My head gasket change/head rebuild part 1

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Right, im bored, so what better way to piss away some time than to sit here watching TV and using some of the huge collection of pictures i took when i was doing my head rebuild, to make a pictorial how-to sort of thing?

I dont pretend to be an expert, this was the first time ive done an engine repair... good job i had a couple of mates about who actually know what theyre doing Wink

First start out with one good nick Renault 19 16v, phase 2, 3dr, sports blue, with a blown head gasket.

Like this one:

The engine bay will look something like this:

now start pulling out components in a seemingly random fashion, including the cam cover, and chop the cambelt in the most hamfisted manner you can muster:

Next use your new T55 torx bit you bought for Â£3.49 from halfords to make a start on the head bolts. Do them in the right order, a bit at a time, in a spiral direction from the outside inwards. Haynes is your friend here.

Once theyre all out, and youre sure there are no more hoses/cables/things still connecting the head to the rest of the car, get some mugs to come and help you lift the head off. Unless youre He-Man.

Youre left with this:

and this

whack some vaseline round the bores to stop any water or crap going down there, shut the bonnet and youre all done here. Give it a clean up in there later...

the head looks something like this:

Not too pretty. Start taking off the manifolds. The inlet one is relatively easy, but the exhaust one will most likely be a complete c**t. Just take off the nuts, douse the gasket with WD40 and twat it with a hammer for an hour or so. Then take off the cam housings and take out the camshafts.

If youve got new cam seals like me, you need a big vice to clamp the pullies and a bar to put on your ratchet, cos the bolts are f***ing tight. Mine were anyway. Take out the hydraulic tappets and number them, or do as we did and stick them in numbered sandwich bags.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

Tip is to loosen the cam belt pulleys when the cambelt is still on the car.

They should crack off with a quick jolt. If not stick it in gear and do it again with the car on the ground or the brakes applied.