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Head gasket change - tips?

G

Guest

Hi everyone,

I've got to change the headgasket on the F7R as the fucker has just gone just after the car went through its MOT. FFS :(

I don't mind taking the engine out again, but how difficult in reality is it without having to take the engine out?

I've never changed a head gasket before, how exactly do you do it?

Any tips are welcome as i've got to start shortly after christmas!
 
can do them with engine in kiz.

Remove anything attaching the head from the b/e like the reinforcing bars, take the downpipe off, wiring loom, cambelt cover, top engine mount and after that the head can be unbolted...

obviously i would have missed a few things there. also bung a jack, axle stand, chunk of wood under the sump and bob your uncle...

but if you are quick enough to remove an engine i would defo do it out of a car
 
get head off check gasket and head it obviously went for a reason may need skimming run a ruler over face of head to check for warping have a good noise about at everything else while ur there,fit new gasket then tighten back up with new head bolts in the correct order
 
you got a haynes manual mate? that describes the tightening and losening proceedures of the head bolts. i used a haynes manual first time i did a head gasket, and worked fine! :D i took the inlet manifold off while the head was still in situ, as it makes it lighter. need to use a 1/4 inch drive on extension bars to take it off.
 
if you can leave the inlet manifold on the head (can't remember if it bolts on to the BE in anyway :oops:) then i'd do the HG with the engine in!

I can do my F4R one in an afternoon.. even with its tricky cam cover and timing!
 
Yeh its possible to leave it on. I just took the manifold to downpipe nuts off and lifted the head all off once everything else was undone
 
Yeah i've got a haynes manual so will have a look at that.

Was thinking, is there any benefit to having the head rebuilt whilst its off the engine? There's no problems with the head at the moment, the engine runs fine, just wondered if it'd add any (noticeable) benefit. The car isn't being built for shear power, it's a standard 2.0 daily, so probably not.

Will check to see if the head has warped, the car hasn't overheated, is it likely it will be OK or should i get it skimmed anyway?

Also do you need to jack the engine up out of the bay slightly? How difficult is it to access the tensioner for the cambelt? I can imagine it being a nightmare getting the cambelt covers off with the engine in the bay.

Perhaps i'll just take the engine out again.. lol
 
it can be a rite ball ache doing the head gasket in situ. I would take the engine out then u can have a good inspection of everything

Use an oil stone to flatten and clean the surface of the block and head. And skimming is cheap as chips well worth it so you know youve got that perfect surface.

Clean out the head bolt holes with brake cleaner and an airline if poss. If no airline is available, use the brake cleaner that comes in an aerosol and blast it in. Make sure there is no dirt or water in them or u can have a problem.

Give the head a really good clean or send it off for a de-coke it will make a world of difference for the future of your happy motoring!!!!!!!
 
you sure it didnt overheat when it was being mot'd was the fan working?if you do take the engine out i'd torque the headbolts up in the car cause they take some tightening
 
Its fine in the car, theres nothing stupidly difficult or innaccesible about it....its just fiddly.

Whilst its apart I would 110 percent lap the valves and replace oil seals.

Skim the head out of matter of course.
 
easy mate, just fiddly

cambelt tensioner is easy to access, little bolt at back of head to adjust it

can leave inlet mani on, just undo bracket to block underneath the inlet first and ensure cold start injector and knock sensors are disconnected also

if u get stuck etc just holler mate, done it few times now so can offer advice if u need
 
Might attempt it in the car then... we'll see how i feel lol.

Will no doubt be here for help and advice :D
 
just make sure you put the gasket on the right way, my mate didnt so it all had to come off again lmao..306 s16 btw
 
clio-patra":3pt9innt said:
just make sure you put the gasket on the right way, my mate didnt so it all had to come off again lmao..306 s16 btw

I do worry about some people! lol lets hope they dont fix there own brakes!!
Its not too bad in the car tbh, hardest bolts are the ones on the downpipe, one of them is hard to access and will be tight... make sure you take the black bracket off the offside of the inlet manifold theres a vacuum feed that goes through it, easy to forget about and snap off in haste, take the head and the inlet off together if you can manage it, then take the manifold of afterwards, youll be cursing if you remove it on the car,

Dave
 
How can you put the head gasket on the wrong way around i don't know! Replace the pulley on the bottom end will be fiddly as the plastic surround needs to come off to get to it and these sometimes can be hard to get off with such little space.
 
stan":15d9tdhj said:
Its fine in the car, theres nothing stupidly difficult or innaccesible about it....its just fiddly.

Whilst its apart I would 110 percent lap the valves and replace oil seals.

Skim the head out of matter of course.

what he said
worst part for me is the torx on the top cambelt cover. I snapped 2 bits on the last one I did
 
Rob":2uuuw4xa said:
How can you put the head gasket on the wrong way around i don't know! Replace the pulley on the bottom end will be fiddly as the plastic surround needs to come off to get to it and these sometimes can be hard to get off with such little space.

easyily done belive it or not. Mind you rushing dont help
 
Rob":10qpc7ak said:
How can you put the head gasket on the wrong way around i don't know! Replace the pulley on the bottom end will be fiddly as the plastic surround needs to come off to get to it and these sometimes can be hard to get off with such little space.

Ive seen some Crazy things happen when you give college level one boys a few spanners! seen someone unbolt an ax gt cylinder head, lifted it up and slid new head gasket in on top of the old one... it ran for a few minutes...

Also a level2 lad beating a piston back in a bore with a hammer as he didnt know what a ring compressor was!
 
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