Insignia 2.0 cdti A20DTH camshaft replacement

[pippin007]

I've recently had a timing belt failed and have spent some time trying to fix this myself, I've replaced belt and water pump and found the exhaust camshaft broken after lifting the cam cover off, I replaced the camshaft second hand from a insignia 2.0 cdti car which was cam housing aswell as both camshafts, but the car still doesn't start I was wondering if all camshafts are the same through the A20DTH engines on all models, I have an elite but I dint know what model the second hand camshafts came from other than it as a 2.0 cdti engine. The car turns over and tries (like its only firing on a one or two pots) to start but does not. Any help would be great thanks.

[northpole]

They should.all be the same but a camshaft can be 180 degrees out symptoms will be the car not starting, and possibly bent valves, but with it being a diesel you might not have bent valves as they are usually non interference engines. Not sure if the 20dth are non interference engines so best to have a look and check the valves than the position of the camshaft.

[pippin007]

I've done compression test through glow plugs and got pressure with all

Pot one 330
Pot two 200
Pot three 250
Pot four 150

They are all over but like someone said on a different forum that there is enough pressure to start the car, he thinks the timing is out or the cam cover wasn't put one right, so might have another go, the high fuel pressure pump was the onlt sprocket which was not timed to the line on the cam belt but I read that it don't need to be, the camshaft sprocket and crankshaft was timed with a locking tools so they can't be wrong.

[northpole]

As I said before make sure the camshaft is on right you replaced it so you had to take it out. The other thing is timing yes, pump needs to be set right with he timing or it won't supply enough pressure to open the injectors when needed.

[pippin007]

Vauxhall Owners Network Forum
Search Community

Large Vauxhalls
Insignia 2.0 cdti timing
Tagscam belt failure camshaft locking tool insignia
Jump to Latest
Unfollow
741 views
18 replies
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#1 · Jan 17, 2024
My timing belt failed the teeth all came off at the bottom round the crankshaft, so i decided to try and salvage it instead of selling it on, I bought a new timing belt, water pump and locking tool. I looked on the Internet and YouTube but could only find guides on how to remove a working belt and replacing a new one, so I thought of a plan i would take the cam cover (I could also see if their was any damage too which I found none) off and I could lock the crankshaft and then camshaft separate then just put the cam cover back on and it technically should be timed (using the guides off the net) , thing is the cover doesnt fit back on, to the right of the cam sprocket there seems to be contact around that side and I don't know why could anyone shed some light on this I've got no idea why this doesn't fit back again. Thanks
Reply
Sort by
Oldest first

Dangermousevroom
Dangermousevroom
624 posts · Joined 2020

#2 · Jan 17, 2024
Did you check the followers are all intact? The rocker cover houses the camshafts so there will be some resistance when putting it back on as your going to be pushing against a few valve springs.
Reply
Like
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#3 · Jan 18, 2024
Thanks I'll have alook, I'll also double check the crankshaft at the same time, the only car I messed around with like this was an escortxr3i around 25 years ago, I've never seen the cam build into the cam cover before I'm just paranoid about breaking something by forcing it.
Reply
Dangermousevroom
Dangermousevroom
624 posts · Joined 2020

#4 · Jan 18, 2024
I would be surprised if none of the followers are broken. Sometimes the crack thru the middle and may look intact but are no good.
Reply
Like
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#5 · Jan 18, 2024
They looked OK but I'll have to take a closer look ive got time tomorrow to do it ��
Reply
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#6 · Jan 20, 2024 (Edited)
I've checked them and replace a couple of them which looked like the connections where abit loose ie rocker not connected to the lifter property, after putting the cam cover back on and a couple of other things, I saw that some wires which should of been attached to the side of the cover on a bracket was stuck under instead, I d missed when putting it together��, so I had to take the cover off again to amend, when putting the cam cover back on their was no resistance the second time round which was peculiar �� but I just carried on with it, does anyone know the torque wrench setting for the rocker cover? I assume it's not 8n the gasket is metal not rubber.
Reply
Valer
Valer
11918 posts · Joined 2013

#7 · Jan 20, 2024
Rectangle Font Art Pattern Circle
Diagnostic Kit---Opcom/Vauxcom 200603A,Mongoose Pro GM2 running GDS2 software

Drives a Mineral Black Astra K 1.0 t Sri hatch
Reply
Like
Dangermousevroom
Dangermousevroom
624 posts · Joined 2020

#8 · Jan 20, 2024
At least it was only the cam cover. A friend of mine managed to sandwich part of the wiring loom between the head and block many years ago.
Reply
Like
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#9 · Jan 27, 2024
I found a crack on one of the cams so I bought a second hand one off the net with cam housing cams the lot, would the cam cover need a new gasket (or put the second hand cam in my cam housing from the one on the net) I've just used the old one and it's leaking quite bad, the car now seems like it's trying to start but it doesn't, you get the sound in delays, so I think I might have some bent valves might to a pressure test though the glow plugs just to see, do anyone know what it should be or at least even though the cylinders.
Reply
Dangermousevroom
Dangermousevroom
624 posts · Joined 2020

