Land Rover Forums - Land Rover Enthusiast Forum - Stretched Head Bolt / Head Gasket Leaking

This is a follow up to a thread I started a few weeks back titled "HELP! Very loud tapping at speed/under load only? ".

HELP! Very loud tapping at speed/under load only

UPDATE:

I had a friend that was a mechanic take another look with me.

It finally is at the point where it will make the sound while stopped if it has started and I keep a load on the engine. He looked under the hood while it was happening and saw the asbestos weave or whatever it is on the secondary air pipe was flapping in time with it.. It seemed if you put a hose down there that exhaust or combustion gas was coming from somewhere near the air pipe, head bolt (which also had some discoloration from carbon around it, and the exhaust manifold. Something I have not been able to get an ear to before..

So, I changed the manifold gaskets and examined the manifold and did not see any cracks or discolorations. Changing gasket made no difference and it deffinetly seems the sound is coming from around that head bolt.

Wierd because neither I or the two mechanics I had look at it thought it was exhaust, one thought flex plate and other piston contacting valve o head. But now that you can see and hear it at a stop it is deffinetly gasses making the sound.

So. Looks like this weekend I will be taking off the heads with a friend and checking if it is a stretched bolt, head gasket, head issue.

Any advice on taking the heads on and off and changing gaskets? I am going to order a full gasket kit and headbolt kit so I have all the gaskets and bolts needed. Was wondinring if anyone had some advice on procedure/shortcuts or tricks other than what I have in the RAVE C. I did notice while making sure secondary air pipe was tigh at the large brass nut connecting it too the air/manifold adapter that it seemed to want to twist the pipe to the point I was worried about breakage. Also tricks to getting head off/gaskets on and what really needs to come off the top and what really doesnt. Any special tools for fuel lines and the like?

Thanks alot for all the imput on this. Im hoping this gets to the bottom of it once and for all this weekend.

John