Engine Cover Removal

[Martyn1989]

I've searched on here, but I still cannot get myself an answer.

Basically, my Ibiza is misfiring and I need to remove the engine cover in order to gain access to the spark plugs and coil packs.

I've removed the plastic caps above the bolts holding the cover on, but I cannot find the correct socket size to remove the bolts, even though I have about 20 different sockets. One is a shimmy two big, and the other a shimmy too small.

Does anyone know the socket size I need?

Cheers fellas

 

[Ibiza125]

Bolts? They are just wee clips that you turn a quarter way round then pull it off if I remember correctly... It's a long time since I had it on..!

 

[fossie]

Thought the cover over the coil packs was allen keys, could be mistaken..

 

[Oj 89]

Martyn, which trim/engine size do you have? the 1.4 is a 10mm as I recall

 

[RUM4MO]

Martyn, which trim/engine size do you have? the 1.4 is a 10mm as I recall

I'd have to agree with the above, it does sound like your car has the 1.4 8V engine, and that means that it will not have coil packs just one "DIS" dual coil assembly. Maybe some bad person has messed up the original fixing bolts and replaced one and knackered the head of the other one - I don't remember ever having trouble with this cover on my daughter's Ibiza Chill.

 

[Martyn1989]

Thanks for the help so far. I do have a 1.4 8V engine (Chill 51 plate Ibiza).

It turned out to be a 10mm socket, and I managed to get the screws/bolts out.

However, I still cannot remove the engine cover. It is 'loose' now I have took the screws out, but I don't want to pull it for fear of breaking the whole bloody car! There are four wires going across the cover into the engine (spark plug wires for each cylinder?), but I can't unplug them.

Can anyone help a newbie? I need to sort that engine warning light out.

 

[Oj 89]

Shall I do a quick guide for you to get the cover off?

 

[Martyn1989]

I would be forever indebted

 

[Oj 89]

It's on it's way

 

[Oj 89]

You've undone the two 10mm nuts... unclip the H/V leads and pull at the back. Pull as hard as you need to, you'll see why in a minute.

Here's what greets you. Keep an eye on the pipe on the left, you need to reattach it when you put the cover back on. To get to the air filters, you need to undo 9 (I think) screws around the airbox.

There's your engine. the SPT tech pipe goes on the hole at the back To put it back, lay the cover on top of the engine, push down at the back, and refit the screws. Hope it helps

 

[Martyn1989]

Thanks very much for taking the time to do that mate, it's very helpful.

Just a few questions; are the H/V leads the four cables that go across the engine cover? If so, how do I bloody remove them because they didn't want to come off when I tried before! Also, do I have to put the plugs in the exact hole they each came out of?

Which bit is the airbox as well on these engines?

 

[Oj 89]

I'm editting one of the pic to show the screws you need to undo, you need to unclip the cables from the cover, not unplug them from the spark plugs. If you have, you need to get them back in in the right order, then just pull the cables out of the cover. Give me two minutes with the airbox pic

Hopefully this helps. I think they're all the screws, Can't see atm as it's a bit dark...

 

[Martyn1989]

Ahh that is magnificent. Thank you

 

[RUM4MO]

One word of warning, it will be very eassy to break the ceramic insulator on these plugs as the EMC shielding will have been attacked by salt and water and will have "stuck" these shields onto the plugs - try to use a couple of screw driver and lever on the raised "joints on the shields. If you are lucky, I think that you will find that the leads are numbered and also the coil block "points" - either way it would be smart to note the positions of all fout leads - ie where they come from, where they go to and which cover groove they fit into. Remember breaking or cracking a plug insulator is not really a show stopping problem if you are changing the plugs - just make sure you buy the correct ones, as I said already, Halfords tend to sell they and they are the more or most expensive ones that are for sale there.

 

[Martyn1989]

I managed to remove the cover and change the spark plugs perfectly, so thank you to all of you who have helped me out