guys and gals!!! Just thought Id come here for bit of advice. I have just fitted my 2.1 zvh bottom end to my 1.6 rs turbo head. After a few times of starting it I could hear a quiet a severe metal to metal sound. I removed the lifters and found that 1 was sticking so the valve was staying down and hitting the piston.

I then gentle rubbed down the inside of the sleeve with 800 wet and dry using oil and it seemed to be bit better!

Couple days later I have restarted engine again and it sounds like its making a severe metal to metal noise again. The head gasket is definately the right size so there is enough gap.

Can anyone give me any websites or helpful information on fitting a head then cambelt and checking TDC's. i gotta feeling it might be a tooth out. thanks in advance for your help and advice.

 

The only proper way is to measure the position of the #1 inlet cam lobe center in relation to crank TDC. Depending on cam it should be around 115 degrees after TDC. One tooth wrong would make it 19 degrees off, which is a LOT.

 

quickest way to put a car on tdc is to remove no1 spark plug put a long screw driver in the bore and gently turn the crank till the screw driver goes to its highest point turn gently tho as you dont want to trap the screw driver in the bore

 

No no no, Zetecs use a special pin which locks the crank at TDC.

So you would need the pin to lock the crank, and then use the timing mark on the head.

This IMO is the most reliable way to do it on a ZVH short of removing the head, as you lose the timing marks that were on the CVH cam cover.