Discussion
I have rust coloured water leaking down the front N/S of the engine about,level with the head. So I think must be head gasket gone.. How big a job is it to do, how long should it take, any problems to look out for. I have no garage so won't be doing it my self. The parts are availabe at Walkinshaw ,Dave says it does not happen often. So wish me luck.. (suggestions)
Alan
Was just looking forward to the summer coming..............
Alan
Was just looking forward to the summer coming..............
It's not a difficult job at all, remind me, is nearside driver's side or passenger side? 
If Walkinshaw or whoever quote you some comedy figure let me know, it really wouldn't take that long to do, I'd be reluctant to promise doing it within a day, but definitely a weekend
It is very unusual though, in terms of... I don't think I've ever heard of one going, especially on an NA engine!
In terms of what's involved, assuming passenger side, take the auxiliary belt off, remove the PS pump / reservoir (it could probably hang in situ on the head if you just wanted to literally slip the old HG out and new one in). Drain the coolant, there's a drain on the bottom of the radiator, it's difficult to get it all out of the head though.
There's a ground and a loom clip on the back of the head that would need undoing, unplug coolant temp sensor, unbolt the headers, remove intake manifold (there's an appropriate tool for undoing the fuel line connector if you want to move the manifold completely out of the way), take the coil packs off (the whole black bracket comes off as one), rocker cover off, undo the 8 rocker arm bolts and remove the rocker arms (again, all 8 come out together)
Keep the rocker arms in their appropriate spot. Take the pushrods out, keep them in their appropriate spot.
Undo the 10 big head bolts and 5 smaller ones.
Head off, swap gasket, head back on, torque back down in sequence and put it all back together.
Biggest faff I'd imagine will be coolant getting into the oil if it cant all be drained out satisfactorily that the head you're taking off doesn't still have some in that'll splash out everywhere so probably factor in an oil change as well.
Also having the correct little tool to remove the fuel line fitting appropriately (as opposed to jamming a flat head in there) I have the tool somewhere though.
If Walkinshaw or whoever quote you some comedy figure let me know, it really wouldn't take that long to do, I'd be reluctant to promise doing it within a day, but definitely a weekend
It is very unusual though, in terms of... I don't think I've ever heard of one going, especially on an NA engine!
In terms of what's involved, assuming passenger side, take the auxiliary belt off, remove the PS pump / reservoir (it could probably hang in situ on the head if you just wanted to literally slip the old HG out and new one in). Drain the coolant, there's a drain on the bottom of the radiator, it's difficult to get it all out of the head though.
There's a ground and a loom clip on the back of the head that would need undoing, unplug coolant temp sensor, unbolt the headers, remove intake manifold (there's an appropriate tool for undoing the fuel line connector if you want to move the manifold completely out of the way), take the coil packs off (the whole black bracket comes off as one), rocker cover off, undo the 8 rocker arm bolts and remove the rocker arms (again, all 8 come out together)
Keep the rocker arms in their appropriate spot. Take the pushrods out, keep them in their appropriate spot.
Undo the 10 big head bolts and 5 smaller ones.
Head off, swap gasket, head back on, torque back down in sequence and put it all back together.
Biggest faff I'd imagine will be coolant getting into the oil if it cant all be drained out satisfactorily that the head you're taking off doesn't still have some in that'll splash out everywhere so probably factor in an oil change as well.
Also having the correct little tool to remove the fuel line fitting appropriately (as opposed to jamming a flat head in there
) I have the tool somewhere though.Edited by SturdyHSV on Thursday 6th April 10:31
SturdyHSV said:
Drain the coolant, there's a drain on the bottom of the radiator, it's difficult to get it all out of the head though.
Biggest faff I'd imagine will be coolant getting into the oil if it cant all be drained out satisfactorily that the head you're taking off doesn't still have some in that'll splash out everywhere so probably factor in an oil change as well.
