Removal, troubleshooting and installation of camshafts Opel Astra H

Camshafts in Opel Astra cars are replaced in the following cases:

- the pressure in the engine lubrication system has dropped. The cause of this malfunction is often increased wear on the camshaft journals and camshaft bearing beds in the cylinder head. When the beds and their covers are worn out, the block head is replaced as an assembly, since the beds are made directly in its body;

- valve knock at normal clearances in the valve drive mechanism. Caused by increased wear of the camshaft cams due to the use of poor quality engine oil or as a result of a damaged oil filter.

You will need: socket head TORX E14, extension, wrench, keys "24" and TORX T55.

1. Disconnect a wire from the minus plug of the storage battery.

2. Press the latch...

3. ... and disconnect the wiring harness connector from the hydraulic valve with electrical control of the exhaust camshaft.

4. Disconnect the harness connector from the electrically controlled hydraulic valve of the intake camshaft in the same manner.

5. Remove the timing belt from the camshaft pulleys (see Replacing the timing belt for Z 16 XEP, Z 18 XER, Z 20 LER and Z 20 LEH engines).

6. Remove a cover of a head of the block of cylinders (Replacement of a lining of a cover of a head of the block of cylinders see).

7. Holding the exhaust camshaft from turning with a wrench, unscrew the plug of the toothed pulley mounting bolt ...

8. ... and remove the plug.

9. Unscrew and remove the intake camshaft plug in the same way.

10. While holding the exhaust camshaft from turning, unscrew the toothed pulley mounting bolt ...

11. ... and remove the pulley.

12. Similarly turn out a bolt and remove a gear pulley of a camshaft of inlet valves.

13. Replace sealing gaskets of caps of bolts of fastening of gear pulleys of camshafts irrespective of their condition.

14. Turn out three bolts of fastening of the right forward support of a suspension bracket of the power unit to an arm of the engine.

15. Turn out bolts of fastening of an arm of the engine to the block of cylinders and remove an arm.

16. Turn out three top bolts...

17. ... and one lower bolt for fastening the upper cover of the timing gear.

18. Overcoming resistance of clamps, disconnect the holder of a plait of wires from the top casing.

Note

This is how the latches for securing the wiring harness holder are located in the Opel Astra.

19. Remove the upper drive belt cover.

20. Turn out bolts of fastening of a forward cover of bearings of camshafts to a head of the block of cylinders...

21. ... and remove the cover.

22. Clean the mating surfaces of the cylinder head ...

23. ... and the front cover of the camshaft bearings.

24. Remove the inlet and outlet camshaft seals from the sockets in the cylinder head.

25. Replace the camshaft seals regardless of their condition.

26. Loosen the bolts securing the exhaust camshaft covers in the sequence shown in fig. one.

Rice. 1. The sequence of turning out the bolts of the camshaft bearing caps.

27. Finally unscrew the bolts, remove the camshaft bearing caps ...

28. ... and remove the exhaust camshaft.

29. Similarly, in the sequence indicated in fig. 1, remove the bolts securing the intake camshaft covers, remove the covers...

30. ... and then the intake camshaft.

Warning

The camshaft bearing caps are processed together with the beds in the cylinder head, so they cannot be depersonalized. Bearing serial numbers are stamped on the covers. Cast numbers are technological for the lid casting process and do not serve as a guideline for lid installation. Install the camshaft bearing caps in strict accordance with the markings on them.

31. Inspect the camshafts. Bearing surfaces...

32. ...and cams must be well polished and without damage. On the working surfaces of the necks, scoring, nicks, scratches, aluminum enveloping from the bearing seats in the block head are not allowed. If there are signs of seizing, overheating, deep scratches or wear in the form of a cut on the working surfaces of the cams, replace the shafts.

Warning

Grinding of camshaft cams to eliminate stepped wear is prohibited, since when changing the size of the cam profile, the valve timing will be violated.

33. In workshops equipped with special tools and fixtures, you can check the radial runout of the camshaft journals. If the runout value is more than 0.02 mm or if the journals are misaligned, replace the shaft, since it cannot be edited.

34. Lubricate the beds of the camshafts with clean engine oil and lay the camshafts in them.

35. Establish covers of bearings of camshafts and evenly tighten bolts of their fastening, passing from a bolt to a bolt through a turn, in the sequence specified in fig. 2.