So I was doing a really good job on my head gasket repair on my 1999 Disco II. Got the passenger side head off with no problems, was using a 5/8 deep impact socket with a 2 foot breaker bar. But then I stripped a head bolt on the first bolt of the driver side head, you know the one that's buried in the way back, the one you absolutely don't want to strip. I got a Craftsman Bolt Out socket and it just stripped it more and stripped the socket. Do I pretty much need to take the engine out or is there something that can be done? I can't imagine being able to get a drill back there or any kind of other tool, there is very little space. Any help would be great. I'm not completely opposed to just setting it on fire. It does get cold here at night.

 

I guess a better question would be imagine you have everything off you would take off for a head gasket fix, how much more stuff needs to be done to take out the block?

 

I believe you can unbolt the mounts and lower the engine a bit to get a nice working space.

 

And I used a breaker bar, with a 3 inch extension for the socket, and had a cheater pipe. Reached easily. Of course, things went down hill rapidly after that under the shade tree. Read several posts. Those with some rhino hide and a good case of self deprecation will post on here about problems along the way.

A smart man learns from his own mistakes. A brilliant man learns from the mistakes of others.

 

Thanks guys. I was able to grind the head of the bolt off with a dremel, VERY carefully. Now I gotta take the heads to a machine shop and figure out what all the little pieces in the head gasket kit I got from Atlantic British are for. What was crazy was once I got the head off I thought I would have to really torque on the bolt stem that was left in the block but no I was able to unscrew it with my hand, just goes to show all the torque really just goes to the head of the bolt

 

 

You will have lots of pieces left over from the kit unless you change every little thing. And kits can be for more than 1 version of the engine. I kept all the extras. The machine shop wants the little box with valve seals.

In you pix, note the index studs (two per head). They allow some shift of the head when set back on the block. Use the old valley pan gasket to line it up before torque of head bolts, or valley pan and intake have problems fitting. The heads can be nudged a bit with hammer (tapped), etc.

The front and rear small bolt that holds the "lip" seal can be easily stripped. Honking it down spits the rubber seal, and pieces of it end up in the oil. RTV is used on the corners in that area.

The cam shaft area should be shielded with a shop towel, etc. It is amazing how gravity sucks small parts into those spaces. Small valve cover gasket rings roll down hill rapidly. Count your sockets before closing it up, one member posted a photo of a box end wrench left on top of the cam area by his mechanic.

Of course keep push rods arranged to go back in same spot, and you may find lifters have "mushroomed" and won't come out the top. If you remove cam they will drop out the bottom (unless held two by two with rubber bands).

You are at the point where you realize just how far you want to go with "while I have it open" issues.

 

Dang Buzz, thank you very much. Some good tips there. If anyone else is reading this I'd also like to add some tips.

Take the fan clutch off in the first steps, I didn't and I've seen people that don't, but on a discovery I would, it can be done with it on but it is a pain in the butt.

Clean your head bolt heads before taking them off with degreaser of some sort and maybe a wire brush, I'm pretty sure that's why mine stripped.

Stick with impact sockets on the head bolts, the one I stripped I used a regular socket which is probably also why it stripped.

Also get a buddy, I tried doing this all my self but there were some steps where another set of hands would have made a huge difference especially getting the head bolts off.

I'm sure I'll have more tips when I'm finished.

 

Just so people know I got it done and she is running ok. Thank you to everyone on this forum, not only the people that replied but everyone. I've been stalking this forum and searching every thread about head gaskets I could and it helped A LOT.

 

congrats