Metro - carbon on the piston head?

[metroschultz]

Normally you would have broken the bolt free before removing the timing belt.
Allowing you to use the engine compression as a tool to hold it in place while you get the gear bolt free.

Now you will need to hold the cam with a really big screwdriver
Behind the first bearing is a large hole
rotate the cam in the head so you can get a BIG screwdriver into the hole. (I have a number 4 Phillips that is almost perfect fit)
now gently rotate the cam counter clockwise until the driver is near the edge of the head, place a folded rag between the driver and head.
Use a socket and breaker bar (better leverage and less chance of damage to the bolt) to remove the end bolt. (you may need another set of hands to hold everything down on your workbench)
It shouldn't be too awful tight. It only requires 44 ft/lbs of torque when you re-install it. (so breakaway torque may be as high as 80 ft/lbs)

Have fun
Schultz

[an0nymous]

huh.. well this hole is on the distrbutor end of the cam.. that the one?

Edit: dammit I just broke a big allen wrench off in that thing.. got the pieces out but... hmm

... that nut isn't reverse threaded or something is it?

Okay .. new plan ... pulled off the journals and removed the cam. It's on it's way to a friends house with a vise, he'll get me squared away.
Edit:
He did.. i am still awaiting my xfi cam, when it arrives this will go back as a core.

[an0nymous]

Okay next up... replace valves and pull, clean and reassemble lifters

I dunno what the name of this plate that was under the gear was, but the rubber that was on it was rotten, rotten, rotten. Cause for concern?

Added a clearer picture of the mystery plate.. rubber bits are literally dropping off the thing...

[an0nymous]

Disassembled for your inspection. That little spring is every bit as tiny as it appears to be. The paper clip was the only tool used for disassembly.
I am more or less following this teamswift thread:
TeamSwift • View topic - Getting rid of lifter noise. Lifter Disassembly and Cleaning




And done. Off to get valve spring compressor.

[an0nymous]

Arrgh frustration. First went to Autozone and rented a valve spring compressor. Then after I got back and stared at it I realized the claw type compressor wasn't going to work so i returned... it was the only kind they had. I then went to NAPA and the guy said he could have one shipped within a week.... hmm no thanks. Next: Pep Boys -Got the c-clamp style compressor, good. Got back and... there was no way the little retention cup thing was going to fit enough into the well to rest on the top of the spring. Went back to pep boys.. it's the only kind they have. "I haven't seen an engine like THAT for years" Asked the guy what I should do.. he recommended cutting a socket in half (!!?) and using it in conjunction with their valve spring compressor. uhhh. hmm.

I ask you, oh metro gods, how am I to remove these valves? Is there some secret sort of valve spring compressor of which I am not aware, like a motorcycle spring compressor or something?
And what that heck is that plate with the rotten rubber from 2 posts back, while you're at it?

[Johnny Mullet]

Hey! I took a piece of conduit and cut it and also cut holes in the sides of it to get them out. See my page 1 on my Metro thread and there is a pic of the tool.

I will reply with more info soon.

[metroschultz]

But unless you know a mechanic or Snap-on Tools (or Mac Tools, or Matco tools) dealer you are going to have an awful hard time finding one.
Vehicle Service, Engine, Valvetrain Service Tools | Matco Tools Online Tool Catalog
It is the one part # VT103
Real easy to use, real hard to get
Maybe, since you've torn it down this far, you wouldn't mind some old timey trick.
Warning this could get dangerous.
Ball a rag and put it under the head at one of the combustion chambers.
Take a socket approximately the size of the valve spring cap and another rag.
Place the rag over the valve you wish to dis-assemble.
Place the socket over the rag and make sure it is squarely on the valve spring cap.
Use a hammer to strike the socket.
!!!You are not trying to nail the valve to your workbench!!!
Use only enough force to push the spring down below the keepers.
Swift is better than hard. (its all in the wrist)
when done correctly the spring and cap and keepers will fly (yes fly) straight up and that is why you covered them with a rag. The rag keeps everything in one place so you can find the parts.
1 spring, 1 cap, 2 keepers.
The Metro valve spring is not very strong.
When you go to re-assemble, you can actually push the spring down by hand and have someone drop the keepers into the groove for you.
That is how I did mine at home last time.
Now I own the cool tool.
If you can make it to Virginia Beach before Monday we can tear it down on my bench.
If your helper doesn't mind dirt, you can push the spring down by hand and have them remove the keepers, but if you slip everything flies into a crack so you can not find it.

That black sheet metal with the crumbly rubber is a dust shield for the Timing belt. The crumbly rubber was great when new , just useless now. I cleaned mine off with a gasket scraper.

Schultz

[metroschultz]

Ya beat me Mullet
D@mn

[an0nymous]

As always thanks for the advice guys. Johnny, I'ld like to hear more about your conduit solution. That sounds do-able... I can pull out the dremel and take a whack at it in the morning, I am pretty shot for today. I've got some absurdly powerful rare earth magnets that might work as keeper-catchers.
Thanks for the suggestion on the shadetree method Schultz, but I could lose my keys in an otherwise empty room,so I'm under no illusions as to what would happen to those keepers the minute they flew into the rag.
The rubber on the back of that dust cover is pretty obnoxious, I think I am going to follow your lead and scrape it clean with a putty knife.

Actually, the more I look at that picture, the more straightforward the extender seems. Any special tricks to its construction?

Sadly, my xfi cam will not be here until tuesday.

Ah and one more question: Since there is a reasonable chance I will be able to get them out tomorrow; I had bought replacement exhaust valves. Is there any merit to removing and lapping the stock intake valves or would I be better off just letting them be?

[Johnny Mullet]

No special tricks to the extender. It's just a scrap piece I used and as you can see in the picture, it's pretty simple. Getting the keepers in was the hard part

Lap in the new valves, but the intake valves are up to you. I did remove and lap in my intake valves for the sake of replacing the valve stem seals