Yeah you'll want to remove all of that stuff... I recommend downloading the shop manual here
land rover service factory manual RAVE download land rover resource, service manual, workshop factory manual, download, rave, vehicles including discovery, series, defender, range rover, freelander, LR3, Handbooks, Catalog, Catalogue, Land Rover Inte

It will give detailed instructions

 

All the bolts are standard thread. I don't remember for sure, but I think I did have to remove the tensioner before pulling off the alternator mount.
Pretty sure that the RAVE covers all of these steps in detail.

 

Why is the other coolant passage blocked or built closed off? Is this normal?

 

You have to take the tensioner off to access all of the alternator bracket bolts. Take the large bolt off of the center of the tensioner. Not the one on the pulley. Comes right out. I think it is a 17mm.

 

Sorry I didn't mean to reply to you directly, Mollusc.

FWIW I think the heads look pretty clean.

The heads are supposed to be interchangeable left and right but the one in your top picture looks like it would only go on one side. Interesting. I have a bunch of heads laying around and I'll look when it is light.

I have planed and not planed. Planing and valve seating really is the way to go, at least for peace of mind. But without an overheating event I would not worry about either. Once you've done this job the dreaded head gasket will seem not so bad, and if there is a problem with the heads you'll know what to do.

In the first picture with the coolant in the cylinder... that's normal. The main passage is right behind it and when you break the seak seal of the gasket, the cylinder will get flooded with coolant. It gets everywhere. You want to be sure to really clean out the bolt threads on the block of coolant and oil before you put it back together.

Unsolicited: I would suggest head studs instead of bolts, and I know there is a debate over that. But my reasoning is simple... they are reusable and more importantly they help keep everything lined up if you are doing the job by yourself.

 

At this point we are now labeling all the bolts were taking out. Its getting plenty and confusing. So far we got everything out. Cleaned the engine bay free of grease and oil. We are now all bruised and scratched with all these unbolting stuff. Were still having a good time here.

 

Can this avoided? Whats wrong?
Upon removing the passenger side head, the front most cylinder is covered by crusty material (picture included). What could have caused this? How can be avoided? Is this a sign of something wrong?

 

Cheap gas, misfire, rings letting oil in combustion chamber, etc.

Use the attached to clean piston tops. Turn the crank until they are at the top then use a drill motor. Stay away from cylinder edge/walls.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000F...CaL&ref=plSrch

 

^^^^This^^^^

May have been all of the above or a bad plug or wire. Just clean it up and move forward.

Edit: forgot to say...you're doing a great job and it's always best to ask questions along the way.

Brian.

 

Since it's flaky and not sludgy, it's more likely to be gas-related than oil. Although oil is still possible as a cause if water was getting into that cylinder where the head gasket was broken and causing a steam-cleaning effect. Normally the cylinder would be really clean in that case though.
This could be due to too much fuel getting in, as well as any of the numerous other possible causes. Once you're up and running again, chuck some injector cleaner into a low tank of gas.