[ROVERNET - UK] P6 interference/free running?

[Vern Klukas]

>Nathan and Vern,
>                    You have me worried! I recently fitted a 2000 
>engine with new 9:1 pistons. With the head off, the crankshaft 
>rotated fully. With the head on but without the timing chain 
>connected, I could not turn the crankshaft a full 360 degrees  -- 
>almost but not quite. With the timing chain on everything rotates 
>smoothly. What have I done wrong? The engine is not yet back in the 
>car, so I don't know if it actually runs.
>                                                 Regards,
>                                                         Ron V.

I think my memory may of led me astray, glad you spoke up Ron (Temmie 
is doing fine, BTW). It was more than 20 years ago, after all.

I'm wondering if the engine is actually an interference engine and, 
in the failures I described the broken bit of camshaft came to rest 
with both valves closed. That actually seems almost reasonable, given 
the torque needed to rotate the camshaft. In that case, the engine 
would still rotate freely.

The workshop manual clearly warns against rotating the engine without 
timing chains, "otherwise damage to the valve heads and piston crowns 
may result"

Lets lean on the side of caution and say that the engine is an 
interference engine.

Yours
Vern



-- 
Vern Klukas                             I'm a little . . .
Inkspot Type & Design
vern at inkspotco.com