I will take the heads to a machine shop . . . once I locate one that is trustworthy and accessible by public transportation (can't drive the Disco and the other car . . . let's just bracket that for the time being).

In the meantime what do I use to clean the black carbon off the block and piston heads? And what to use for the valves/springs? Do I have to disassemble the valves too (please say no)? I have been using only a 3M scrub pad and occasionally a plastic scraper to clean the mating surfaces of the heads.

It's getting colder and damp out at night. Worried about leaving the engine all opened up so long.

Thanks to all agsin. Once more unto the breach.

 

If I recall correctly the carbon on the pistons is water soluble so you can set a wet rag atop each one for a while to let it soak and then wipe the carbon away. I may be wrong about this but that's what I recall from when I replaced the headgaskets in my truck several years ago.

The black deposits on the block are remnants of the old headgaskets. There are gasket removal solvents that should make cleaning up those surfaces relatively easy.

And no, you don't need to disassemble the valves from the heads. When you take the heads in to the machine shop be sure to take the valve guide seals from the bag of assorted O-rings, etc. that should have come as part of the headgasket kit. In addition to checking the heads for straightness part of the standard cylinder head service is removing the valves to check for burning or any other problems and replacing the valve guide seals. If you're not sure what the seals look like just take the whole bag of goodies with you.

And finally, I don't envy you trying to haul two cylinder heads with you on public transportation or to and from the public transportation stops. Isn't there some other way to get them there? Uber? Lyft?

 

The cylinder heads have been pressure-tested, decked (one out of spec, one not) and the valves done. Re-assembly begins tomorrow. Looking over the RAVE instructions, I have found a few items, both in 12-2-60, that I don't follow:

1) when disassembling the rockers, I did not "remove and discard the split pin and the normal and wave washers." How essential is this? I do not know if those parts are included in the gasket kit.

2) "Ensure shaft identification groove is positioned at 1:00, with push rod locations of rocker arms to the right." No idea where the shaft identification groove is located or where the hypothetical clock face is.

Also, do I reattach the injectors/fuel rail assembly to the lower intake, then put the whole thing back on or does the lower intake go in first then the injectors?

When do the ignition coils go back on?

Are there engine harness routings that dictate the order of re-installing exhaust and intake manifolds?

Thanks.