Active Engine Removal (And refitting)

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 05 Oct 2009, 20:19

Where to start? I've taken engines out of other cars before but none with all the hydraulic gubbins littered around the place!

My first area would be getting the car on axle stands, and then de pressurising the suspension. What is the easiest way to do the later?

Do any spheres like the Activa accumalator/balancing sphere have to be removed or can they remain in situ?

Driveshafts - Pop out from the gearbox ok?

Battery tray out, ABS block moved, LHM Reservoir removed?

Air -con - Can the compressor be unbolted and put to one side to save dismantling the rest of the system?

Radiator out - Better access of course?

Any other Activa specific things i should be doing? No doubt i will update this thread as i go along!

I am hoping to make a small start this week, but engine probably wont be out till next week. I am having the low miles turbo modified for a bigger compressor wheel, and then all bolted onto my engine with new gaskets and torqued up correctly.

I am unsure about the clutch/release bearing assembly as i have been told this is fiddly to split.

As mentioned on another thread, i should have the assistance of a very experienced and patient citroener to help when it all goes back in, which will help put my mind at rest and ensure i dont have to take the engine out again!

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 05 Oct 2009, 21:26

Gareth, it's a bit late now to add huge detail but you have the basic gist of what needs doing.

Hopefully the ABS block can stay where it is or perhaps just be moved to one side.

Generally, you need to strip everything that is in the way of lifting the engine/gearbox up and out at an angle with the cambelt end uppermost. This will include the LHM reservoir but hopefully not the fusebox!

Depressurise on low with the engine running when up on stands at the front.

Driveshafts pop out OK but do drain the gearbox first!!! The RH intermediate bearing may give you some fun.

Aircon should unbolt from the sump (4 bolts, one hard to get at). Will save a lot of depressurisation hassle.

No need to remove starter, alternator or HP pump.

Remove the rad and intercooler to save damaging them.

Have a good read of my "Brief Encounter" V6 blog. That contains a lot of engine removal information that is just as applicable to yours.

Just keep the questions flowing and we'll keep answering them!

One this you DO need is an experienced assistant for both the lift out and lift back in.

Make sure that as you start the lift the whole assembly is well balanced on the hoist. You'll be looking to pull the engine out at about a 40 degree angle. Using the pukka lifting eyes on the engine should give the right tilt.

Beware the rear will lift up even when depressurised as the engine rises on the hoist. Be prepared for that by jacking the rear end up to high so it cannot rise. It nearly caused my V6 engine out to get a tad difficult!

Unread post by **RichardW** » 07 Oct 2009, 13:14

Haynes tells you about the clutch - under the 2.1TD section. Be careful to restrain the slave cylinder plunger and don't press the pedal otherwise £££ or trouble are looming

You will need to make a special tool to re-engage the release bearing, but it will be easier as you will be doing it off the car.

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 10 Oct 2009, 12:29

Engine removal has now commenced and i've made the following progress.

Car up on stands, suspension on low. Depressurised at the screw after 15 mins. LHM resovior removed. Engine loom disconnected, battery and tray out, air filter out. ECU's out. Cooling system drained. Intercooler pipes off.

Here come the questions!

Annoyingly, i cannot get the bottom hose off the radiator. Top one came off ok, steel clips out. Don't want to break the radiator.

I am going to remove the ABS bracket and move it over, its too close for comfort and will make removal easier.

The Activa balancing sphere? below the battery, looks like a rear anti sink, i was going to undo the pipe and then remove the bracket holding the sphere on, then remove. Also going to remove the pipes going to the pressure regulator and accumalator.

Have removed the bottom two air con pump bolts, top ones look more difficult. I may have to remove the hydrualuc pump and alternator to get access, then swing the air con pump out the way.

Clutch, slave cylinder twists then comes out, secure push rod with cable tie?

Driveshafts straightforward ish, but what size is the driveshaft nut? 35 or 36mm? Does the ABS sensor have to be removed?

Gearbox to be drained

All going well, it should be out tomorrow. There are a number of pipes near the ABS block which look like they may be in the way so hopefully they can be undone and put to one side.

There is evidence everywhere that this engine may have been out before. The earth wires in the fuse box has been disturbed, the switch at the bulkhead on the OSF had the multiplug held in place with a cable tie. Several hoses were not secured in their correct clips. And so on!

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 10 Oct 2009, 18:58

Anyone?

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 10 Oct 2009, 19:36

The driveshaft nut is 35mm.

The designer of the rubbish Citroen hoseclips needs to be dragged to every
car and forced under duress to remove them - that may change his mind
about their application.

The sphere below the battery is the centre hydractive with the electrovalve.
I wouldn't try removing it and in reality it's already so low down you won't
need it out of the way.

The slave cylinder needs a cable tie but also wedge the clutch pedal
underneath in the footwell.

Are you taking any pictures? If not, why not!? We need threads in this
Activa area as a how to guide for those that follow you!

Andrew

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 10 Oct 2009, 19:42

andmcit wrote:The driveshaft nut is 35mm.

The designer of the rubbish Citroen hoseclips needs to be dragged to every
car and forced under duress to remove them - that may change his mind
about their application.

The sphere below the battery is the centre hydractive with the electrovalve.
I wouldn't try removing it and in reality it's already so low down you won't
need it out of the way.

The slave cylinder needs a cable tie but also wedge the clutch pedal
underneath in the footwell.

Are you taking any pictures? If not, why not!? We need threads in this
Activa area as a how to guide for those that follow you!

