Topic: couple questions on head swap

[bestos]

hello all,

just a couple questions on head swap,

taking head off because back bolt is broke off.  Have another head from same year and casting as my head.  1995.  I got it so I could have as little downtime as possible.

1.  planning on re-using head bolts (FSM says they can be re-used 1 time - and i have never had head pulled) - if I am saving the existing headbolts, what options do i have for dowels for the 2 guides?  (FSM says use 2 of the old bolts that are removed, cut them and re-use - which i am not doing)

2.  what do i "clean the surface" of the block with? do i need the gasket scrapper tool? or is there some other stuff on the surface that I need to remove, never pulled a head before.

[sharpxmen]

get any grade bolts you can find at a hardware store that are long enough to come out over the head so you can remove them afterwards. you can also make them out of bar stock and even aluminum round stock (they don't need to be strong but just to help you center the head) and cut thread at 1 end, about 1 inch should be enough (if it catches a couple of threads is fine)

i use a regular scraper from home depot and a heavy duty box cutter blade (this one works best actually to finish it off but for the big stuff i use the scraper first).

cleaning the block surface is tricky, all the little crap will go into all the holes, i would pull the waterpump and then airblow thru the coolant holes to get all the stuff out. Put lots of rags in the lifters opening and remove it carefully, you don't want any of that dirt going in there

Make sure you clean the bolt holes in the block and also remove any liquid that might be left in there, if you don't it will crack the block.

when you put the bolts back you need to oil the threads, just enough so it doesn't bind by friction (otherwise you might get the wron reading on you torque wrench and not get enough actual preload on them).

get some sort of tray and place all your rockers and pushrods in the _exact_ order you remove them, might be a good idea now to replace the lifters and pushrods but you don't have to.

make sure you don't forget to seal the bolt that goes all the way thru the block (it's specified in the FSM so i assume you already know that but just a reminder) - i can't remember if this is a different length or not, i think it isn't but cant be sure, preferably use a different one in that hole as it is usually rusted and pitted and you want a clean bolt in there.

Use RTV Ultra-Black for the valve cover gasket (not plain black, red, hight temp, blue or copper, ultra-black will set very nice and as long as your surfaces are clean and degreased and you give it enought time to set before adding oil and starting it will not leak (otherwise there's a chance it will as the area where the gasket sits on the block is not machined, at least on my head and the spare I have it isn't).

that's all i can think of.

[Wrench]

When scraping gasket surfaces in those conditions, I like to use a shop vac to suck all the particles up as they are scraped of to prevent them from falling into the engine.

And any time the head is off, I would recommend running it across a lapping stone or other perfectly flat abrasive surface to ensure it is not warped.