1.8 DOHC Engine Cylinder Head Gasket Replacement (Opel Zafira A)

To replace the gasket, it is advisable to remove the cylinder head assembly with the camshafts.

Sequence of execution

1. Prepare the car for work (see "Preparing the car for maintenance and repair").

Note: To make work on the Zafira easier, you need to remove the ventilation grille and the top panel of the engine shield (see "Zafira Front Windscreen Wiper Drive - Checking and Replacing").

2. Drain the oil (see "Lubrication system - changing the oil and oil filter") and coolant (see "Coolant - Replacement"),

3. Remove the intake manifold from the cylinder head studs and move it back (see "1.8 DOHC Engine Intake Manifold - Gasket Replacement").

4. Remove the rear timing belt cover (see "Camshaft Seals - Replacement").

5. Disconnect the cooling system hose from the thermostat (see "Thermostat - Checking and Replacing").

6. Move the exhaust manifold away from the cylinder head (see "Exhaust manifold - gasket replacement").

7. Disconnect the wiring harness connector from the exhaust gas recirculation valve (see "Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve - Replacement") and move the wiring harness to the side.

8. Using a TORX E12 key, evenly unscrew the ten cylinder head mounting bolts, half a turn at a time, in the order shown.



9. Remove the cylinder head.



10. Remove the cylinder head gasket.

Recommendation: When replacing the cylinder head gasket, we strongly recommend that you perform a cylinder head inspection (see "Cylinder head - check").

11. Clean the mating surface of the cylinder block and pistons from oil deposits, and remove carbon deposits from the piston bottoms using a metal brush.

12. Install the new cylinder head gasket, aligning the holes with the cylinder head guides. The OBEN/TOP inscription should be facing up.



13. Install the remaining parts in the reverse order, tighten the bolts to the specified torque (see "Reference data") in the order specified.