Quote:
Originally Posted by aardvarkash10
agree with all the above.
If you are the least bit handy, replacing the head is not a difficult job. If not, its not a long job for a competent mechanic.
Definitely have the head checked for flat and skimmed if required. While its off, you'd be mad not to have the engineers reseat the valves (probably just need lapping) and adjust valve clearances.
As you are in that far, it is economic madness not to replace the cambelt, idler, water pump and thermostat.
It all sounds a lot, but it doesn't add significantly to the labour bill and means you can rest assured for another 27 years.
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I have least bit handy sort of status. I have been unwell and seriously lost confidence. I did the head on my B200F.
Plain speaking from my standpoint.
It was a task.
There is quite a bit of things to undo and remove. Undoing the crank pulley bolt needs full personal strength or a serious breaker bar. And a locking tool unless one resorts to an impact wrench. Holding the camshaft pulley to undo the nut needs a good strap wrench....or an impact wrench...or a strategic drilled hole in the plastic backing plate so as to use a strong screwdriver through the pulley spokes and through the hole to exert force against the top of the engine head. Undoing the head bolts can be TOUGH if for example they have been in situ a long time and maybe a bit corroded in situ. The head is heavy to lift and replace unless one has full strength. Re tightening the head bolts and the crank pulley bolt is a torque PLUS degrees. Plus degrees on the crank pulley bolt is a lot of strength. A full physical strength or a power breaker bar is needed. David tells me an impact wrench will do up to torque, but maybe not do the added degrees? Plenty of people seem to fudge or not worry about the degrees at least re the crank pulley but I would worry too much to do that.
If like me you learnt on pushrod engines. Then at every turn you will find new wrinkles. My mantra was, I have a track record of making things work, I will achieve this. And I did !!! It can be done.
I did it. But. If one is "least bit handy", do expect a learning curve. This is not a Morris Minor.
EDIT:
P.S. If you do the job. Suction out any water you can from the holes the head bolts go in to. Get a tap from an engineer's supplier. Clean out the threads that the head bolts go in to. Lubricate the cleaned up threads..I used engine oil. And. Use new bolts. They are stretch bolts use once. A local car engineer workshop might give you a good price for the head gasket set and the head bolts.
P.P.S. This post was a mess. I have tried to cut out the repetition.
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