I recently replaced a head gasket on a Vauxhall Vectra B 1999 T-reg SRI estate petrol. The car was running nicely before being taken to bits to replace the head gasket. Once the head gasket was replaced and the engine put back together, I set up the timing using the tensioner on the timing belt, the arrow on the crank pulley and the timing marks on the camshafts, to be in line with the marks on the camshaft cover. The engine was then turned over by hand several times to make sure the timing marks all lined up. Once it had been turned over and they did, it was checked by two other mechanics and they are satisfied it is all set up ok. I refitted all the pipes and connections and also listened for the compression in the engine and could feel it in the turnover by hand.

I tried to start the car and it would run, but it was running very lumpy and constantly stalled, and even with my foot on the accelerator it still keeps cutting out, running for a few seconds longer with my foot on the pedal. I didn't number the HT leads coming off the spark plugs, and there are no numbers on the coil pack or DIS module so I don't know where each lead should go.