Removing the cylinder head of the VAZ-2123 engine

Removal and installation of the cylinder head of the VAZ-2123 engine

We conventionally remove the cylinder head on the engine removed from the vehicle. Therefore, the preparation operations for cylinder head removal are not covered in this article.

Removal of the rocker cover

Unscrewing the cylinder head cover nuts — Fig. 1. Unscrewing the nuts securing the cylinder head cover

Using a 10 mm socket or a box spanner, we unscrew the eight nuts securing the cylinder head cover.

Removing the brackets and washers — Fig. 2. Removing the brackets, clamping washers and wiring harness holders

We remove from the studs the engine shield mounting brackets, six clamping washers and the wiring harness holders.

We remove the rocker cover.

We extract the cover gasket.

Setting TDC and removing the hydraulic tensioner

Fig. 5. Aligning the marks on the camshaft sprocket

We turn the crankshaft until the mark on the camshaft sprocket coincides with the mark on the camshaft bearing housing.

Mark on the sprocket — Fig. 6. Mark on the camshaft sprocket

Removal of the hydraulic chain tensioner

Unscrewing the oil supply pipe union — Fig. 7. Unscrewing the union of the oil supply pipe to the tensioner

Using a 13 mm socket, we unscrew the union of the oil supply pipe to the tensioner.

Fig. 8. Removing the banjo bolt with gasket and copper washer

We remove the copper washer from the union and withdraw the banjo bolt with its gasket.

Unscrewing the tensioner mounting nuts — Fig. 9. Unscrewing the nuts securing the tensioner to the cylinder head

Using a 10 mm socket, we unscrew the two nuts securing the tensioner to the cylinder head.

Fig. 10. Removing the tensioner and gasket

We remove the tensioner and gasket.

Removal of the camshaft

Fig. 11. Bending back the lock washer on the camshaft sprocket

We bend back the lock washer on the camshaft sprocket with a screwdriver or a chisel.

Unscrewing the sprocket bolt — Fig. 12. Unscrewing the bolt securing the camshaft sprocket

Using a 17 mm box spanner, we unscrew the bolt securing the camshaft sprocket.

Extracting the bolt with lock washer — Fig. 13. Extracting the bolt with the lock washer

We extract the bolt with the lock washer.

Removing the sprocket with the chain — Fig. 14. Removing the sprocket together with the chain from the camshaft

We tie the chain to the sprocket and remove it together with the chain from the camshaft.

Unscrewing the bearing housing nuts — Fig. 15. Unscrewing the nuts securing the camshaft bearing housing and the oil supply pipe

Using a 13 mm socket, we evenly unscrew the nine nuts securing the camshaft bearing housing and the oil supply pipe to the hydraulic supports.

Fig. 16. Removing the oil supply pipe to the hydraulic supports of the valve rockers

We remove from the cylinder head studs the oil supply pipe to the hydraulic supports of the valve rockers.

Removing the camshaft with the bearing housing — Fig. 17. Removing the camshaft together with the bearing housing

We remove the camshaft together with the bearing housing.

We remove the valve rockers. The parts are marked or laid out in order.

Removal of the cylinder head

Unscrewing the bolt next to the alternator bracket — Fig. 19. Unscrewing the cylinder head mounting bolt located next to the alternator bracket

Using a 13 mm socket, we unscrew the cylinder head mounting bolt located next to the alternator bracket.

Unscrewing the cylinder head bolts — Fig. 20. Unscrewing the bolts securing the cylinder head to the cylinder block

Using an E16 socket, we unscrew the ten bolts securing the cylinder head to the cylinder block and withdraw the bolts.

Fig. 21. Removing the cylinder head as an assembly

We remove the cylinder head as an assembly with the thermostat, throttle body, receiver, injection rail and exhaust manifold.

Fig. 22. Extracting the gasket under the cylinder head

We extract the gasket under the cylinder head.

We wash the cylinder head, inspect and verify the head.

Installation of the cylinder head

We fit the cylinder head in the reverse order.

Fig. 23. Cylinder head tightening sequence

We tighten the cylinder head in four stages:

1st stage – tighten bolts 1–10 to a torque of 20 N·m (2.0 kgf·m);
2nd stage – tighten bolts 1–10 to a torque of 69.4–85.7 N·m (7.1–8.7 kgf·m), and bolt 11 to a torque of 31.4–39.1 N·m (3.2–4.60 kgf·m);
3rd stage – turn bolts 1–10 a further 90°;
4th stage – turn bolts 1–10 a further 90°.