First Time Head Gasket Replacement 1988 1.3l

[Mike McKown]

HEAD IS OFF... Used big leaver on the exhaust manifold then taped on it with a chunk of 2x6 and a hammer on the front near the T-Stat housing... The Gasket actually looks pretty good. what should I look 4?

You are not looking too good on #3 and #4 cylinders.

Put the #1 piston at exactly top dead center, turn the cam sprocket until the timing marks line up to the head casting at exactly 12 and 3 o'clock. (Maybe somebody can post a picture?)

Loosen the timing belt tensioner bolt if you haven't already done so and slip the timing belt over the cam sprocket, making sure you don't move the cam or crank. If you have a new timing belt, you should be in time. If you don't, see below. Tighten the timing belt tensioner bolt at this point.

Leave the front timing cover off until you re-install the distributor and set the timing. It the adjustment slot has some travel at the top of the slot and your engine seems to run well, your cam is probably timed correctly. If you run out of adjustment to get your engine to run properly, your cam is probably retarded one tooth due to a stretched belt. Mark the belt and the sprocket and move the belt one tooth clockwise to the sprocket as you face the belt.

Check timing and install the front covers.

[Mike McKown]

.... and nothing changed from post #2!!!! now thats funny....

You have seen these reading comp tests that show a paragraph of properly punctuated sentences but every word in it is mis-spelled even though the right letters are in the mix?

I can read that test at almost normal reading speed and comprehend every bit of it. This other mumbo jumbo without punctuation is not worth reading as it is too much of a chore.

[ejp2fast]

yup as i figured stock old aluminum head gasket the felpro one will serve u good once u get it all cleaned up and new valve seat seals i replaced all my bolts to exhaust and intake cause they were rusted and bad bought some good grade bolts and nuts also took the heat shield off the exhaust and wrapped it keeps the heat away from the radiator also if u got time take the radiator out grab some C_L_R calcium rust lime remover cap the ends on the radiator pour in put cap on and lay it down after 20 mins shake then lay down for 5 mins then drain you'll notice all of the radiator gunk removed and your radiator is nice and clean

.... and nothing changed from post #2!!!! now thats funny....

[Charlie1717]

yup as i figured stock old aluminum head gasket the felpro one will serve u good once u get it all cleaned up and new valve seat seals i replaced all my bolts to exhaust and intake cause they were rusted and bad bought some good grade bolts and nuts also took the heat shield off the exhaust and wrapped it keeps the heat away from the radiator also if u got time take the radiator out grab some C_L_R calcium rust lime remover cap the ends on the radiator pour in put cap on and lay it down after 20 mins shake then lay down for 5 mins then drain you'll notice all of the radiator gunk removed and your radiator is nice and clean

It honestly doesn't really bother me.... But do you not see all the people asking you to use punctuation? It's hard on the eyes.

[1988redfordfestiva]

yup as i figured stock old aluminum head gasket the felpro one will serve u good once u get it all cleaned up and new valve seat seals i replaced all my bolts to exhaust and intake cause they were rusted and bad bought some good grade bolts and nuts also took the heat shield off the exhaust and wrapped it keeps the heat away from the radiator also if u got time take the radiator out grab some C_L_R calcium rust lime remover cap the ends on the radiator pour in put cap on and lay it down after 20 mins shake then lay down for 5 mins then drain you'll notice all of the radiator gunk removed and your radiator is nice and clean

[yogaslackers]

What is the spark plug gap? .4 or .44

How do I flush the radiator?

Waiting on the machine shop to get my head back

As for timing. I marked the Harmonic balancer and the oil pan when the endine was at TDC. Will it work to just use those marks or should I take the lower timing belt cover off and the harmonic balancer?

if that is the case how do I get the Harmonic Balancer off without Air tools?

Sam

[yogaslackers]

I got the HeaD off almost as good as sex...

HEAD IS OFF... Used big leaver on the exhaust manifold then taped on it with a chunk of 2x6 and a hammer on the front near the T-Stat housing... The Gasket actually looks pretty good. what should I look 4?

[yogaslackers]

Well I need the head off now. If this wont fix the overheating problam then I will get a new radiator

Ideas to get the head off?

thanks for all your ingenuity

[TominMO]

Mods, how about editing redfordfestiva's posts. Like this for example:

Take it apart and buy the kit. I did mine; but do not use the aluminum head gasket; it's garbage. Buy a Felpro head gasket and you'll be good. Make sure u also change the valve seals on the valves; this will help it out also. It should come in the kit. The head bolts are reusable; torque to factory specs.

Yoga, have you addressed the original cause of overheating? How recent is your radiator for example? I notice you replaced the thermostat, so that's not it. B3s are very easy to keep cool, so I suspect it's the rad.

[Safety Guy]

I'm planning to remove a head or two soon and getting the head off the block is one of my anxieties.

I know you have to be careful about prying around the joint area so you don't scar the mating surfaces all up.

I'd try a large hard rubber mallet to pound sideways on the head. That's what I do with TBs and a few other gasketed joints.

You could also try lifting the engine with the lift points. I think those are attached to the head. Lift up until the weight is off the front end and use the mallet.

Just some ideas. I hope someone else posts something more definitive!

Karl

[yogaslackers]

Help please

Just put the plugs back in hooked the t belt back and cranked it over (with no spark wires attached) to try and force the head off the block but it is still fused... any help? I have googled and searched the net for 3 hours. I have watched videos, read posts and looked at pictures... Im about to feed a rope in to the cylinder through the plug hole...

[yogaslackers]

Ok I have everything disconnected... 10 bolts are out but the head wont budge. I used a 6 foot steel Ice choping chisel and wedged it under the exhaust manifold and pried up with like 80lbs of force and nothing... Is there a trick?

Thank you all for your Quick responses... I love this car. but need it to run by Wednesday

[Pu241]

Just trying to show '88Red we are not the English police, but some effort with punctuation on his part will help everyone read his posts.
I just ignore his posts now, too much effort to interpret them!
Yeah, some were intentional and one was not!

[Levitan]

"Vermont has some issues with their educational buget, apprently has for some time!"

You crack me up John! LOL! I just gotta ask, are those typos or intentional?

[Pu241]

what the hell are you talking about? First, please use some punctuation, its so much easier to read.

This has been asked of him numerous times!
You see the results.

To his credit, he did manage to capitalize the "T" in the first word of the string of words masquerading as a sentence, or three.

So this is progress, as painfully slow as it is!
Vermont has some issues with their educational buget, apprently has for some time!