Have cleaned block using carb cleaner, starting to clean head (top two water jackets on the left of the photo)
morrisman1,
Feb 3, 6:35pm
what type of head gasket are you using? MLS ones need a real good finish, composite ones less so. Looks like its not a high compression engine, and that would be plenty clean enough for a composite gasket.
I did the race motor to about the standard as yours, and it runs 12.5:1 on a composite gasket. No issues so far.
rosehonda,
Feb 3, 6:47pm
It is a composite gasket, cr is about 9.7:1.
morrisman1,
Feb 3, 6:49pm
wont be too fussy then, just get rid of all the old gasket
ema1,
Feb 3, 6:49pm
Being a long head 6 cylinder alloy by the looks, I would strongly recommend checking for flatness and a longish head can be prone to a degree of warping. Could possibly need a mild surface grind by a specialist, a crack test would be wise to have done while you're at it.
frank1,
Feb 3, 6:54pm
Also use a straight edge to check for warped head and block,otherwise you maybe be wasting your time.
rosehonda,
Feb 3, 7:07pm
Ran a straight edge over it and feeler gauge, checked out fine. Head has only done 60,000 k's. Replacing gasket due to oil leak, there is a brand of head gasket kit for the car that is somewhat prone to head gasket failure. I have suspected from the start this is the cause (after seeing the brand on the exhaust heat shields). Will keep cleaning and check for cracks.
shakespeare6,
Feb 3, 7:22pm
Why not just get the head skimmed? Normally under 100 bucks good insurance
intrade,
Feb 3, 7:22pm
you need a hairline straight edge to see if the head is not wraped and the block is still straight , then you use a lapping stone on both head and block and recheck after with hairline straight edge reclean and fit gasket and assemble head with new bolts usually
frank1,
Feb 3, 7:36pm
Just out of interest--what is the motor make? And as shakespeare says,why not just get it skimmed--$100 or under--that sounds expensive,I used to charge around $50-$60 for a 6 cyl head,mind you that was over 5yrs ago
intrade,
Feb 3, 7:41pm
cant find any pix on the net i use a stone from engeneering places sell it and use kero with the stone to lap the surfaces clean of both the head and block then clean with paper towl the find dust and kero till its sparkeling clean then assemble it. Also when the head is off you should check the valve stem play and seals if they need replacing
supernova2,
Feb 3, 7:43pm
From the pics looks like the cams would have to come off for a skim as the valves protrude past the head surface so might cost more than $100. Then you have to get a thick head gasket to keep the valve timing correct. I'd never skim a OHC head just for the hell of it.
intrade,
Feb 3, 7:44pm
also check the boors for scooring you should see hone marks from when it was made if its nice and shiny in the boore its probably stuffed or close to it . you also squirt some oil on pistons befor you fit the head so its got some lube when the piston move again. and dont forget to fully clean out all screw holes of the block and blow them out with compressed air as dirt in there would make it not tighten correctly and you be having your oil leak straight away again with a possibile new gasket blew out also
frank1,
Feb 3, 7:53pm
My price was based on cam out,whoops should have said that! And its only single cam anyway--
bjmh,
Feb 4, 5:56am
I would use normal emery tape to lightly clean all surfaces. don't over rub in one place. clean /compressed air. all surfaces.For the head I have an old louvre out of a window ,I wrap about 400 wet and dry around the louvre,support the head so its stable,then block sand the head with a bit of kero. be careful to keep the glass flat.You will soon see if it has a warp. use a straight edge also.Finally clean both surfaces with thinners.Don't forget to clean any water/crud out of head bolt holes in the block.
mechnificent,
Feb 4, 6:56am
What happens to all the grinding stone and wet and dry paper grit when you use them to clean blocks? How do you get it out from the oilways and down besides the pistons?
I never use stone or paper on a block, only a scrapper working carefully away from all the holes. and the way to be sure it is clean and flat is to run your fingers over every bit of the surface. You will pick up tiny wafers of old gasket or rust with your fingers, that you won't see with your eyes.
And people grind heads far too ofter, resulting in excess compression and ecu managment problems afterwards. Competent mechanics should be able to ascertain whether a head needs planing or not, ond they only do the work needed. Check it's flat, not corroded, cracked, and that it's clean and it will be fine
intrade,
Feb 4, 7:12am
well you dont go grinding a surface for the hell of it if its clean i run the stone over it for like 3 secounds and then reclean and not grind and shove crap down in every hole . you also have to be already carfull not to scrape headgasket material in to oil gallerys. Should be normal things to know when the brain is switched to the ON position.
intrade,
Feb 4, 7:21am
we use them stones on mating surfaces of diecast moulds because running the stone over it tells you instantly if the surface was clean , we also run the stone over the bed of milling machines to be sure what ever gets clamped down on the bed is not resting on a damaged surface . as it would have a decastating effect if something that needs to be within 1 hundrets of a mill square for diecast moulds costing 30 tausend doller a mould upwards , no f-kups to be had there. This is possibly how the stone migrated to where i use them.
mechnificent,
Feb 4, 7:53am
Stones are good, and glass plate, but not on assembled motors.
Rose, get an old file and snap it off in a vice so you have the tang and a short bit of fine mill file left, then grind the end and flats smooth and at a right angle, polish those faces up with an oilstone and it will get surfaces clean and smooth. When you snap the file you need to wrap it in a rag so bit's don't fly off and get you in the eye or anywhere. they would be like bullets. Put the file in the vice with the tang and the seventy mills of file you want down, wrap the top with rag and use a heavy hammer to gently but sharply snap the file off flush with the vice. I use two, one about twnty-five mills wide, and one about sixteen mills wide, both short so they go anywhere.
mechnificent,
Feb 4, 8:13am
That grinding it to a right angle I mentioned Rose. it refers to the cutting edge. The cutting edge should be a right angle, so you can use both sides/flats of the file/scraper. don't grind it to a chisel edge, they dig in too easily. It's a good idea to radius the cutting faces near the edges so there aren't sharp corners.
elect70,
Jul 9, 7:40am
Ive only used 400 grit wet paper on head & block surfaces with a bit of kero .using a sanding block . If want to be real fussy can get engineers blue & apply it to head then put it on the block & bolt down lightly , then take it off . check for hi spots . But for bog standard road car its OTT . . composite head gaskets take up minor pits . I had to have my BMW635 head skimmed & straightened , couldnt find a used 1 , wreckers would only sell complete engine @ $$$
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