Head Gasket change tips (experienced XUDers) please.

[Niall]

Lol thats how i do mine. Nowt wrong with that. Fitting them however is a right prick of a job!

[Seb_Ryan]

Valve spring compressors ain't that expensive tbh may be worth buying one?

[Mattcheese31]

Valve spring compressors ain't that expensive tbh may be worth buying one?

yeah just looking, looks like you can get them for about £15 . . . .so maybe worth it .

[Seb_Ryan]

Yeah cheap one will do tbh, it's only a funny shape and threaded bar at the end of the day lol I paid about that 4 years ago and must have used it 30 times by now and it still works fine

[Mal]

Check the ports to make sure there are no casting blobs

Pic's a bit crap but this was in one of the exhaust ports when I did my head up


Change the stem seals while it's out, chances are they'll be hard and near the end of it's life

how hard are they to replace? . . . .

I used a long nosed vice grips to get them out, then a socket and hammer to fit the new ones in. No problems after 4k miles (there wouldn't want to be!)

As for a spring compressors, they're not dear to buy, worth doing them while the heads out

[londondan86]

Another tip, make sure you run a tap down the head bolt holes. M12x1.25 IIRC

Also plenty of penetrating fluid on the manifold bolts as they're a bloody nightmare, mine went back in with stainless!

Oooo and make sure you completely clean the deck of the block up to create a good mating surface for the new gasket.

Get a torque angle gauge for reassembly (unless your going to be pikey)

[Mattcheese31]

Another tip, make sure you run a tap down the head bolt holes. M12x1.25 IIRC

Also plenty of penetrating fluid on the manifold bolts as they're a bloody nightmare, mine went back in with stainless!

Oooo and make sure you completely clean the deck of the block up to create a good mating surface for the new gasket.

Get a torque angle gauge for reassembly (unless your going to be pikey)

starting this tomorrow, i don't have a tap set, am borrowing a torque wrench, guess i'll use a fcuking protractor lol...

[Rippthrough]

I've got some M12x1.25 helicoils for when you've f*cked it up...

[Mattcheese31]

I've got some M12x1.25 helicoils for when you've f*cked it up...

haha why would i fcuk it up? . .

[Mattcheese31]

i hate you Philip . . . . . . . . i'm trying to get some info to help with my first HG change and you just waltz in all ambiguous and non-committal . . .lol

[Rippthrough]

Love you too.

[Mattcheese31]

made a start stripping things off today, removed the rad so i could rock the engine further forwards for easier access to the manifold turbo etc. ....

Stupid problem removing the turbo to downpipe bolts, first one came out fine, second one thread has stripped on the bolt, so even though i've a socket on the other end the nut is just spinning on the thread.....any ideas? this has really fcuked my day up as i wanted to at least have the turbo off today.... ballsuckingsonofabitch

[Sambarker]

Think you must have ran out of skill Matt......lol

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Can you wind another nut on and lock the two together? Mole grips?

[Danny2009]

Lever a flat blade behind the nut while undoing the bolt

Or say enoughs enough and let me do it

[Mattcheese31]

you know how it is boys lol, you need two hands to get those off anyway, i need a third hand to lever it but i don't have one, it's always stupid stuff that holds you up, Danny i'd love some help but a bit skint to start with lol

[Danny2009]

There a bit of a lady garden. I welded the bolt into the elbow so you only need one hand