Head Gasket finally changed!!!!

hmm, where to start???

i was originally only going to get another head to vac and pressure test it, get it skimmed then slap it on.

in the end i got it completly recoed and while i was there i cleaned up all the ports and also some combustion chamber mods after getting a few tips off dave. also bought a wade 1004 112 cam too.

to start with i had trouble with one of the head bolts right at the back!! managed to destroyed a few crap sockets and in the process slip and and cut my hand up. in the end a 14mm single hex snap on socket made short work of that bolt!

i degreased the front of the engine a bit and also changed the bottom radiator hose, also installed my near new coolant bottle...i can now see if i have coolant in there!!!!

put everything back together and started it up. started first go but now with the new cam it likes to stall...yay!!! fiddled with the idle screw on the throttle body, seems to be ok but ill see how i go. i also tried some different injectors but were very noisy so i put the originals back in.

well after all that i took it for a spin, it definetly feels stronger up top but only a slight increase down low, hopefully a diff ratio change will fix that! also sounds like it has a different exhaust note???

all up it cost me $300 odd including head, cam, oil and filter, coolant, gaskets, head bolts and a few other things i replaced or broke....

i wouldnt mind running it on a dyno to see what power its got but i dont expect a huge increase over stock. the main aim was to fix the leak and thats what ive done!!!

Here are a few pics of it.

[InitialD]

Yea I noticed today its exhaust sounded a little different

[XRated]

Ahhhh finally! I know you've been waiting to do this for aaaages :P Can you REALLY feel the difference up top with the new cam? Hurry up and take me for a spin so I can feel the difference myself ;)

[FPVWEPN]

looks nice john good to see that it all went well

[EFFalcon]

Good stuff John
I can't wait to get my stuff back on!

[Sox]

I hope you used the metal AU head gasket?

Rick.

[Thanatos]

Good on ya mate ;)

I'm glad you got that head bolt off! You probably will have to turn the idle screw up a bit to get the car to not stall at idle, this is perfectly normal. If you still have trouble with it, then there's a few more things which seem to help as well.

You did an awesome job with the work on that head (like i told you on msn), so i reckon she'd be making some nice power now ;)

[Thanatos]

Originally Posted by Sox

I hope you used the metal AU head gasket?

Rick.

This is what i suggested to him as well. At the time, I think he was going to use a good quality standard head gasket. I can't remember exactly why now, but he did have his reasons. I'm sure he can explain why. ;)

thanks guys. well after driving it today it hasnt stalled on me so im happy about that! my economy is still roughly the same which is good because ive been giving it a bit more than normal. it still feels like it can go better but i think its the auto which makes it feel sluggish still. ive also got a lifter noise now even though i used double shims so i dont know whats going on there. might check all the tappet clearances. only checked a few.

i didnt use the AU gasket for a number of reasons...

1 this motor will only be in there for another year
2 it costs to much
3 i dont see the point as i didnt get the block machined as well.
4 i used a good quality gasket set not one of those super cheap crap sets so it should last at least a year but they are unpredictable....

[needturbo6]

excellent job, top looking motor there 2.
also it might be worth resetting the ecu, it should learn to idle better so u can then lower the idle speed aswell. just an edu-macated guess but i wouldnt be suprised if it made the engine better right down low...

what type of porting did u do, intake and exhaust ports? where exactly did u take some metal from?

[Psycho Chicken]

Looking good, you and Dave better get online soon so we can have a big head discussion :P

[Damo]

hah rob.. i was gunna qoute your sig just now, but it's gone. :P

Originally Posted by needturbo6

excellent job, top looking motor there 2.
also it might be worth resetting the ecu, it should learn to idle better so u can then lower the idle speed aswell. just an edu-macated guess but i wouldnt be suprised if it made the engine better right down low...

what type of porting did u do, intake and exhaust ports? where exactly did u take some metal from?

im assuming the ECU has reset as i had the battery disconnected for 3 days.

i didnt really do any porting, just smoothed the ports out and also smoothed out the combustion chamber and deshrouded the valves. (its basicly a stock head) i also decked 20 thou off it.

[TIKFD6]

Good job mate, Hope it all turns out good when you do get her on the dyno.

[Smoked]

Bit slow i am, good to hear and see mate. Dyno results should reflect some good improvements.

[Thanatos]

I'm too lazy to go check the list, but are you coming to the dyno day, john?

yeah im going but im not going to put it on the rollers :(

[Thanatos]

and WHY NOT? :P lol

[Bushbasher]

I don't know what this thread is all about cos I didn't even bother reading it, it's just the oldest thread I've come across after a bit of mining and with all these thread mines I keep seeing of late I thought I'd get in on the trend and see if I couldn't go for the gold.