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Car Forum / MINI / May 2005Gasket Sealer
Just a quick question. Am atempting my first head gasket change tomorrow and was wondering if i need to apply any sealer? Is there anything else i should think about doing at the same time? Any tips welcome. Doogs 1981 miniHL If it's a copper head gasket, I use a thin smear of grease. If it's the fibre type, nothing. When you refit the exhaust gasket, slot the stud holes downwards. That way if you ever have to change it. just loosen the nuts and it will lift out. I don't normally change the thermostat. they're easy to do later anyway so there's little saving. A new bypass hose is always a good idea. I would look at the bottom hose as well while you're in the area. A new fan belt might be a good idea if it's showing any wear. Finally, check the head is flat. If in doubt, a skim cost very little. If you do that, put a slight chamfer on the combustion chambers to remove any potential hot spots. John > Just a quick question. > Am atempting my first head gasket change tomorrow and was wondering if i [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Doogs > 1981 miniHL > If it's a copper head gasket, I use a thin smear of grease. If it's the > fibre type, nothing. Do people still buy these ridiculous gaskets? On grand designs this week the guy insulated his Scandinavian log cabin with shredded newspaper. That looked more effective. I would only ever fit a copper gasket. The Muffin Man No no no no no!! :) Head gaskets go on with nowt!! (no really, nothing) Stick goo on anything else but a head gasket!! (you shouldn't need to though) Your second Q? Stick a new gasket on everything else (may as well rather than drive 100 miles an find your exhaust is blowing - after all you get a full head set for a tenner). Replace your thermostat. Clean everything up before hand and paint the head. (May as well as it is off anyway). Good luck with your first head change. It is where we all started... The Muffin Man > Just a quick question. > Am atempting my first head gasket change tomorrow and was wondering if i [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Doogs > 1981 miniHL > No no no no no!! :) Head gaskets go on with nowt!! (no really, nothing) > > Stick goo on anything else but a head gasket!! (you shouldn't need to > though) I always use Hylomar (spray) on head gaskets. r > Your second Q? Stick a new gasket on everything else (may as well rather > than drive 100 miles an find your exhaust is blowing - after all you get a [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >>Doogs >>1981 miniHL > Just a quick question. > Am atempting my first head gasket change tomorrow and was wondering if i [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Doogs > 1981 miniHL As per Muffin Man, don't use anything on the head gasket. Have fun with the bypass hose ! (you might aswell change that at the same time too) Jim dont forget to re-gap the tappets too. and change the oil.... BTW where do you get spray on head gaskets from? and do they work? >> Just a quick question. >> Am atempting my first head gasket change tomorrow and was wondering if i [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Jim UPDATE Head gasket changed as well as cooling system gaskets and exhaust/inlet manifold. It still runs!!! and no oil leaking out anywhere. Thermostat was stuck but came out eventually. The only scary moment was when putting the pushrods back in one was stuck right up and we had to remove the cover on the back and slot a round metal thingy back in. The bolt holding that cover was a bitch, as were the two in the middle of the exhaust manifold. She has new oil, leads and filters. Next week vacuum hoses and ignition. It feels down on power compared to other mini's i've had. This is the first one i'm getting hands on with. I plan to restore it to its former glory and a bit more. Thanks for all your help. Doogs > UPDATE > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Thanks for all your help. > Doogs If it's down on power beg borrow or steal a compression tester and see what that reveals. Trick I used to use when I was working in a garage was to remove the head, rotate the engine so all the pistons were level and pour some saftyclean solvent into the bores and leave it for about 1/2 hour. If the bores and rings were ok very little solvent would leak down into the sump (or gearbox in a mini) if however the rings were broken the liquid would just vanish straight down the bore. Same thing in the inlet and exhaust tracts to test the valves and guides. Bit late for this now as you've reassembled it all. So a compression tester is the way to go. If it reads low you can (almost) rule out the head gasket and it'll be the rings or valves (but you checked those out ??) Or maybe it's the points, condenser, rotor or cap, as you say you'll be doing the ignition next. Hopefully it'll be that lot :-) HTH Jim Well done. > The only scary moment was when putting the pushrods back in one was > stuck right up and we had to remove the cover on the back and slot a > round metal thingy back in. That's a cam follower. When removing a pushrod, always rotate it and feel the weight of the cam follower drop before you finally lift the rod out. I also keep them in the same order when assembling. John |
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