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Valve-Crunched Eos engine rebuild

3K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  moestevens@cox.net 
#1 · (Edited)
I bought a 09 Red Eos for $625 from an unlucky gentlemen who was told his engine had jumped time, and replacement for the engine would be $5000 (more than blue book on the car). I purchased a subscription to alldatadiy.com and found excellent and complete workshop manual on the car. I've downloaded everything I think I need, and have started to repair the car.

My first concern was getting the engine out: The manual says from the bottom. I do not have a lift, so I removed the front of the engine compartment, unbolted and pulled all wiring off the engine. I disconnected the downpipe, axles, and mounts, and lowered the engine / transmission onto a wheeled platform I made. From there I separated the transmission, removed the flywheel, and put the engine on a stand.

I estimate the intake cam was about 90 degrees out of time. On pulling the head, I found the intakes all bent, the exhausts look ok, and the old-style cam chain tensioner worn out. I was able to get the lower front cover off, thanks to a video by the humble mechanic, without damaging it, and had it deleted from a rebuild kit I bought from Deutsche Auto Parts. They also supplied new exhaust manifold studs, 8 OEM valves ,an aluminum water pump, and a new pilot bearing. As I also got a front crank seal, new oil drain plug, and oil pump chain from Rock Auto. The only source I have found for reasonably priced valve seals is Supertech performance. The head is at a local machine shop for pressure testing, the valve job, and broken exhaust stud (yeah, I tried) removal. I intend to add an upgraded rear main seal and a pair of oil catch cans before I reinstall the engine.

Pictures so far are on photobucket at this url: http://s1079.photobucket.com/user/moestevens1/library/

I am adding photos and adding to this post as I make progress. Hopefully it will help a fellow member. I am discontinuing updates on my earlier post regarding finding a repair manual.

3 new pix today: One showing old headbolt used as a maintenance position fixture I will be using later during reinstall. One showing new chains, guides, and tensioners, and the last showing how to fix the crankshaft while removing the flywheel bolts. The gear puller is only hand tight to keep the crankshaft tool from jumping off. Those bolts were loctite'd and very hard to break loose. Manual says not to use impact wrench.

I did not have a close quarters special tool to remove the water pump pulley, so drilled out the plug in the rear block flange to get a regular bit into it. The drill caught on the plug and hit and broke the pulley, so a new one on order. That pulley is made of something very fragile.

11/20/19 Got the head back from the machine shop earlier this week: $500 for cleanup, resurfacing, pressure test, valve job, and two broken studs removed.
They told me the valve seals I supplied did not fit over the valve guides, and supplied their own, which they claim are OEM equivalent. I put the engine back together, and have the following notes:

Attach the oil feed line to the block, and the coolant supply line to the turbo before hanging the exhaust manifold with turbo back on, you will not have clearance to torque things afterwards. Pump some oil into the oil feed port (on top the turbo) so it doesn't get a dry start later.

Check the camshaft front plate. I found half a screen missing from a check valve, & unsuccessfully looked for it everywhere. I cut the remainder out before reinstalling it. Noticed one of the cam bearings had a minor score in it; It might have been that.

Now the bad news: When removing the engine from the engine stand, a piece of the block flange dropped to the floor. In absolute horror, I examined it to find it had been broken some time in the past and had been held on (and concealed) with epoxy. I even found a fingerprint in the glue on the inside surface, indicating the block had been separated from the transmission sometime in the past. I now have about $2000 invested in a "broken" engine. I have talked to a savvy friend, who has had luck stitching cold cast iron with a TIG welder and stainless wire. Alignment will be critical as this piece has a locating bushing, and misalignment will probably trash the transmission. We will see what happens and I will post results. New pictures posted on photobucket.
 
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#4 ·
Close out on this thread

OK, I have been remiss on keeping this up to date. The Eos is finished and back on the road. Mig Welding on the block was successful: To keep from heating things up too much and causing cracks, it was welded in only 3 spots, with plenty of cooling time between welds. I used a flexible straight edge and moto tool to make sure there were no high spots, and bolted it up. I used blue loctite on the flywheel bolts, and carefully torqued the transmission to engine bolts, leaving the one on the welded ear at about 1/2 the normal value. The engine / transmission went back in with minimal trouble, but I found I had broken the lower heater hose bayonet connection. A new hose end was installed. Unfortunately, I installed the intake manifold before putting the engine back in and had to pull it in order to put the wires back on the injectors. I hooked up the VAG-com I bought from a company in Australia for around $90, and reset all the faults, the engine started properly. My only problem is a small coolant leak from the water pump outlet, and during a 400 mile shakedown trip (after driving it around town for a month), I have a stuck thermostat (that came installed in my new aluminum water pump). I shouldn't have reused all the old coolant system o-rings. After getting the new ones I will be pulling that front bumper back off, achieving"service position" and taking care of that issue. I wrote a note on the block's oil separator about the welding repair for the next guy who works on it. Updating Photos now.
 
#5 ·
Valve stem seals

OK, I have been remiss on keeping this up to date. The Eos is finished and back on the road. Mig Welding on the block was successful: To keep from heating things up too much and causing cracks, it was welded in only 3 spots, with plenty of cooling time between welds. I used a flexible straight edge and moto tool to make sure there were no high spots, and bolted it up. I used blue loctite on the flywheel bolts, and carefully torqued the transmission to engine bolts, leaving the one on the welded ear at about 1/2 the normal value. The engine / transmission went back in with minimal trouble, but I found I had broken the lower heater hose bayonet connection. A new hose end was installed. Unfortunately, I installed the intake manifold before putting the engine back in and had to pull it in order to put the wires back on the injectors. I hooked up the VAG-com I bought from a company in Australia for around $90, and reset all the faults, the engine started properly. My only problem is a small coolant leak from the water pump outlet, and during a 400 mile shakedown trip (after driving it around town for a month), I have a stuck thermostat (that came installed in my new aluminum water pump). I shouldn't have reused all the old coolant system o-rings. After getting the new ones I will be pulling that front bumper back off, achieving"service position" and taking care of that issue. I wrote a note on the block's oil separator about the welding repair for the next guy who works on it. Updating Photos now.
I forgot to mention: According to the machine shop, the valve stem seals from Supertech Performance mentioned in an earlier post did not fit the valve stems. They have not responded to a request for refund.
 
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