Changing a head gasket..

[JonnyK]

Hi guys as discussed in the other thread, i want to change the headgasket and i am getting my mechanic mate to do it..

can you just talk me through the process, with pics if possible so i can watch over him and make sure he does it right. lol.

for example your meant to use a silicone sealant of somesort once it's on? where does this go?

Is it literally head off, swap gasket, seal it somehow and head back on ? or does the head NEED to be skimmed etc.

john

[Anders]

Mechanically it is simple.

Whip it all off, it your mate is a decent mechanic then he should know how to go about this.

When its off, use a scraper to clean all the surfaces of the block and remove all traces of old gasket, on the bit you have taken off do the same. But afterwards inspect it for even the slightest damage. As normally you will have a small indent in the head, and will therefore need skimming.

Use new gasket and also NEW head bolts as these are stressed due to the high torque setting so would have stretched.

Your friend should know all this though.

[Rich]

in addition the haynes manual gives a more than good enough description for the F type engine for doing the gasket

[Mattie]

dus it 100% have to be skimed if theres slight damage to the head? or can u just leave it? lol

i didnt think u needed new bolts???? also think sum1 sed it dusnt matter about the torque settins????

:-k

[clowo16v]

You definetley need new bolts. Apart from the fact that the ones that are in could be 10+ yrs old, being stretch bolts as soon as you re-torque them they'll go past their yield point and so will probably shear off.

They're not that expensive to replace.

Also dont scrape the block/head with something sharp as you might end up digging into the surface.

Another tip is to spray the gasket with a thin layer of paint from a spraycan, allow it to dry until its tacky then put the gasket on and bolt it up. It helps hold it in place.

See ya

Matt

[kj16v]

Another tip is to spray the gasket with a thin layer of paint from a spraycan, allow it to dry until its tacky then put the gasket on and bolt it up. It helps hold it in place.

See ya

Matt

Eh :? Whenever I've changed h/gaskets it's always said don't put anything on the gasket. Not saying your wrong, but doesn't seem a good idea to me. Whats gonna happen to the chemicals in the paint over time?

As for skimming: It's sooo important that the head is perfectly flat. Plus it's almost garranteed that the soft ally head will have warped gone uneven at least slightly. Even if it seems ok get a light surfacing skim just for peice of mind. Then you'll know it's perfectly flat and clean for a good seal.

Believe me, do exactly what the Haynes says when it comes to h/gaskets. It's such a crucial part of the engine.

[VIPERONE]

lol i ****ed haynes off as its crap... a good site is:
http://www.m-fix.co.uk/clio its £2.99 a month, but good with pictures and a step by step guide.

buy a good torque wrench and angle meter, dont spray anything on to the head.. i had mine skimmed... take a pic of your head once its off from the underside and send me it.. you can usually tell by the marks the gasket leaves if it has been cooked....
a place near me can completely rebuild the head and skim it for just £90(Rochdale ) which in my opinion is a bargain as its guaranteed for 12k.


50mm torx bit for the headbolts...

in my headbolt box, was all the settings for torque and order of tightening...the order is imperative as it spreads out the load.