Head Gasket change tips (experienced XUDers) please.

[Mattcheese31]

so,. . . . . i'm gonna have a go at doing my HG, was going to take her to someone else but i reckon i can do it, plus i've a big turbo waiting to go on as well so i might as well have a crack at it myself, anyway . . . . .


i've got my Haynes obviously but any TOP TIPS anyone can give me before i start would be very much appreciated.

Thankyou in advance all you beautiful XUD boys and transgenders .. . x

[zx_volcane]

top tip is remember to remove the dowel that goes through the engine mount into the head

also remove the thermostat housing from the head to make life easier

remember to install hg right way up too

[ash23]

as tom said really other than that its quite simple.
oh and is this my old tdo4 thats going on? You'll love it quick spooler compared to other ones ive drove

[Danny2009]

As Tom says take the engine mount off as the dowel goes into the head

Double nut the studs to get them out

Pretty straight forward mate let me know when your doin it and I'll pop up if I can so I can point and laugh err I mean lend a helping hand

Oh you will need a impact t55 to get the head bolts off and a torque wrench I have both if you need to lend um

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And get the head skimmed new oil oil filter and coolant

[Jimbo]

Dont loose the head locating dowell either, its not very big and can easily get lost.
Dont skimp and make sure skim the head

[Mattcheese31]

Thanks lads, one and all, Ash yes it is mate finally, life gets in the way of fitting big blowers all too often . .

head will be getting skimmed, know anywhere good Danny?


HG can sit both ways then can it? . . . .how do you know which is which? . . .

[Tom]

Hole in the gasket for every hole in the block and vice versa, then you know its right way up. Always put the dowel back even if its a pain, otherwise the engine mount chews on the pump pulley and shit gets real!

[Mattcheese31]

Hole in the gasket for every hole in the block and vice versa, then you know its right way up. Always put the dowel back even if its a pain, otherwise the engine mount chews on the pump pulley and shit gets real!

well that's obvious enough then with the gasket, i'm not that dense lol . . . . .by dowel you mean the little locating piece on one end of the block for the HG? . . . why would it be a pain? . .

[Danny2009]

As Tom says just make sure everything lines up

Look at the old gasket I'm sure the notches on the side of the gasket go bottom right as your looking at engine just look what your doing

Res engines in Sheffield behind meadowhall always used them for years won't go anywhere else

£30+ vat I think and they can supply payen mls gaskets too

[Piggy]

Removing bottom engine mount makes life a lot easier imo

[Mattcheese31]

Removing bottom engine mount makes life a lot easier imo

what for, changing turbo you mean? . . .

[Tom]

The dowel that goes into the head and into the top engine mount, im not 100% on how to remove it. I removed the head with the engine mount attached to it. Also the cambelt tensioner is bolted to the head and the block so you need to remove the bolt that holds the tensioner in its tensioned or un tensioned position if that makes sense, the top bolt.

[Mattcheese31]

The dowel that goes into the head and into the top engine mount, im not 100% on how to remove it. I removed the head with the engine mount attached to it. Also the cambelt tensioner is bolted to the head and the block so you need to remove the bolt that holds the tensioner in its tensioned or un tensioned position if that makes sense, the top bolt.

yes i get you, thanks mate . .

[Piggy]

Removing bottom engine mount makes life a lot easier imo

what for, changing turbo you mean? . . .

Just gives you more room for working down the back, for the sake of one bolt underneath I would do it if it were me.

[zx_volcane]

no need to remove bottom engine mount - plenty of room pulling it forward and down. If you do, be absolutely sure to support the engine as it will just be on the gearbox mount.

Dowel that goes through engine mount into head - can be extracted by screwing a bolt into it and pulling it out - or winding it through a socket and extracting it.

You don't need to remove whole engine mount, and it will be a farce getting it back on if you do becasue of the way the tensioner works.

[Mattcheese31]

no need to remove bottom engine mount - plenty of room pulling it forward and down. If you do, be absolutely sure to support the engine as it will just be on the gearbox mount.

Dowel that goes through engine mount into head - can be extracted by screwing a bolt into it and pulling it out - or winding it through a socket and extracting it.

You don't need to remove whole engine mount, and it will be a farce getting it back on if you do becasue of the way the tensioner works.

thanks fella, that's the thing, i haven't got an engine crane so will have to be careful . .

[306Dan]

no need for a crane on a head swap just a good jack and a block of wood on the sump

[Piggy]

Then clean out the head bolt holes and block face well and carefully and dont skimp on head skim!

[Mattcheese31]

no need for a crane on a head swap just a good jack and a block of wood on the sump

yeah that's what i intend fella . . .

Then clean out the head bolt holes and block face well and carefully and dont skimp on head skim!

yeah . .i might get it skimmed a few times just to make sure . . .

[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

[Mattcheese31]

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? . . . .

[Mattcheese31]

looks like you need special valve spring compressors to do that which i don't have . .

[Niall]

Then clean out the head bolt holes and block face well and carefully and dont skimp on head skim!

Why just go ahead and skim it? If it doesn't need doing, its just a waste of time and money. They are so simple to check wether they need doing or not.

Cant see where people get this mentality from that if a head comes off, it automatically needs skimming!

[Mattcheese31]

Then clean out the head bolt holes and block face well and carefully and dont skimp on head skim!

Why just go ahead and skim it? If it doesn't need doing, its just a waste of time and money. They are so simple to check wether they need doing or not.

Cant see where people get this mentality from that if a head comes off, it automatically needs skimming!

who said that Niall? . . .lol

[Niall]

Then clean out the head bolt holes and block face well and carefully and dont skimp on head skim!

Why just go ahead and skim it? If it doesn't need doing, its just a waste of time and money. They are so simple to check wether they need doing or not.

Cant see where people get this mentality from that if a head comes off, it automatically needs skimming!

who said that Niall? . . .lol

That to me sort of says that it needs skimming. But then it might just be me being picky

[Danny2009]

For the sake of £30 I'd sooner skim it rather than put it back together and it need skimming

That's just like changing the cam belt and not doing water pump because it doesn't need doing no brained really just good practice

Res engines will supply and fit seals if you ask Matt

[Niall]

For the sake of £30 I'd sooner skim it rather than put it back together and it need skimming

That's just like changing the cam belt and not doing water pump because it doesn't need doing no brained really just good practice

Res engines will supply and fit seals if you ask Matt

No, its nothing like not doing a water pump. A water pump is a mechanical item which will wear out so yes, if your doing the belt, it would be silly not to do it. A head face will not wear out. If you have checked that the head is true when you took it off (which is easy) then why skim it? It can't get any better than perfectly flat. If anything, its going to cause more problems if its already been skimmed in the past in sourcing a repair gasket.
If its already flat, it doesn't need doing again. The only way it can leak after putting it back together and it was flat is if you haven't torqued it down properly and in the correct sequence. Oh and if you boil the tits off of it of course

[Mattcheese31]

For the sake of £30 I'd sooner skim it rather than put it back together and it need skimming

That's just like changing the cam belt and not doing water pump because it doesn't need doing no brained really just good practice

Res engines will supply and fit seals if you ask Matt

any idea on cost Danny? . . . . . . just watched a video on youtube and it doesn't look too hard to do but it's buying tools for one use, as i doubt i'll do it again for a very long time .

[Danny2009]

Not sure mate give them a ring

0114 256 0056

[Mattcheese31]

Yahhhhhhh redneck style . . . .Hmmmmmm . .