My Head Gasket Job . . .
. . . is half way through!!!
I'm taking the heads to a shop to be machined. In the mean time, any advise for how/what to clean? Should I clean the valley, etc.?
Also, I had to remove three of the four SAI adapters from the heads to get to the head bolts. Do I need to replace them or can I reuse? RAVE says replace, but I've not seen anyone else mention them.
Also, is there anything I can do to check the water pump while I've gotten it torn down? I don't see any obvious problems with the gasket, and there's no play in the pulley, but since I've got it here...
Thanks to everybody for the help you've all provided so far! There's no way I would have taken this on without this forum!
I'm taking the heads to a shop to be machined. In the mean time, any advise for how/what to clean? Should I clean the valley, etc.?
Also, I had to remove three of the four SAI adapters from the heads to get to the head bolts. Do I need to replace them or can I reuse? RAVE says replace, but I've not seen anyone else mention them.
Also, is there anything I can do to check the water pump while I've gotten it torn down? I don't see any obvious problems with the gasket, and there's no play in the pulley, but since I've got it here...
Thanks to everybody for the help you've all provided so far! There's no way I would have taken this on without this forum!
I believe people have posted that SAI adapters are about $50 each or more, so re-use might be one path. While you have it this far change $48 water pump (Rock Auto).
Post some pix - you did take some so you can recall where things go? And where is that missing 9mm socket, must be in there somewhere.... (be sure ALL tools are accounted for before final assembly completed, more important if being helped by friends rewarded with brew of choice).
Post some pix - you did take some so you can recall where things go? And where is that missing 9mm socket, must be in there somewhere.... (be sure ALL tools are accounted for before final assembly completed, more important if being helped by friends rewarded with brew of choice).
The SAI assorted weren't in there too tight (which is good, since I'm convinced the 9 mm hex tool Rave calls for doesn't exist - I looked before I realized they have a square nut head on the backside!) so I'm going to reuse them. Is Teflon tape safe to use there?
For only $50, I think i will go ahead and do the water pump, thanks forthe rock auto tip.
I have pics, but they're on a cheap old camera we lost the cord to (figured I can look at the screen, but if I harm it, the wife won't harm me). So no progress pics. I'll try to get some at this stage. I also view beer as a reward, not as a lubricant to backwards fans and leftover bolts.
Bump on the question re: cleaning things in there.
For only $50, I think i will go ahead and do the water pump, thanks forthe rock auto tip.
I have pics, but they're on a cheap old camera we lost the cord to (figured I can look at the screen, but if I harm it, the wife won't harm me). So no progress pics. I'll try to get some at this stage. I also view beer as a reward, not as a lubricant to backwards fans and leftover bolts.
Bump on the question re: cleaning things in there.
Many folks on here recommend getting a water pump with a brass impeller rather than the steel impeller. The aftermarket water pumps with the steel impeller apparently do not last very long. Although, my aftermarket water pump lasted about 5 years. I think it is still worth the extra money to get an OE or OE equivalent water pump with a brass impeller. Not sure if the one from rock auto is brass, but at $50 I would guess that it isn’t.
See https://landroverforums.com/forum/ge...+pump+internal for what they look like inside. Old one is a D1 175K, crummy coolant. Nice one is a D2, about 110K, must have run good coolant and not had overheating issues.
I put a plastic tarp over the valley and pistons and pressure washed around the engine as much as I could, so that I could detect new leaks if/when they happen. I also got a little pressure washer happy with all the metal hoses, valve covers, little parts for aesthetics.
Use carb cleaner on the inside of your throttle body, get that throttle shined up on the inside and you might get a little more power. Keep your MAF sensor away from all cleaners or you will be replacing it. Other than that, clean all mating surfaces with a scotch bright pad and solvent, I used the maroon colored one and it worked well.
CLEAN OUT YOUR HEAD BOLT HOLES! spray some solvent down in there, then blow it all out with an air gun until it looks shiny. test the bolts in the holes for smooth rotation before putting on the heads, then blow it out again.
Other than that clean all the grime off your upper and lower intake bolts and you should be fine.
oh and one other thing... use electric connection cleaner on all of the multiplugs as you reconnect them, you don't want to have to take it all apart again when you find that a piston isn't firing because of a bad fuel injector connection.
Use carb cleaner on the inside of your throttle body, get that throttle shined up on the inside and you might get a little more power. Keep your MAF sensor away from all cleaners or you will be replacing it. Other than that, clean all mating surfaces with a scotch bright pad and solvent, I used the maroon colored one and it worked well.
CLEAN OUT YOUR HEAD BOLT HOLES! spray some solvent down in there, then blow it all out with an air gun until it looks shiny. test the bolts in the holes for smooth rotation before putting on the heads, then blow it out again.
Other than that clean all the grime off your upper and lower intake bolts and you should be fine.
oh and one other thing... use electric connection cleaner on all of the multiplugs as you reconnect them, you don't want to have to take it all apart again when you find that a piston isn't firing because of a bad fuel injector connection.
Is there a preferred solvent? I've used everything from zippo fluid to commercial solvents on various things in the past, but I'm afraid to use something that might damage all the aluminum.
Thanks for all the other tips. Hadn't heard about the head bolt holes or electric connections before.
Thanks for all the other tips. Hadn't heard about the head bolt holes or electric connections before.
yes; you should aways to blow the water out the bolt holes or you will end up with hydolock. Basically what happens is the water get trapped between the bolt and the bottom of the hole and the bolt will not seat correctly giving you faulse torque numbers.
Last edited by drowssap; Sep 22, 2011 at 08:59 AM.


