Doing this tommorrow, does any one have any tips, hints, shortcuts etc in the head removal / refitting process also any special tools required?

thanks for any advice

Bri



P.S prey for good weather

 

if you dont know how........ Don't.......

 

as the man say's

 

i just done mine with Karl mate ,i you want a bit of support i could call round to give advice and drink tea

 

I'm a HGV mechanic by trade, rebuilt several truck engines / gearboxes, CVH's, head gaskets are nothing new, just wondering if there are any tips as the first time you do a job it always takes longer as you don't know shortcuts

 

Well Why didnt you say so

You will need a spline toool for head bolts..

lift the head off with turbo and inlet attatched, can be done on own but will need two people to lift it back on (assuming its 4B) ..... erm...

dont forget the 2 little wires at the back for temp sensors

the rest is self expanatory to a man with tools and the knowledge on how to use them

 

A saph is a little easier than an escort, more space, but bank on 1.5 hours to remove, 2-3 to refit as an outside time really...

also rad may need to come out if you are fitting a new belt and cant get bottom pulley off (to allow acces for puller)

 

Cheers when you say spline tool for the head bolts do you mean a torxs (sp) bit if so is it internal or external (male or female bit) If that makes sense

 

would you always reccomend a new cambelt tensioner when doing this sort of work? replaced my cam belt 2k miles ago, is it worth while changing it?

 

internal spline (or Torx can't recal for sure), (male tool)

Thats assuming your block isnt longstudded, otherwise will be external or a mixture of the two ROFL

 

Personally I would do the belt, on my own car, though not necesity so long as it goes back nicely..... tensioner depends how it sounds and how long ago was replaced IMO

 

I would always replace tensioner with the belt, need to replace my tensioner aswell because i pressure washed the engine and the pully has been squeeking ever since

 

it's a spline drive (M12 i think) different to a torx bit. have done this today on my saff not too many shortcuts i can think of?

 

would say there not to bad a job to do i did my gasket last month
here some thing worth doing if you have the time i made a couple
of dowls up to put in the block to hold everthing square for when
putting the head back on before tourqueing it down

 

All done, propper nightmare to bleed up cooling system i thought, good run out cured that though

Got me compression on pot 4 back but still spluttering under boost so will have to investigate further before the week end

Best start clocking up the miles whilst it sunny (AA card in pocket though just incase )

Cheers for all idvice given and to King of Bling for some interesting reading