Classic Renault 21 Turbo head gasket change

DaveL485 submitted a new resource:

Renault 21 Turbo head gasket change - Renault 21 Turbo head gasket change

So. Here we have....


Off comes the bonnet. The first bit of many.

Nosecone....

Rip out the crossmember, Top cooler, bottom cooler and pipes, airbox, inlet...

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[DaveL485]

Rocker cover off.

Lovely and clean. This baby has been run on fully synth all it's life.

Inlet manifold unbolted. All the nuts can be undone with a 13mm ring spanner. The bottom ones that are tight on space use the ring end, turn, flip the spanner over and put the ring on the other way, turn and so on. The others are easy. Unbolt the brace underneath the manifold....2x13mm's.
Pull it back and off the studs. You made enough room earlier by undoing the ECU/wiring by the battery tray.

Undo the coils or dizzy on the back of the head.
Time for head bolts. I know I haven't taken the exhaust manifold off but it's easier to do that off the car.
Crank them off 1/4 turn at a time, starting with the bottom left as you look at the engine, moving to bottom right, top right, top left, and spiral inwards ending up at the right middle. Once all the resistance is gone, drop the 1/4 turn at a time and wazz them all out.


Prise the rocker assembly up off it's locating dowels until all the bases are free. Lift it out with the head bolts (or without if you prefer)


Break the HG. You need to rotate it on the dowel at the front left of the engine. Don't pull it up as you may disturb the liners. Bash it here-


Lift it off, now i'm gonna pop the exhaust manifold off. You can get sockets on all of them save the middle bottom, but a decent open end spanner should make short work of that.


Oops. Still, only one broken, that's good considering it hasn't been apart in 15 years.


Underneath the head. Came off with the gasket.

Peeled the gasket off.


Quick sniff round reveals a healthy block. Minimal wear.


and the offending bit of the head gasket weeping oil out of the back

Head is currently being spruced up in the machine shop. My next job is **sigh** cleaning everything up minty mint for reassembly.
I hate cleaning.

 

[DaveL485]

Getting around to starting to piece it all back together :icon_biggrin:
Good old socket tower liner clamps

Here we go with cleaning. I still hate cleaning!

Tee hee

After a ****load of elbow grease....


Scabby inlet manifold

Much better


Twins! The one for this car has had a resurface, New stem seals, valves relapped and the broken stud drilled and tapped out.

While I was there I did a quick number on the oil pipes and heatshield


Cleaned up the rest of the head surfaces and wiped it all down with thinners. I still hate cleaning....another hours worth



New cam seal went on and fitted cam, not forgetting to lube it all up (oooeer matron!!)

Wiped head over with thinners and laid the gasket

Hook the head over the dowel and line it all up.

Wind the head bolts down until they are finger tight, then starting in the middle, on the inlet side tighten it down to 36lb/ft with a torque wrench. Then do the middle exhaust side, then go up one, then right one, then down two and spiral outwards...in this sequence.
7 8
3 4
2 1
6 5
10 9
Repeat, this time at 58lb/ft, and then a final time at 70lb/ft.
Then the inlet manifold back over

and bolt it up.

 

[DaveL485]

Made some new studs for the exhaust side, stainless bolts, took the top off.


Metal locking nuts to hold it together

Thats it for rebuild pics lol, can you tell I was getting keen to finish it? Just replace everything back as you took it off. Remember to keep everything clean, particularly mating faces.
When it's back together and running, run it for 20mins, making sure the fans cut in. Then leave it for MINIMUM two hours to cool, and take the rocker cover back off.
One head bolt at a time, crack it off and loosen it until you can turn it with your finger then immediately retighten to 70lb/ft. Follow the tightening pattern again. Then set the valve clearances.


Check out these arches!


Once it was finally ready to return from whence it came, took some departing snaps. Couple of Quadra in the sun





My favourite-