Head gasket, one possible?

[Olav Bergman]

Hallo All,

Darn! Yesterday my left head gasket developed a leek. (an awfall lot of pressure in the cooling system and leaking under the exhaust)
My question for a quick estimate...do I need to do both banks or can I take just take one off????

"Dismantle the whole top" of the engine or a simple "gasket swap".....I don't know!

Because next week I have a short vacantion of a week,....will I have still time for the flowers, to sit and look at the beautyfull trees relax and unwind, heeeeh... Or will I be working in the garage all week :-)

Please....let me know!!

Cheers

olav

Edited by Olav Bergman on Wednesday 1st July 17:29

[The Lukas]

You can get away from doing one if you are certain which one it is.

[Olav Bergman]

Are-you-sure?? That's good news!! Thanks!...

But... I know it is left...I hope it's not both.
I will start with a left `gasket swap` and see where it will end

Edited by Olav Bergman on Wednesday 1st July 17:43

[The Lukas]

I'm not a mechanic, but I am very much under the impression you can do one without the other. May be worth clarifying with a couple others chaps here.

[phillpot]

Certainly can do just one but as you'd probably have to buy a complete top end gasket set really wouldn't be much more work to do both (other exhaust manifold and head bolts). Clean them both up a little and keep everything "balanced" !

[Jed-S]

You can do one - I have done in the past when I thought I had a head gasket leak but it turned out to be ok.
However if one head gasket is actually leaking then while you have it apart it makes sense to do the other one. It is only a case of removing 8 bolts and I'd say 15 mins max to remove, clean and refit a head.

[Ragtop]

Jed-S said:

However if one head gasket is actually leaking then while you have it apart it makes sense to do the other one.

On the other hand, there's the old motto:

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it"...

[Jed-S]

Ragtop said:

Jed-S said:

However if one head gasket is actually leaking then while you have it apart it makes sense to do the other one.

On the other hand, there's the old motto:

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it"...

true - but Sod's Law will then apply

[Barkychoc]

Can you remove the heads without taking the exhaust manifold off - so you disconnect the exhaust lower down & leave the manifold attached to the head?
Thats the risky part - snapping an exhaust stud/bolt off.

[Gerald-TVR]

Yep heads can be removed with manifolds attached but you do have to disconnect the 'J' shaped down pipes, if fact its easier to reomove the heads plus manifolds if it only the manifolds you want to remove. At least then you can get easily at the manifold securing bolts

[Olav Bergman]

Hello All,

Thank you very much for the info!! I ordered the gasket and studs wednesdaymorning. I will let you know if I meet the 15 min :-)
cheers

Olav Bergman

Edited by Olav Bergman on Thursday 2nd July 13:06

[Olav Bergman]

Hallo All,

Mmm, I didn't meet the 15 mins. I've been lifting my car by one head, trying to get it off. It didn't.
One bolt was still attached and kept the head on. (another one that the head-bolts)
I decided to take both heads off, and the inlet manyfold.

Cheers

Olav Bergman