Hi all,

i am fairly new here and been having issues with my S2, so thought id post up a topic.

the car is running standard boost although i know it had been de-tuned by previous owner.

I have been running my car daily, commuting to work so it has been getting alot more use than it is used to.i noticed that the oil pressure light would flicker when the car is up to temp and this worried me so i have been driving it very gingerley.i hoped it was bad or wrong oil and or oil pressure switch.

after a c ople of weeks the car started to smoke quite alot from start up, brnt oils smell to it and after 5-10 mins it would clear and not smoke at all.

i also noticed that the dipstick occasionally popped out under full boost causing it to idle rough, i believe this is a worn dipstick tho as opening up the pastic seal stops this for a few days.

breather system is clear aslo.

i did a compression check for piece of mind at the y came out at 1:11bar 2:12.5bar 3:13Bar 4:13bar ialso checked the turbo and there is quite a bit of lateral movement and a small amount of in-out movement so that is quite worn, possibly expaling it smokeing ??

i drove the car home and the next moring it wouldnt fire at all it just turned over and over,it has fuel and spark.but i noticed the water level had fallen from max to just bellow min.

we took the head of last night expecting head gasket issues but the head and gasket do look ok althoug the gasket looks pretty cheap.

what worried me is that at TDC thre seems to be quite alot of lateral movement in each piston and the bores dont look to bad at all a little glazed perhaps.

so that is where im at at the moment i really dont know what the next step is really, how bad is it???

any advise or help would be massively appreciated

ps. sorry for tyher mamouth post just wanted to give as much backround as poss.

 

Anyone? Any ideas?

 

Sounds like time for a rebuild

 

Yeh that was my worry! Just wondering what I'll get away with really.

Tempted to just get my matches out and be done with it TBH!

 

Not teaching you to suck eggs lol but did you check all the breather pipes. Obviously the engine was running with a lot of pressure to pop out the dipstick... or maybe that was just coincidence? I would personally not have taken the head off just yet, but as you have studabear is prob right, maybe time for rebuild. I would pop sump off too and check for conjealed oil and the condition of filter. good luck

 

Engine is tired, compression is all over the place.
My advice is to put a 1.8 zetec bottom end on your head with new valve stem seals and headgasket. Then you will have good oil pressure, good bores and slightly more off boost torque, for not a lot of money (Ł100 for engine, Ł50 gasket set, Ł20 timing belt, Ł100 for ZVH parts)

 

That was my thoughts really TBH. Although am still tempted to stick with cvh bottom end. Am curretly looking for a recent rebuilt example possibly with forged internals? But with a new turbo and couple of other bits this I gonna get expensive

 

CVH me. I hate the lack of revability from the zetec based engines. Feels like a diesel to drive. Power all at once then wheezy and athsmatic above 5k rpm.

 

Must admit I have never driven a zvh but heard a few things that put me off a little. I don't want monster power just 2-230bhp would be spot on.

Just gotta find a suitable bottom end and turbo and I'll start putting it all back together.

 

A CVH will give 230bhp reliably all day long a long as you build it right. Depending on the condition of your engine then you could repair it quite easily and cheaply. It may just need a re-ring and a hone, crank grind and new bearings gaskets and seals etc. The money is in the cost of the machining work and pistons if it needs them.

 

Would like to keep it cvh really. I wanted to go forged but is it really necessary I know standard bottom end should be good for 250bhp
Ish. I just thought whilst it gotta be done may as well do it as best I can.

If it just needed hone and rings woul there still be that amount of play in the pistons at tdc? There is at least 1mm movement in all directions.

Been offered a freshly bored and honed block with pec rods just needs pistons but then I'm looking at Ł600 ish just on the bits. But I would then have a good solid bottom end

 

keep it cvh man and forge it u would have piece then ha and if there is up and dwn play in ur pistons all i can say is a rebuild as there must be wear in the top of the rods man
paul

 

There isn't much up and down movement it is all lateral but seems like alot to me??
Really want to just forge it for peace of mind really it is just the moneys that worries me.

Will just keep an eye on the classifieds and eBay for something suitable maybe?

Thanks for all ur help people.

 

well i forged my own for piece of mind i had problem like u with abit of play in the pistons even try look up cr pistons here abit of info on them mate


http://strikeengine.com/forged-pistons-2

 

Cheers for that. I will have a close look at that a bit later.

Think it's gonna be the way forward really looks like I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet!

 

Build it how you want it the first time round. If you don't put steel rods in it then want more power then you'll only kick yourself. If the lateral movement worries you ask a machine shop to measure the pistons and the bores for wear and ovality and you will know if you need pistons. If it was me I'd sell your engine and get the block that has already been worked. 600 is stills cheap rebuild. Mine cost 3k without any ancillaries.

 

Just spoken to the guy withe the bottom end with forged rods and looks like that will be the route in gonna go down.

Atleast that way I get piece of mind and fresh engine too. Maybe even turn up the boost when I get the new turbo!

 

I love the CVH option as well -for originality sake.
The lack of revability of the zetec has to do with the standard poor flowing head and manifolds.
Putting even poorer flowing standard cvh intake and exhaust manifolds on a zetec make things even worse.
A proper specd Zetec is a rev monster!

 

Cvh it will be then!

Jut need to locate some 0.5 oversized pistons now then.

What's peoples thoughts on makes of pistons? Heard worrying things about acrilites.

Wossner seem to have a good name but Ł550 on the bay, ouch

Think i Need to keep my eye out for some 2nd hand ones.

 

what management you running? if its k-jet then a std zetec bottom end is all you will ever need for the 200 bhp max you will make