Replacing Headgasket

[Stu8]

Right Ok, so my headgasket has gone (not to happy) especially after paying a big lump sum for reconditioning the engine just a few months back :ffs:

So i'm going to have to have a go at fixing this one myself.

So far no one has been to sure if a UK gasket will be ok: so my plan is to get down to my old gasket take it off and take it to my local Car Parts shop and match it up to a UK spec one.

Not being a mechanic i now i'm going to struggle but I need to have a go at it.

Does anybody know how to remove the intake plenum?

..... and if so can I keep the Throttle body still attached to it?

[Stu8]

Ok scrap that idea

I've found it a hell of alot easier just to remove the throttle body

just need to remove those wires; which seem to feel like there sealed on!

[Stu8]

Thats the Rocker Cover now off :hokus-pokus:

Becuase of the rain earlier though i'm now stretched for light; so i'm calling it a day

[dawesy]

uk and jap gaskets are the same. i would recommend getting a steel gasket and a set of arp rod bolts. how ever i notice that you have a rev 3 mr2 so it should be a steel gasket as stock. my guess is that the reconditioner has skimpt and put a composite gasket in as i have never heard of a rev3 blowing a head gasket. get a genuine gasket as well as a motorfactors will prolly only sell you a cheap composite gasket

[Stu8]

Oh right thanks for the advice :bookworm:

I suppose my best bet is mail order with Fensports then

[boundsw]

Hi.

Right, not sure if you have done a HG before? you say that you aint a mechanic, justa few tips / notes !

Once the head is off, you may aswell reseat the valves.

I have taken heads off with the intake and exhaust manifold still on (as it was almost impossible to put them back on once the head was back on - no room !!)

Make sure you tightent the head bolts up to the correct torque ! - dont over do it, and there is also a pattern you should follow to do them up.

Are you sure how to put the cam belt back on ! - make sure the cams are in line correctly, and the crank is TDC ! -or you might smash up the engine !! - turn it over by hand before you start her !

make sure you put everything back where it came from (ie cams back in the same slots, valves back in the same hole !!)

[Stu8]

I'm a welder by trade :!Removed!:

Although I dont have a clue; I've got a few mates who are mechanics and they've giving me the basics of what I need to do.

One of them did tell me to reseat my valves.

And another has lent me a torque wrench (although i dont yet know what it needs to be set at yet?)

Anyways thanks for the advice.

Like I said any help is much appreciated

[Stu8]

You know what!

looking at the rocker cover and all ancillary components all over my garage floor.

I think I'll use this as an excuse to polish them all up. B)

[Stu8]

Just ordered a HKS 1.2mm Headgasket and ARP head studs

..... Grand Total of £310

and thats with the Gold Discount

[ricomr2]

Be worth it in the end!!

[Stu8]

certainly hope so.

Anyway ordered them last night and by my suprise they where at my house when I got back from work.

[dawesy]

arp head studs need to be torqued up to 60 lbft, in stages is best 20, 40 and then 60. i havent got a tightening sequence to hand but you should find one on the net.

another tip is to wrap some fine emery paper around a flat/ straight metal block (longer than the head is wide and spray the head with WD40) and go over the whole face to clean it up. unlike as is commonly beleive a metal head gasket does NOT need a mirror finish on the head or block, and a roughish finish is best. treat the block to the same treatment and be sure to clean out the bores afterward (compressed air is ideal, if not get a can of air duster)

when all is clean place gasket on the block note the HKS wrighting goes at the back and on the cambelt end of the engine. put head back on, making sure gasket is correctly seated, then put the arp head washers in place (magnetic screwdriver is good) then screw in the headstuds and finaly the nuts, note these require a different socket which should be availiable at a local motorfactors. torqu up and thats it put the rest back and off you go

[Stu8]

thats great that.

top man

[Vlad_E]

Top work Stu, keep the pics coming

[Stu8]

I've mostly be removing all the hoses and sensors today which is a :censor: of a job. lol

Firstly had to re-charge my batt as I didnt want to loose all my settings on the boost controller and ecu

Then I dropped all the remaing oil and water

oh and loads of coolant water came out of the sump; so i'm really worried its more than just a knackered gasket now

Anyways carying on regardless i've now got it to the stage where the head should just come off

(taken the cam belt off by the way)

and here's me working right into the night.

So now the head is off :hokus-pokus:

But now I really need to get the sump off to see why a shed load of coolant water was in it

[msherry21]

Loving this thread Stu, taking note of everything thats happening! keep it coming.

p.s If you don't mind, how did you mount your front reg plate where it is? I fancy mine like that, looks alot smoother.

keep up the good work mate,

Michael.

[Jinxed]

p.s If you don't mind, how did you mount your front reg plate where it is? I fancy mine like that, looks alot smoother.

←

My plate was like that when i got my 2(same place)...was mounted on an aluminium bracket attached in to the side of the bumper thing but... when MrT saw it they were pretty concerned about it interfering with the cooling system and seriously recommended moving it back to its originial location while they sorted out the engine swap. Interestingly, my 2 had also busted the headgasket and started to dump water... maybe that might be a contributory factor to your cars prob Stu.... just relayin what MrT told me about mine tho so ..... dunno for sure but i trust their intuition

still it looks like your doin awesome with the strip, hope all works out sweetly for you n ur car cos the effort your goin to deserves to be rewarded by success

[Stu8]

cheers micheal :)

I bought a right angle bracket from my local DIY store attached it to the metal bar, and then put the plate on (simple)

It only partialy covers the radiator (about 3") so i'm not concered about the cooling.

[Jinxed]

It only partialy covers the radiator (about 3") so i'm not concered about the cooling.

←

:) mine covered good bit more than that which is prob why it was a matter of concern, and hg does go even when plates are where theyre spose to be so .... best of luck stu an still wishin u every success

[Black Knight]

The aim of the tightening sequence is to try and avoid warping the head so you start in the middle and try and work your way out evenly.

That'll mean your tightening sequence should be something like:

9 3 1 6 8

7 5 2 4 10

[dawesy]

stu while the head is off check the bores for signs of cracking.

seen 2 bog std ST205 GT4's with cracked blocks now.

did you undo the head bolts before you drained the sump? if you did dont worry, a lot of coolent is still in the block even with the hoses removed. there is a drain plug on the back of the block(flywheel end) take that out and youll prolly have about a litre and a half of coolent come out.

what type of gasket was fitted when you took the head off? and are there any signs of failure

[Jinxed]

that 3sge project car is lookin tasty

[Stu8]

Sorry for not you keeping you uptaded on this peeps......

But i've admitted defeat on this one and its gone to a trusted mechanic for all round maintenance (not just the engine)

Basically the 3 ltrs of coolant coming out of the sump and the warped head has got me too worried in doing this myself.

So I thought it was best to give it to the profesionals.

I expect a heafty bill but I'd sooner have a lighter wallet, than a long walk back home from nurburg.

Cheers for your help and comments though

[jaxx]

ahwell mate, if in doubt ask eh?

seans Lux looks awesome :P

[Stu8]

It can pull some pretty awesome drifts too. lol :P