New video: preflight checklist for cylinder head installation

[alexiskai]

New video up today on the topic of a "preflight checklist" of sorts before you install a new cylinder head. Basically a list of precautions to take to reduce the chance that you damage something or have to take it all apart later.

Link: https://youtu.be/UAPdsTg4lbE
(Boredom warning: This video is 40 minutes long)

Topics include:

• Notes on cleaning and painting the new head
• Checking the stud holes
• Checking the block surface for damage
• Checking for flatness
• Checking for blocked coolant passages
• Calculating piston-to-head clearance
• Checking distributor fit

This is the result of this thread I put up in December asking for suggestions. Several of the contributors to that thread got a mention in the end credits for this video.

I will be doing a final video soon that covers the actual head installation, so I'm saving topics like torque sequence and gasket spray for that one.

One caveat for anyone watching the video: the block surface doesn't look great, and I'm sure a lot of folks will think it should be milled flat. You are correct. But the gasket was in good shape when I took the head off, no leaks, and it's within normal tolerances for overall flatness. So I'm gonna try to make it work as is.

I'm sure there will be minor errors. Mostly I just hope to have avoided making any really obvious errors.

[nkaminar]

Nice video. I watched it in double time so it took half as long to run. A few comments.

Minor pits like shown in the block, away from the combustion chamber, can be filled in with the slow cure JB Weld and then sanded flat with 220 paper on a flat file. The file alone is too rough and will just add scratches.

I do not use any gasket between the outlet neck and the head. It is too easy to crack the neck and it makes it hard to get an accurate torque on the nuts. I just put gasket sealer there.

The green offset extension, available from the suppliers, makes it really easy to do the follow up re torquing.

Follow the proper torque sequence in 5 foot-pound increments from 25 to 55 ft-lbs. Warm up the motor, let it cool overnight, re torque, drive 50 miles, cool it off, re torque, repeat 3 times then once a year.

[alexiskai]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

Nice video. I watched it in double time so it took half as long to run. A few comments.

Minor pits like shown in the block, away from the combustion chamber, can be filled in with the slow cure JB Weld and then sanded flat with 220 paper on a flat file. The file alone is too rough and will just add scratches.

I do not use any gasket between the outlet neck and the head. It is too easy to crack the neck and it makes it hard to get an accurate torque on the nuts. I just put gasket sealer there.

The green offset extension, available from the suppliers, makes it really easy to do the follow up re torquing.

Follow the proper torque sequence in 5 foot-pound increments from 25 to 55 ft-lbs. Warm up the motor, let it cool overnight, re torque, drive 50 miles, cool it off, re torque, repeat 3 times then once a year.

Good thoughts here. I was thinking about using the JB Weld ExtremeHeat putty for those minor pits.

I noted in the video that there's Team Copper Gasket and Team RTV Sealer for the water outlet. Since I have the copper gasket already I'm going to do it that way ("by the book"), but I think the RTV method also works fine. If I understand you correctly, you think it distorts the torque because there are two gaskets that need to compress?

I'm undecided about getting the offset head nut tool. Is it worth $30 to not have to disconnect the plug leads and loosen the set screw a few times? I dunno. Doesn't seem like a big deal.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Good job again Sir. ( The credits at the end were cool!! )

[nkaminar]

The offset tool is definitely worth the price. You don't have to remove the distributor to torque the head, and on my engine its the only way to torque the nuts on the coolant outlet because of how my heater pipes connect.

The instruction books I have read recommend a very thin gasket for the outlet neck. If you do use the thick gasket try putting paper matches at the outside ends of the neck so there is less chance of cracking the casting. You don't have a large area to work with for the outlet neck so the gasket compresses quite a lot and makes taking up the nuts feel soft.

[shew01]

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Nice video. [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Davew]

I really enjoyed this. Thanks