Head gasket,valve timing done, All good at last!

[GSouthee]

Hi ya now it seems I have a blown head gasket, getting water into oil I think ( milky substance around oil breathers in last week or so, water loss and bubbles into rad when hot. Checked cylinder pressures and rear 2 are down to around 100/110 psi rest at 135+. Somewhat annoyed as engine only done 18000 since rebuild albeit in 1965.
   
   So ordered head gasket and some other gaskets as needed from Rod Briggs. (Bloody hell they cost more than the engine rebuild back i the day).  got everything undone ready loosened head bolts (noted one side was tightened to around 60 psi while other side was around 45 psi all should be 40 psi, strange).
   
   Just cant get the camshaft stud undone, anyone know if it turns in normal direction or is reverse thread????
   
   
   
   Got to get it done as going to new years parade (hopefully)

[GSouthee]

Well got bolt/stud out.  Handbrake on, in gear, wheels chocked, heat applied, hardwood wedge in between head casing and sprocket (Thanks Rod Briggs for that one), then 2 foot tube over spanner once the end was cut off and Hey Presto its off.
   
   Now cant get head to split from block. Got under constant pull from above on hoist with straps, so much so it was almost lift car up. Tapped with wood block and club hammer. Don't want to pry it apart in case damage bock face or head. Now soaked all head studs in wd40 and going to get a paint scraper to try and get between the 2 layers of the old gasket.
   
   Anyone got any good ideas let me know.
   
   Dam never had a head like this and rebuilt loads of V8's in the past.
   
   Still perseverance is good for building spirit.
   
   Cheers

[3.5 Pints at the Bar]

Mine came off after cranking the engine to use the compression (on the unaffected cylinders). If there's still say, 100psi, for some cylinders, that equates to about 500lbs lift concentrated around that cylinder. I also hammered in wooden wedges between the gasket layers.
   
   I've known others who suspended the front of the car, hanging on the cylinder head, which applies about 1400lbs force - but being careful how it is attached to a hoist, so as not to risk cracking/breaking the head.

[GSouthee]

Cheers 3.5 pints,
   
   Yep mine is still under pull on hoist, don't want to exert too much pull as when it lets go it may take off.  Going to try the scraper, wood wedges etc. too late for the compression thing as timing pulley off now.
   
   Lets hope for success.
   
   Cheers  G

[GSouthee]

Finally got it off, paint scraper, 4 hardwood wedges, 1 hoist, a little heat, lots of profanity, and bruised hand (missed a wedge with the hammer, more profanity).
   
   Head looks ok, little blow hole between rear 2 cylinders (see pic link).
   
   Bit of muck in bottom of water jacket will flush out before all goes back together.
   
   https://www.dropbox.com/s/bipj98o3i2k4kd1/DSCN0856.JPG?dl=0
   
   Cheers  G

[BE774]

Hope it was juat a poor head gasket that failed. You probably know that cylinder liner projection is critical on these engines. Are you brave enough to (attempt to) take the liners out to check the condition of the figure of 8 gaskets at the bottom? Or will you just replace the gasket (assuming liner heights OK) and hope that is the end of it with correct torquing and retorquing of the head?
   
   Hope all goes well. Graham.

[GSouthee]

Cheers  Graham.
   
   I'm thinking of just doing the head gasket as engine has been rebuilt 18,000 miles ago, I have checked the heights and all looks ok according the series 2 handbook.
   
   Then incremental torquing upto 40 lbs (10,20,30,40) following the torquing pattern as per handbook. Then get run it up get it hot, cool down re torquing, then 100 miles and do again.  (Dam fussy these AC's)
   
   I am going to Hylomar blue as handbook suggest using Hermatite on gasket.
   
   Have flushed a little muck in water jacket and run around inside it with hoover (old Dyson with a very narrow adapted tube) to clear it right out. Not much in there at all, mainly at the rear 2 cylinders, guess that's down to lack of water flow that far back.  Will possibly investigate drilling and tapping block at rear end and run a water pipe to it to aid flow later in year if gasket works out ok.
   
   Now to get a can of high temp paint for head, and clean up inlet manifolds for when carbs come back.
   
   Cheers  Gary

[GSouthee]

Right,
   
   Gasket on,  Head on and after knocking the cam wheel and chain loose accidentally adjusting the cam timing as the chain jumped round, had to re adjust the cam timing and bolt on cam wheel (should have bought a vernier one while all was off), All torqued down in sequence and in incremental tightness, left it all afternoon and re torqued, now to leave over night and re torque in morning.
   
   Then, exhaust back on, clean up rocker cover (must get it polished once I find a local metal polisher, too messy to do myself).
   
   Now wait for carbs and fit.
   
   Cheers  G

[BE774]

Hi Gary, glad it is all going back together again.
   
   Hope you don't mind me saying, but could I suggest that it is better to get the engine thoroughly hot and cooled down again before re-torquing the head nuts? This heat cycling allows the castings, liners and gaskets etc. to settle down. Then repeat after one week and again after one month if the vehicle is used regularly (or maybe one month / 3 months if not used much). Look forward to hearing all is sorted in due course. Graham.

[GSouthee]

Hi Graham,
   
   All advice welcome,  I was going to run it up hot and cooled down, once carbs back. Yes it is used regularly so will do the one week and one month as well.
   
   Just hope I've got the valve timing right.  I noted the 1/6 mark but also a FP mark on flywheel not mention of its use in the AC handbook.
   Any ideas.
   
   Cheers  Gary

[BE774]

Not absolutely sure about FP, I think it stands for firing point. All my books are still packed away after moving so cannot check. Does the FP mark's position correspond approximately to the expected ignition timing point? Sorry can't be more helpful. Graham.

[GSouthee]

Yep on measuring it is as you say Firing Position/Point.  You would have thought that AC would have mentioned it in the handbook.
   
   Anyway exhaust manifolds back on after a repaint in stove black, had thermostat case machined to take normal 72 degree thermostat and then polished up case, re-fit tomorrow.
   
   All looking good.
   
   Cheers  G

[GSouthee]

Dam  thought I would check all the valve gap settings. Anyway decided to turn on the timing wheel nut as it was easy to get to at the same time as being at the top end whilst poking about with feeler gauge.
   
   Guess what this Muppet managed to. No! I slipped and dropped the spanner down the inside the timing chain case. Gulp, swear, sweat. Then next half an hour with one of those long flexi claw things with the plunger that works the claws and a  smallish ring magnet on a length of wire I got it back out.  Phew, thoughts of head back of and another expensive new gasket flashed through my mind.  Wont do that again.
   
   Anyone got a spare starter handle as I have not got one.
   
   Carbs on way back so will be fitting them next.
   
   
   Cheers  G

[GSouthee]

Well it seems the valve timing is out, Will get to it tomorrow. Looks like long thin bar for the timing tensioner and move a tooth round on the wheel.

[GSouthee]

Ha thought that would be easy but is it, by buggery not.  Has anyone done the valve timing adjustment, does the wheel need to come off onto the resting plate or am I just not getting enough leverage on the tensioner to do on cam?
   
   Will have another go tomorrow.
   
   G