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Finding cylinder #1 on distributor


Jake
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I've replaced the head gasket on my Mrs' FreeLander (1.8 K Series engine) but the engine won't start. It turns over OK and stinks of fuel after trying to start it a few times. I'm not sure I've got the HT leads on in the correct order on the distributor cap.

 

When I took it apart I marked 1,2,3,4 on the cap and the leads with a marker pen but when the (skimmed) head came back from the machine shop it had been steamed cleaned - with the distributor cap still bolted to the head. Obviously the marker pen numbers I put on the cap are not there now.

 

Because of steam cleaning I guess I'll have to take the distributor cap off and give it a good clean out. (Taking the cap off is easier said than done on a Freelander) but I'll still be left with not knowing which order the HT lead go onto the cap. There's nothing about it in the Haynes manual either. In fact for just about any electrical issues it says "Take your vehicle to the nearest Land Rover dealer" :banghead:

 

If I could just find out which postition on the distributor is #1 I'd be OK.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks

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Hi Jake

If you get No1 cylinder on the firing stroke at TDC you the rotor arm should be pointing at No1 in the cap.

 

Turn the engine over by hand whilst watching the camshafts. When No4 cylinder valves are at the point where the exhaust valve is just closing and the inlet valve is just opening, No 1 cylinder is on the firing stroke, look at the rotor arm and it should be pointing at No 1 lead.

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Sadly, she won't hear of it John. She really loves her car.

 

Actually it was quite straightforward to change the head gasket. The parts are cheap too. Well, compared to Toyota they're cheap. e.g. £25 for a head gasket

So it wouldn't be the end of the world if I had to do the head gasket again in another 40,000 miles time. I reckon I could do it in a day now

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a mechanic down road was telling me he wont touch k series engines now.he replaced headgaskets and the new one went same day on his drive. he was showing me a thing he bought to bleed air out of system he paid 140 quid for it and not used it.

 

jake you do lots of work on your own cars.have you learned yourself?

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jake you do lots of work on your own cars.have you learned yourself?
Yeah, pretty much. How hard can it be unbolting stuff and putting it back together again? Mostly it's common sense.

I have come unstuck a couple of times though - like I didn't know the torque converter has to be unbolted from the drive plate before splitting the gearbox from the engine, so I did it wrong and had to do it again the right way when the engine wouldn't turn over! :blush: (that was on my Supra, not the Land Rover this thread is about)

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a mechanic down road was telling me he wont touch k series engines now.he replaced headgaskets and the new one went same day on his drive. he was showing me a thing he bought to bleed air out of system he paid 140 quid for it and not used it.
I was just thinking about this and counting myself lucky. Do you know if, when the head was off, he checked the liners hadn't slipped into the block? They're supposed to be very slightly sticking up out of the block. If they aren't the gasket won't ever seal properly and the block is pretty much scrap. Also, you mustn't move the pistons once the head has been untightened because that also disturbs the liners. It's a crap design.
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