engine and head

[mmjosh]

hi there my spare engine has a headgasket leak so i have got a replacement head gasket so what do i have to set up when i have put the head and the rockers on,is it just the rockers i set up or is there something else

cheers

josh

[cadetchris]

usually set up the valve gaps and that's it.

[mmjosh]

ok

[bmcecosse]

After torquing down the head fully - and then again after it has been run up to temperature - torque it down again and reset the valve gaps. I recommend 12 thou inlets and 15 thou exhausts.

[ampwhu]

when adjusting, are you talking about the rockers where you undo with a spanner, stick a feeler gauge inbetween then tighten with a screwdriver?

and do you do 1 & 8 together..... 2 & 7..... 3 & 6 etc?

[bmcecosse]

You do one at a time - when it's opposite number in the '9' rule is fully down! So - do #1 when #8 is fully down , #2 when # 7 is fully down etc etc.

[ampwhu]

and number 1 being the grille end and number 8 being the bulkhead end?

[bmcecosse]

Matters not a jot which end you start from!

[ampwhu]

upon re-fitting the head to the block, would you say it was ok to lightly sand the 2 surfaces with light grit paper? the head was fine before dismantling and the engine ran fine.

[bmcecosse]

NO! You will only make pockets. Clean off all debris with a scraper - but don't rub with anything 'gritty' !

[alex_holden]

Scotchbrite is safe to use if the surfaces just need a bit of light cleaning up. If stuff is really stuck on hard you can carefully scrape it off with a wood chisel.