something serious...

[bmcecosse]

Very carefully scrape it off - DO NOT score the surfaces and DO NOT rub with emery paper! The square end of a 12" steel rule is good for the scraping. Or indeed a small paint scraper.

[chrisryder]

or the smooth side (definately not the toothed side!) of a hacksaw blade.

i have heard of people tying the bonnet further open, but on the one minor on MOT that we did it on, it didnt seem to offer much more room. it is a good trick when removing engines as it gives a bit more room for an engine hoist arm.

[phurn]

Though I have to say I left the manifold on and it was pretty light! Took some persuading to get off but it came. Snapped a socket to!

[chrisryder]

i got it off ok i recall, but it was putting it back on that i had the trouble (which is when that picture was taken) i was struggling to get all of the push rods through the right holes as i was trying to be clever and leave the rocker assembly on! was petrified of the head suddenly dropping on my fingers!

[bmcecosse]

You can slip the rockers sideways on the shaft against the springs (and take end ones off) to slide push rods in/out.......
But hardly worth the trouble when it takes about 30 seconds to release the rocker assembly from the head!

[phurn]

Least I know my bores are in superb condition... and that the head and block are flat despite one head nut being so tight the socket fractured! I'll post a pic of it later. The gap in the gasket (which appears to be entirely aluminium) is massive too!

[bmcecosse]

Hmm - the big gap suggests the engine may have been run after the initial gap developed ? Are you going to grind in the valves before you refit the head ?

[phurn]

i had to nurse it about a mile home, i would like to grind the valves in, and i will if time allows, but its imperitive i get the car back on the road asap as its my only form of transport atm. i have inspected them and the head and block very carefully adn all seems well tbh, they look in good order adn the blown gasket hasnt left any marks on the head or block so it looks like ive gotten away with it, fingers crossed! btw that work manual is superb, very consice! does take quite some time ot load up on my phoen though, wht with it being 443 pages long... any chance of finding out what setting i need to torque the head bolts down with? i even went out and got a fancy new wrench just for the job ;) and as it turns out a new 9/16ths socket =/

[bmcecosse]

It's in the Manual! You should save it as a PDF on a hard drive ! The head nuts are 40 ft lbf and the rocker studs are 25 ft lbf. However it's safe to then tighten the head nuts to 45 ft lbf - do this in easy stages, and DO tighten in the correct order. After the first heat cycle - re tighten and reset the valve gaps. Use 12 thou on the inlets and 15 thou on the exhausts.

[phurn]

ive got it saved on my phone and my pc... bit hard to take my pc outdoors though and my printers up the creek =/

[phurn]

btw having never done head gasket work before, this might be a dumb question... but how spotlessly clean do the faces have ot be? there are a couple of areas where theres a slight remenant of gasket leaving nothing but a faint paper residue on the head, leaving a slight see through brand printing on the head, scraping it off with any kind of edge might well end up scratching the head knowing me and my clumsy hands!

[bmcecosse]

Just do your best - without scoring. Perhaps 'wet' it with some 3 in 1 oil.

[phurn]

Yeah, I've left it soaking... seemed a good idea.

[mogbob]

Using an off cut of wood as a scraper is unlikely to damage the metal.
WD40 is good at removing the remnants of sticky labels, so a quirt on an old rag might help in the final stages.
Meths... as a final clean.. on a rag, for a squeaky clean surface.

[phurn]

well the heads back on and it runs great! some fine tuning to a few bits to be done, like choke and throttle... however now i have oi literally pouring out my inspection covers so on to the next job eh? =[

shame i didtn notice that till i was going round the block and it started to fill the cab with smoke eh? haha

[bmcecosse]

Sure it's not pouring down from the rocker cover which you will have disturbed.....

[phurn]

Looks to me like the inspection plates, I disturbed these too to check the push rods were sitting well. The gaskets looked in good order and reusable though, in a part I presumed wouldn't get flooded with oil?

[phurn]

I'm really close to giving up now... no more oil leak but it misfires under load... I have good spark and the crabs set up identical to before, reckon I must have messed up with the gasket?

[Neil MG]

Unlikely you messed up with the gasket. Probably something simple like an HT lead, just check they are all secure at both ends (and of course fitted in the right order 1,3,4,2) and the cap is seated correctly.

[phurn]

Hmm I'll check but id have thought that would make it run like dog at all times not just under load? Might be worth checking the gaps aswell then?