Doing my 04d2 head gaskets for a second time. Didnt have the heads machined first time, and apparently my straight edge wasnt straight for warp check. Shop found 15 thou warp each. Pass side aft cylinder blew gasket at water jacket this time, 11 months after first head gasket.... Had decked, valve job, seals, plug holes chased and returned in 1 day looking new for $280. full gasket kit has the valve seals in it. Bring em with to local machine shop...So, some tips in no particular order. Ratchet strap the hood up to garage rafter or something, gets u way more opening for the 25hrs snuggling with your motor. Will need 1/4 3/8 1/2 socket universal joints (SWIVEL) and many extensions. Was using up to 2.5ft on some spots. Stubby ratchet wrenches, metric and standard as its a mix. Harbor freight has em on sale for $22ish a set. 4-5 1.5ft bungee cords. Im told the fuel rail connection is a problem so i bungee corded the rail up out of the way without disconnecting,clipping onto the hood latch rod your not using. a/c pump lays in air filter box nicely. also bungeed the horrible access coil pack up, and the main loom running along the back of eng bay. Leave the SAI set up on heads and take em off on the bench, too easy to bend tubes removing. Torquing heads almost impossible without 1/2 universal (swivel) and 2 ft of extensions. Jack handle extension needed for last 90 degree torque. Put the SAI crap back on after head torque, exhaust torque n spark plugs. WD-40 SAI fittings and keep em loose till both ends on. 10in Cresent wrench gets about 1/16 turn then flip and 1/16 again,repeat. Crowsfoot didnt work as well as cresent wrench. May need to remove all ignition wires to slip coil pack back in place, mark the ends at coil. Laying on engine trying to fit wires back on sucks. I had to leave lower coil mount bolts (2) loose to slip upper manifold under lower coil mount,and couldnt get to them to tighten,oh well. Top coil mounts/pipe mount (2) bolts 1hr. Nightmare to align 2 brackets to upper mount manifold bolt holes...Air ratchet to run all bolts in (but NOT tight) saved hours. Fan stayed in place, special tool needed (not in auto zone rental kit). Put a rag cardboard over lower manifold intake ports to save the 1hr to retrieve said coil bolt when it fell into intake,(took magnet off my telescoping handle and tied it to string, pushed it doen with rubber tubing, whew........good luck..Get them heads done.......

 

Wow. Good write up on the adventure.

 

Very good writeup!

On some of the harder items one can encounter.
I never thought of leaving the SAI on and taking it out as a unit.

I had luck with a crow's foot.

Well, you could try it in a parking lot in Colorado.
With a battery running an inverter for a trouble light.

That was a year ago for me.
Still think it was fun.

Surprised it worked out as I really was and am a hack.

I could not even get a 2 stroke lawn boy mower running decently this weekend which I paid $40 for.

It will run on full choke.

Here are the pics of the head gasket job in the parking lot.

Flickr: Landroverdude2's Photostream

 

These zip tie w/ tags will be one of the best $2 you spend on this job.

100 Piece 4" Identification Cable Ties

Get an oil-based sharpie and labeling everything will be a breeze.

 

The SAI stuff isn't too hard to take off you just have to be careful. You have to slowly loosen each bolt back and forth. Sometimes you might have to retighten one bolt to loosen the other. You just do whatever you have to to keep it from kinking.