Removing the cylinder head of the K4M engine

Removing the K4M Engine Cylinder Head

We remove the cylinder head to replace the cylinder head gasket.

Also for repairing the cylinder head itself and during a major engine overhaul.

Removing the phaser and the camshaft pulley — Fig. 1. Removing the intake camshaft phaser and the exhaust camshaft pulley: 1 — pulley retaining bolt; 2 — toothed pulley retaining nut; 3 — Mot1490-01 tool; 4 — plug

We fit the tool (Figure 1) for locking the camshaft toothed pulleys Mot1490-01.
We remove the plug (4) from the intake camshaft phaser pulley.
Unscrew the intake camshaft phaser pulley retaining bolt (1).
Unscrew the exhaust camshaft toothed pulley retaining nut (2).
Remove the camshaft toothed pulley locking tool Mot1490-01.
Remove the intake camshaft phaser.
Remove the exhaust camshaft toothed pulley.

Removing the intake manifold — Fig. 2. Removing the K4M engine intake manifold: 1 — throttle drive cable; 2 — wiring harness connector to the ignition coils; 3 — wiring harness connector to the air temperature sensor; 4 — wiring harness connector to the intake air pressure sensor; 5 — intake manifold

Remove the intake pipe (Fig. 2).
Remove the ignition coils.

Removing the ignition coils — Fig. 3. Removing the K4M engine ignition coils: 1 — ignition coil; 2 — ignition coil retaining bolt

To do this, we disconnect the wiring harness connectors from the coils 1 (Fig. 3). Using an 8 mm socket, we unscrew the coil retaining bolts 2 and remove them.

Disconnecting the phaser valve connector — Fig. 4. Disconnecting the phaser solenoid valve connector

We remove the intake camshaft phaser solenoid valve. To do this, we press the connector retainer and withdraw the wiring harness connector from the phaser valve (Fig. 4).

Unscrewing the phaser valve retaining bolt — Fig. 5. Unscrewing the phaser valve retaining bolt

Using a 10 mm socket, we unscrew the phaser valve retaining bolt and withdraw it.

Removing the oil separator cover — Fig. 6. 1 — stop bolt for the eccentric cam tappet; 2 — phaser valve; 3 — lifting eye; 4 — oil separator cover

Remove the engine lifting eye (3) located on the timing drive side.
After unscrewing nine retaining bolts (4), remove the oil separator cover (information on removing the oil separator cover).
Do not unscrew bolt 1 (Figure 6), which serves as a stop for the eccentric cam tappet.

Tightening sequence of the cylinder head cover bolts — Fig. 7. Tightening sequence of the K4M engine cylinder head cover retaining bolts: 1–24 — cylinder head cover retaining bolts

Unscrew the twenty-four cylinder head cover retaining bolts (Fig. 7).
Remove the cylinder head cover (see the article “Removing the cylinder head cover”).

Removing the camshafts — Fig. 8. Removing the camshafts

Remove the intake and exhaust camshafts.

Removing the valve rockers — Fig. 9. Removing the valve rockers

Remove the valve rockers.

Removing the hydraulic tappets — Fig. 10. Removing the valve hydraulic tappets

We remove the valve hydraulic tappets. After removal they must be placed in a vertical position, in order, so that they can be fitted to their original locations during assembly.

Unscrewing sequence of the cylinder head bolts — Fig. 11. Unscrewing sequence of the cylinder head retaining bolts (reverse of tightening)

We unscrew the cylinder head bolts in the reverse order of tightening (Fig. 11).
We remove the cylinder head and place it on wooden supports. We prepare it for dismantling.
We remove the cylinder head gasket.
Carefully clean the mating surfaces on the head and the cylinder block of gasket traces.

Fitting the cylinder head is covered in the article “Fitting”.

Fitting the cylinder head and repairing the head will be covered in the next article.