Thanks Ken.

Sounds like it was wise to take it apart anyway - as we spoke before, it is a keeper this one.

Any tips on parting the head from the barrel on the offside? The barrel has parted company with the crankcase as I attempted to free the head.

Cheers, Ben

Ben,
it's fairly common for a head and barrel to resist disassembly, especially if an engine's been standing for a long time.
You've still got access to the piston on the other side to 'persuade' the engine to move to BDC and with any luck, the pistons should free off in the barrels as that happens.
Once the head and barrel are off, I hold them upside down by gripping the barrel and using a wooden drift, such as an old hammer shaft, inside the barrel to ease the head loose.
Pack around the drift with rags to keep it central in the barrel and work over a soft surface so the head isn't damaged when it separates from the barrel.
Don't try levering between the head and barrel, or you'll most probably break fins off the barrel.
If the barrels are scrap, that doesn't matter, but you do need to inspect them before condemning them to the bin.
(Heating the pair in an oven to around 100c helps loosen them, but given the amount of oil in evidence, that plan could have other side effects on the home front... )

ken

Thanks Ken.

Got the barrels off the block now, both sides. The barrels seem scrap, very much scored with quite a ridge. I'll probably buy the set from uncle Roy, would a 9:1 compression set work well with the single choke carb and heavy flywheel, or should I stick with 8.5:1?

The offside barrel has considerable sludge, I think it'd pretty much decoked itself and then got everything stuck. The offside piston looks pretty nasty too.

I took the gudgeon pin off one side, before continuing to read the manual - seems I probably need to use heat to get the pin out, which is pita!

Ben

Ben,
I guess that the crank is turning freely now?

Last summer I built up a replacement 602 engine for a 2CV4 on which the original engine had failed. At the customer's request, 9.0:1 pistons were used, retaining the single choke carb and heavy flywheel and that's been very successful, afaik.
That's mostly driven solo and lightly laden, however if you were planning on regularly freighting your car up or even towing, 8.5:1 may be more suitable for that sort of work.

You only need heat if the pin won't move easily...

ken.

Unlikely to be using it for loads (that's what the Volvo is for) or towing (snap). Pistons and barrels ordered. Amount of money left for this work = £-300.

Cheers, Ben

Anyone fitted new barrels and pistons? Should I be honing the new barrels first, or is that only for older engines when fitting new rings?

Cheers,Ben

Yes,
no
& yes.

ken

Perfect - thanks Ken!

I've cleaned up the heads nicely, and reground the valves. The valve compressor worked a charm. What I can't work out, however, is how to get the old valve stem seals out to put the new ones in!

Any tips? Also, I've read Sean's tips on using the sheath over on 2cvgb, I suspect seeing how to remove them would help me understand the usage of the installation sheath.

Cheers, Ben

So you are in for one of those nights