Thread: DIY head gasket replacement! Yes or No?

Do it youself.. I bought a brand new OEM head and valves etc for under 1200 aussie and then fitted it myself

Kinchrome about $25 to $30, compact easy to use and easy to see, Regards Frank.

Just don't get scared when angle torquing. It can give you the willys tightening up a bolt that way. I have done 2 BMW multivalve twincam engines and when the studs give when tightening made me nervous to say the least when angle torquing.

Adrian

ARP is a manufacturer of very high quality fasteners for just about any application and if they don't make it just ask and they add it to the list as long as you can supply specs. I've used nothing else in over 20 years of building and never had a fastener failure or head related issue where they were in use.

TTY is the term that relates to the bolts in question. Torque to Yield, in other words do it up till it stretches just a bit, hopefully at a predetermined point along the bolts length where we planed it and all should be ok. Toyota has a definite point where they should stretch under the head but the rover ones stretch randomly along there full length, on the plain section or the thread. My tests were all over the place for location and amount of stretch.

Please try to use quality fasteners, The only time I didn't use ARP's was when my head gasket went the first time and 2 weeks later I was pulling the engine as it went again. Just a gasket again but checked the tensions to release with a digital tension wrench and thats where I found the variations in tension for the TTY bolts.

New 4.6, studs (also makes it easier to fit heads as they don't want to fall off) and composite head gaskets with the comp upped to 10.5:1 and no issues so far.

Oh and the ex cruiser 4.7 2UZ in the race car is seeing 15:1 on E85 and running uop to 14500rpm on nothing but ARP studs at 95lbs and put's out over 800hp at the wheels without question.

go for it, i did my whole motor myself 18 months ago when i cooked the old one after the heater core sprung a leak.

If you can do a petrol one then you can do a diesel one. I bought an angle gauge from the local Auto Pro store for like $20 and it was fine.

Just take your time plan for a couple of days just in case so you dont need to rush and methodically work through it.

I would buy a new set of head bolts aswell, only $88, there is a fair chance that your old ones will be fine but get a new set anyway.

Matt

$900 is pretty good, BUT they are simple to do and with the help here and RAVE you can easily do it yourself.
Definately get the head checked for straightness and hardness, you can machine them UP TO 10 thou, any more and it is pointless.
NEW head bolts, don't skimp on quality. Expect to pay up to $140 for OE quality set.
Use an Elring brand head gasket,(Genuine) trust me this is important.
Yes ARP studs are the bees knees, but you will not get the head on in a Disco as the last 2 studs are ulmost under the bulkhead valance. (On a Defender no probs.)
Use Daves torque angle suggestion, easier than torque angle gauges IMHO.
...and don't forget we are all here to help if needed! The only stupid question is the one NOT ASKED!!!


JC