Andrew

Got the socket, 35mm six sided.

Reason for taking the sphere out, is i need to remove the pipe that goes to it and swing it out the way, and only 3 bolts hold the bracket on. I may renew this one anyway as i have a feeling its not been done in recent times. There is no electrovalve on it, that one is in front of the radiator, i may take this one out also.

No pictures yet but as can be seen from my Flickr account, i do take the odd few and when i restart tomorrow i will take some of my progress.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 10 Oct 2009, 19:55

Whilst slagging off the hoseclip designer I neglected to mention that the thing
may need laborious hacksawing off - is there a chance of getting an airline
small grinding stone head onto the side of the clamp?

I'm a bid hazy on my Activa spheres front set up as I'm due to pull out an
engine shortly but haven't got all the pieces in place including the space yet
although have had plenty of practice on VSX's of various flavours but
electrovalve sphere in front of the radiator!?

Andrew

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 10 Oct 2009, 20:15

andmcit wrote:Whilst slagging off the hoseclip designer I neglected to mention that the thing
may need laborious hacksawing off - is there a chance of getting an airline
small grinding stone head onto the side of the clamp?

I'm a bid hazy on my Activa spheres front set up as I'm due to pull out an
engine shortly but haven't got all the pieces in place including the space yet
although have had plenty of practice on VSX's of various flavours but
electrovalve sphere in front of the radiator!?

Andrew

Below the rad if you get what i mean. Picture tomorrow.

Which hoseclip are you on about? The one causing me concern is the bottom rad outlet which has a metal insert, secured by a wire clip. This wire came out fine but the hose does not want to come out of the outlet. It moves a little, but proper access around it is difficult. I may take the expansion tank out and remove the hose, then pull the radiator out with hose still attached so i can remove it properly.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 10 Oct 2009, 20:20

I know what you mean with the sphere location. Piccies always do help
with any misinterpretation.

Right gotcha with the rad hose connection - safest bet is removal as you say.
The damned port off the rad isn't very strong and you cannot take chances.

Andrew

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 10 Oct 2009, 22:27

Right, a little more progress this evening despite a lack of light.

The hub nuts are off. They needed a fair amount of ommph to get them off and i did plusgas them before hand just to make it a little easier.

The radiator and intercooler is ok. Hose still attached to the rad but should be easy to remove now its out. Had to move the washer bottle to get access to the clip on the expansion tank.

Engine loom is completely detached from the car now, there was one multiplug point behind the NS headlight which was easier to get to with the rad out.

Loads of space at the front now. Air-con pump off tomorrow.

The Hydractive block/sphere is bolted onto a bracket on the front crossmember which puts it in front of the rad. I will be disconnecting the pipes and then removing the 3 bolts that hold the block onto a steel bracket, thus preventing damage to it. Same with the other sphere.

A number of pipes need swinging out the way. They are of the smaller diameter steel type so should bend?

ABS block will need moving to get access to the gearbox mount.

Clutch slave cylinder is out, pushrod hasnt moved and clutch pedal is propped up. I have put a cable tie over the pushrod but need a better arrangement for when the engine comes out just to make sure.

More discoveries, the heat shield on the turbo is missing some bolts, yet more evidence of work carried out. It wouldnt surprise me if the manifold bolts were loose and this has caused failure of the gasket.

As seen on my other thread about the turbo its spec has been decided on and should be sorted by next week, i can then look at putting it back together. My main concern at the moment is the clutch assembly and this will hopefully be the bit i get help on!

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 11 Oct 2009, 13:01

Hi Gareth,

You should have no trouble with the bottom hose as I replaced the rad in that car and greased the bayonet up well.

You may be able to get access to the gearbox mount by lifting the ABS block up rather than fully removing it. You will need to take the mount right off though.

I can't see why you need to remove the hydractive sphere block. I did not need to remove it when I hoisted the V6 engine out.

You don't need to remove the pressure regulator either, just disconnect the pipe going off to the suspension.

Keep us in the picture of how it goes. If yu need an urgent advice, give me a call.

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 11 Oct 2009, 13:34

I'm having difficulty removing the OS (drivers) driveshaft. The NS came out ok but the ram pipes needed moving up to clear.

Any hints on getting the long driveshaft out? I assume it should come out of the bearing housing ok?

Gear linkage undone. Downpipe bolts off. All i can say is, that was hell

One rounded off straight away, ended up using a small pair of moles on the nut and managad to ratchet it off in the end. ABS block is moved a bit so i have access to the engine mount. Lower engine mount/steady is undone too.

Had to take Jack to A+E this morning for a small man problem but ok now, lost some time but thats not important.

Hopefully it will be out before its dark!

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 11 Oct 2009, 14:13

XantiaMan583 wrote:Any hints on getting the long driveshaft out? I assume it should come out of the bearing housing ok?

Once you have undone the two nuts holding the hockey stick bolts the bearing should pull out complete with the driveshaft, failing that you may need to assist its movement with a hammer and punch on the back of the bearing.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 11 Oct 2009, 14:19

I see Richard has beaten me to the draw, but anyhow:

Assuming the two small "L" bolts securing the layshaft bearing are undone
enough and turned through 90º out of the way the main problem could
very well be the intermediate bearing is "corroded" in and will need some
extra provocation to come out. I've found a good sharp well positioned whack
against the side of the bearing race will send the driveshaft outwards
- getting the purchase and angle right could be the real hassle though.

Andrew