The Ls2 has engine drain plugs I removed one on mine near the starter motor when I drained it down for an antifreeze change as a lot seems to stay in the block because of the height of the bottom hose on the block, would assume ls1/2/3 would be the same large allen key plugs Biggest faff I'd imagine will be coolant getting into the oil if it cant all be drained out satisfactorily that the head you're taking off doesn't still have some in that'll splash out everywhere so probably factor in an oil change as well.
Edited by SturdyHSV on Thursday 6th April 10:31
L2VXR said:
The Ls2 has engine drain plugs I removed one on mine near the starter motor when I drained it down for an antifreeze change as a lot seems to stay in the block because of the height of the bottom hose on the block, would assume ls1/2/3 would be the same large allen key plugs
Yep that's a very good point, I forgot about those (both when I did my cam and when I took the engine out to rebuild it )That'd likely solve that issue then
Thanks for all of replies,, Sturdy, James I have had a quote from somebody local to strip top end reskim the heads,plus parts over 2 grand. Your way sound better for my pension !!!!. any way to contact you and get you to have look at this leak. I only live in Bugbrooke. Cheers everbody.. Alan
Phantom-MonVXR said:
Thanks for all of replies,, Sturdy, James I have had a quote from somebody local to strip top end reskim the heads,plus parts over 2 grand. Your way sound better for my pension !!!!. any way to contact you and get you to have look at this leak. I only live in Bugbrooke. Cheers everbody.. Alan
Really...if, and indeed it is a big IF....IF one head gasket is leaking, and you'd want a 100% sure diagnosis of that, there is no need to do both heads£2k sounds a little high though.
And parts wise, some coolant, oil, head gaskets....parts really aren't that expensive at all. Like maybe £2-300 in parts at the absolute max as really few parts would actually be needed.
Phantom-MonVXR said:
Thanks for all of replies,, Sturdy, James I have had a quote from somebody local to strip top end reskim the heads,plus parts over 2 grand. Your way sound better for my pension !!!!. any way to contact you and get you to have look at this leak. I only live in Bugbrooke. Cheers everbody.. Alan
Are you about tomorrow? I'll pop round as I'm off work anyway I'll send you a PM
Odd it'd be an imperial size, everything LS is metric.
I'd say most places will be closed, doubtful Halfords would keep them, they might be only sort of place that might be open
interesting a 32mm stainless one. Stainless and aluminium don't always get along either though
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201201672735
I'd say most places will be closed, doubtful Halfords would keep them, they might be only sort of place that might be open
interesting a 32mm stainless one. Stainless and aluminium don't always get along either though
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201201672735
Edited by stevieturbo on Saturday 8th April 18:55
stevieturbo said:
Odd it'd be an imperial size, everything LS is metric.
I'd say most places will be closed, doubtful Halfords would keep them, they might be only sort of place that might be open
interesting a 32mm stainless one. Stainless and aluminium don't always get along either though
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201201672735
Perhaps the yanks have misled me then, they use a Dorman part num that's 1 1/4, but obviously 32mm would be 0.25mm different...I'd say most places will be closed, doubtful Halfords would keep them, they might be only sort of place that might be open
interesting a 32mm stainless one. Stainless and aluminium don't always get along either though
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201201672735
Edited by stevieturbo on Saturday 8th April 18:55
I shall pick up a 32mm one and try that first perhaps, got to assume if the larger one fits it'll be a better seal
SturdyHSV said:
Perhaps the yanks have misled me then, they use a Dorman part num that's 1 1/4, but obviously 32mm would be 0.25mm different...
I shall pick up a 32mm one and try that first perhaps, got to assume if the larger one fits it'll be a better seal
Maybe it is imperial, just saying that everything else LS is metric.I shall pick up a 32mm one and try that first perhaps, got to assume if the larger one fits it'll be a better seal
But in America, they even make metric bolts, with imperial heads....
It'd be worth sourcing both, just in case. Have you measured the opening ?
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