Thread: Smoke in the rocker cover?

Chrs Franks

All noted. I'll let you know how I get on. Have a good wkd.

I think we would all be a bit offended if you DIDN'T ask questions/ ask for help.

Make sure you do!!

There are lots of us here who have done this job.

JC

Appreciate the support and looks forward to staying in touch .

It's funny, this disco has been my wifes wagon for about five years and then when I sold my ute to get her something that didn't blow so much smoke on start up into the footpath around the burbs I live in, I inherited it and it's been growing on me ever since. No joke a few weeks before easter I bought some new shocks thinking I need to improve the ride and they didn't arrive in time but here I am with a busted engine and four new shocks! They have pride of place in my garage, glistening as they are. Even bought a set of new stands to get that sorted. So point is moving I must be leaning to DIY and whyt not the bills are killer even though it makes sense to keep a vehicle of this vintage and quality going. I have to fix the engine so I can see what some new shocks will do to the ride which is like pretty bouncy i have to say.
Chrs

shocks are another DIY project...

Well it hasn't taken me long to hit a minor obstacle..

I can't get this coolant drain plug out of the block because it seems impossible to get a decent purchase on it using my socket wrench. Any tips on what to use or what I need to move?
Was trying to move the oil dip stick pipe a little to get help get at it, but I'm not sure if I should be bending that around.


Chrs

Mark

Found an old spanner I could shorten and using that I slowly got the nut out..Bugger of a spot to get at with the muffler in the way..but I guess it is all about having the right tool and I needed a short 13mm spanner.

I bloody hope every bolt or nut is not going to prove this challenging.

Chrs

G'day Frank and Justin,

Finally got the head off and you blokes were right on the money about the gasket. Gas had been getting across under the gasket to one of push rods holes.
Apart from that everything looks ok..no cracks that I can see.
THe old gasket is one of the composite types and I am stuffed if I can find the holes to tell me what thickness it is. Someone told me they are supposed to be around the drivers side adjacent to the fuel pump...nothing there I can find resembling little holes. Looks about 1.2 to 1.5mm thick.. What do you recommend? Should I just go to a three hole Elring or should I get it measured? I don't have one of those nifty measuring gauges.

Also wondering about the three triangular shapes in the block between the cylinders...one is open and looks like coolant might go through while the other two are completely closed off with what looks like some kind of scale. Are these channels meant to be delivering coolant around the head or are they just blank holes? I don't want to go digging into them if they are meant to be left as they are.

Finally in terms of cleaning the block and head, what is the go? Can you use a wire brush or do you have to go slowly across with a scrapper or something like that..Both faces are reasonably smooth but there are tiny bumps where some resin from the old gasket has stuck. I'm wondering if there is a solvent that will help lift this off?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Chrs

Mark

Hi Mark,

The holes are water ports and supposed to be open in the block etc, BUT the gasket has restrictors in it to slow the water down. Is there any chance of taking some pics of the gasket so we can point out the holes we are talking about? There IS a chance that the previous head gasket job they used the no hole thickest one, as some people just do that regardless.

Pics would help a lot.

Also, block up the pushrod holes and cylinder bores with rag, and use a sharp gasket scraper ( I use a good quality paint scraper, honed to a good sharp edge) to remove the big bits, then wet and dry with a bit of CRC to finish it off. Don't go too berserk as the CRC and particles of block face and gasket etc will wash down into the bores etc and act like grinding paste A little goes a long way.


I would also get the head machined, ONLY enough to clean up the face, NOT a great amount at all maybe only a few thousands of an inch. The old gasket can leave small rings in the surface where the fire ring was compressed, if they aren't taken out they will aid the new gasket to leak sooner.

JC