#10 · Jan 27, 2024
Do you mean you put the cam in your cover? Or put the replacement cover on?
Reply
Like
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#11 · Jan 27, 2024
I was in to minds I thought that I would need new cam seals and bearings to put it in my cam housing so I just put the cam cover I purchased on had the cams already inside , but I didn't know if using a different rocker cover on my car would cause a problem with leaking or not, normally with a rubber gasket and a rocker cover that was just that would be OK off a different car, but this is different it's it is it like a the head and the bottom block because you can't use different car parts when switching them for example.
Reply
Dangermousevroom
Dangermousevroom
624 posts · Joined 2020

#12 · Jan 27, 2024
Well you are ment to change the gasket when removing the cover, they can be reused a few times . I've always found a bit of rtv silicone on each side of the gasket seals it.

Where is the oil coming out?
Reply
Like
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#13 · Feb 7, 2024
I did a compresson test through the glow plugs a day a go cylinder one 330 cylinder two 200 cylinder three 250 and cylinder four has only 150 pressure so looks like bent valves for sure. Not sure what pressure they are supposed to be anyhow but I know they should be somewhat the same I had a look here
https://insignia-drivers.uk/forum/i....mpression-test
He has the same engine as me.
Reply
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#14 · Feb 7, 2024
The oil was coming out of the rocker cover for sure and like you said I should of put a new one on, I knew if it leaked it wouldn't stop the car from starting but I didn't want to wast a gasket just to check for compresson test, I was surprised as how much oil did come out just from turning the car over, I kept putting oil in now and then with a pan under the car.
Reply
Dangermousevroom
Dangermousevroom
624 posts · Joined 2020

#15 · Feb 7, 2024
I would imagine something is broken somewhere or not sitting right as it sounds like the oil is coming straight out the oil gallery.

Regarding compression I don't know off the top of my head what it should be but the first 3 readings sound good to me, even 150 should be enough. It would still fire though.

If you replaced any rockers you should also replace the tappets for those rockers. Or reset the lash.

Without actually being there it's hard to diagnose.
Reply
Like

Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#16 · Feb 7, 2024
Thing is 150 to 330 from one side to the other is a massive difference though must mean something damaged piston head or bent valves from what I've read.
Reply
Dangermousevroom
Dangermousevroom
624 posts · Joined 2020

#17 · Feb 7, 2024
These engines are pretty robust. I've seen valve damage on one occasion due to a broken rocker bending the valve stem. Cracked pistons I've never seen.

Incorrect timing can cause compression issues.

Even if one cylinder was dead the engine would still start and run.

Also incorrect valve lift due to tappet lash being too much can cause this.

If the rocker box isn't on correctly and the valves aren't opening on that cylinder would also give a low reading.

Typically if a valve was bent you would get a reading of zero.
Reply
Like
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#18 · Feb 7, 2024
I'm going to get a mechanic to come out and have a look he's worked on these insignia's quite abit and he doesn't like them :ROFLMAO: but he'll work on them, I'll give him them compresson reading and what you have told me, I'll let you know what thte out come is. Off with its head or not lol hopefully it is only what you said.
Reply
Scottpick
13 posts · Joined 2024

#19 · 3h ago
Right then, the mechanic stayed long enough to put on the timing belt and check a couple of things over and ask a couple of questions which he agreed that if there's compression then the valves aren't belt, he was only there 30 minutes just to get it going, there was two injectors leaking so I needed to put on new copper seals which fixed the problem, the car how ever is still running abit rough I did a scan using a foxwell 630 plus found no error codes other than egr valve command 0 and error 99.2, the car sounded like it's misfiring, I did another compression test and it's much better though 310 to 350 the lowest to highest so it's alot better. I wanted to check how much fuel was being pushed through each injector but my scan tool can't check that through it's live data I also found out that if just change an injector you need to code it something that I can't do, I changed one of them because with I used the pull tool I need to unscrew the top to fit it, I didn't know it was spring loaded and I lost the round collar which the spring pushes down, so I thought I'll just put in an second hand one in to save me looking for that one part.

Would the misfire stop the egr valve from working? I'll need to get someone out to look at these injectors, I don't know if it would be wise to drive somewhere.

[northpole]

is the misfire on the cylinder that is missing that part? if the answer is yes than by all means sort it out first if it isn't run a diesel purge (look it up) and use LiquiMoly diesel purge. A diesel injector cleaner is another option but LiquiMoly diesel purge works faster and you can actually see it cleaning the injectors.