My head gasket change/head rebuild part 2

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Next, its time to take out the valves.

We learned quickly at this point that its a good idea to stuff a bit of tissue or something into the tappet hole while doing this because the collets can ping out like little buggers. Put all the collets, springs, spring plates etc in the same numbered bags the tappets are in. Rip out the valve stem seals because you have some new ones, right?

devise some way of keeping the valves in order, so that when you put it all back together, they go in the same holes they came out of.

Take the head off to the nearest engine place to get the head skimmed. Offer him cash Wink

While thats being done, put the valves in a lathe one by one (or a vice) and use a file and then some wet and dry to remove the carbon and crap.

Next, grind in the valves. (assuming nothing needs to be recut)

We were able to borrow an oscillator for this, which made it a lot easier with the drill. You end up with this:

Then just put everything back together the way it came apart. Remember to put in the spring plates BEFORE the new valve stem seals! Prime the tappets as detailed in Haynes, degrease the mating surfaces of the head and cam housings and whack them together with some flange sealant, doing up the bolts in order.

Put the manifolds back on, and set it aside.

Clean the tops of the pistons up in the block using an old credit card or something and some WD40 or carb cleaner (that stuff dissolves ANYTHING), and the face of the block as well.

Put the dowels back in place, make sure everything is CLEAN, and put on your new head gasket. Get your mates to help you lift the head on. Do up your new headbolts as detailed in the Haynes. Then just put eveything else back on. Have a cup of tea and stick some plasters on your cuts.

Easy. Should end up looking like this:

Change the oil and filter, and sort some coolant (use antifreeze!), and then...

RAG IT!!!

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

tidy job!!

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

Don't use a drill grinder thingy to grind in valves. Knackers the guides. Ok for quickness and a quick profit if your fixing someones elses cars.

Extremely impressed with the clean pistons but if it was burning water then it would make the clean up easier.

You can't chip off the carbon on the pistons with a screwdriver never mind carb cleaner and a credit card.

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Chris H wrote:

You can't chip off the carbon on the pistons with a screwdriver never mind carb cleaner and a credit card.

Well I did.

Wasnt burning water either.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

it must have either had water going in to the cylinder, running overly rich (leaving the crowns fluffly), burnign lots of oil (usually a wet slimy look to the crowns).

When they are running right they are black to a light tan colour and a wire brush in a drill will not get them clean unless left to soak in solvent for a few days.
Anyway you got yours bloody clean well done.

Nice cam cover, good finish on it.

To much coolant or an air pocket though!

Did you have a leaky coolant cap at some point?

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Yeah I filled up the coolant just before i took the picture, and overdid it a bit Smile

Went down after a few minutes running anyway.

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

i found the pistons easy to clean up as well....mine came up like that with little effort...altho i did drown them in thinners and carb cleaners for a few days...

Newbie Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 1

I've wimped out from the rebuild (heads already off) and need to shift my 16V. Same as yours but with better wheels! Â£250 plus a new headgasket job and you've got a cracker of a car with 6 months MoT. What do you say?

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Rob H wrote:

I've wimped out from the rebuild (heads already off) and need to shift my 16V. Same as yours but with better wheels! Â£250 plus a new headgasket job and you've got a cracker of a car with 6 months MoT. What do you say?

Er... Ive already got one mate, what would I want another one for? Confused

Ive got 17" OZ superleggeras on mine. Wasnt going to leave it outside standing for several weeks looking like it was abandoned with those on it though!