DS19 engine reconditioning

L

lhs2.1

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Fellow Frogger
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I'm currently in the middle of the rebuild of an early Citroen DS19 engine. While the interested audience for a blow by blow description of what is involved in this project is limited, I'm happy to document this if there is sufficient interest. Although it is specifically a DS19 engine, most is applicable to all the 3-bearing engines up to 1965.
Let me know your thoughts.
roger
 
The three bearing engines have a problem with crankshaft con-rod bearings. It is important to ensure your engine reconditioner grinds the sides of the bearings surfaces with the Citroen recommended radius from the bearing diameter to the crank web.
 
I'm absolutely interested! Motor porn is something right up my street.

Always good to see objective sets of photos, from bare blocks right through to bolting on the head.
 
I'm about to tighten the head once more on a '64 ID to fix the problem of radiator coolant in the sump. Either the Head Gasket or the seals at the base of the piston liners. I have a strong feeling that I'm not going to succeed without getting immersed in major work.
Yes Roger. Any info on doing an engine up, will help me understand these engines more. Michael
 
lhs2.1 said:
I'm currently in the middle of the rebuild of an early Citroen DS19 engine. While the interested audience for a blow by blow description of what is involved in this project is limited, I'm happy to document this if there is sufficient interest. Although it is specifically a DS19 engine, most is applicable to all the 3-bearing engines up to 1965.
Let me know your thoughts.
roger
Click to expand...


Definitely interested and will watch with great interest, the motor in my 61 ID is a bit tired.
thanks,
john
 
IDear said:
I'm about to tighten the head once more on a '64 ID to fix the problem of radiator coolant in the sump. Either the Head Gasket or the seals at the base of the piston liners. I have a strong feeling that I'm not going to succeed without getting immersed in major work.
Yes Roger. Any info on doing an engine up, will help me understand these engines more. Michael
Click to expand...

Oh yeah we're interested!!!!

Hey Michael,

Have you pressure checked the head? I've had one mix oil/coolant behind the rear head plate .... It corrodes a hole between the oil and coolant circuits

Seeya
Shane l.


Via the aussiefrogs App
 
Hotrodelectric said:
A bolt-on steel plate that covers the water jacket cavity at the rear of the head. Maybe to make the head easier to cast? :confused:
Click to expand...

Yeah, at the rear of the head is a plate similar to the side plates (internet inlet manifold versions). They cover the water jacket. This one allowed coolant into the valve rocker area.

Seeya
Shane l



Via the aussiefrogs App
 
lhs2.1 said:
I'm currently in the middle of the rebuild of an early Citroen DS19 engine. While the interested audience for a blow by blow description of what is involved in this project is limited, I'm happy to document this if there is sufficient interest. Although it is specifically a DS19 engine, most is applicable to all the 3-bearing engines up to 1965.
Let me know your thoughts.
roger
Click to expand...

Me too Roger. I have two 3 bearing IDs and both motors seem to be high mileage and well worn and hence in need of overhaul before too long, if I want to get reasonable performance, reliability and tune out of them.
Regards, Leconte
 
Interested! But I hope I will never have to do it! But If that happen. I need step by step picture manual so I can do it myself.
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cheers:
 
lhs2.1 said:
While the interested audience for a blow by blow description of what is involved in this project is limited
Click to expand...

not so limited - A blow by blow account would be excellent if only to increase understanding of these engines in general... a task almost as big as doing the engine itself possibly...
 
Well, here we go.

This engine build is a replacement for the unit originally fitted to my ’57 DS19. I was very generously given this engine by a fellow Aussiefrogger in a disassembled state. I don’t know it’s history but from the engine number it is a very early example, and doesn’t appear to have had a lot of use. However the plan is a full overhaul.
As it came in pieces, disassembly was not an issue, but disassembly of these engine doesn’t present any real difficulties, and the procedure is well covered in the workshop manual.
The centre main journal cap, the big-end caps, and the crankshaft counterweights must be marked to ensure correct re-assembly.
Examine the block for any obvious problems, like a hole through which a con-rod disappeared.
These engines are fitted with replaceable “wet” liners and it is essential that the faces where the base of the liners fit into the block are sound with little or no corrosion, otherwise there may be coolant leaks into the sump.
Don’t send the block off to be chemically cleaned. The block is fitted with camshaft bearings that will be attacked, also the aluminium engine number plate will be eaten. I’ve not found the need to replace the camshaft bearings – they are not listed in the Parts Manual, and as far as I know were never available from Citroen.
This particular block had considerable corrosion on the top face and needed to be machined to enable the head gasket to reliably seal. It was “decked”, 0.38mm machined from the face. When this is done the same amount must be machined from the top of the liners to maintain the block/liner relationship ( the liners stand slightly proud of the block face).
Apart from the deck corrosion, this block checked out OK. Main bearing tunnels were OK for diameter and ovality, cam bearings were good, and the liner mounting faces were perfect.
All the threads in the block were chased out with appropriate taps – luckily none were faulty.
The outside of the block was attacked with a small wire brush mounted in a air die grinder – very effective. I found these brushes some ago on EBay and they are fantastic for this sort of application. The wires are encapsulated in epoxy resin which prevents them ‘ballooning’ in use which is a problem with conventional brushes of this type, and they can be run up to 15000 rpm.
The block was masked up for painting and three coats of VHT “racing green” spray can applied. The result is not as dark as I wanted but is darker than the flash shot photos indicate.
To be continued.
ds19blockfacecorrosion_1.jpgwirebrush_1.jpgds19maskedblock_1.jpgds19paintedblock_1.jpg
 

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