engine rebuild
- Thread starter DarthMole18
- Start date
When I replaced my head gaskets I put them on clean: clean gaskets to clean metal surfaces. I did this because
a) that was the direction given in the head gasket tutorial on "In Search of the Experience," which is widely viewed as a definitive authority on the job, and
b) because PT Schram said to, and everyone knows he is a definitive authority on that job (and many others).
That was 5 years and 42,000 miles ago. My head gaskets are still in good shape. Your mileage may vary.
a) that was the direction given in the head gasket tutorial on "In Search of the Experience," which is widely viewed as a definitive authority on the job, and
b) because PT Schram said to, and everyone knows he is a definitive authority on that job (and many others).
That was 5 years and 42,000 miles ago. My head gaskets are still in good shape. Your mileage may vary.
Yeah, don't use hylomar on those gaskets, they're supposed to go on a clean, dry surface. I used hylomar on my front cover and water pump gaskets, however.
I used Dirko around the water jackets, skim film about 1/4 wide. A land rover tech told me he has been doing it for years. I have personally done it 3 times with no ill effects, but the longest job was 12K ago. Time will tell...
ptschram
Well-known member
I have done hundreds of head jobs on Rover V8s. The gaskets go on dry.
As for Land Rover Techs comments, keep in mind that LRU STILL teaches techs to use Scotch-Brite pads on the mating surfaces and that topic was addressed in my first NIASE test in 1981-admonishing against such practices.
I have seen more stupidity at the hands of Land Rover trained and certified technicians. I paid $500 more for a job because the tech was too cheap to buy the tools to allow him to do the job right.
As for Land Rover Techs comments, keep in mind that LRU STILL teaches techs to use Scotch-Brite pads on the mating surfaces and that topic was addressed in my first NIASE test in 1981-admonishing against such practices.
I have seen more stupidity at the hands of Land Rover trained and certified technicians. I paid $500 more for a job because the tech was too cheap to buy the tools to allow him to do the job right.
I never heard anyone tell us to use scotch brite pads . That issue has been played out a thousand times , its a bad habit . The gaskets should go on dry . Teams of engineers design this shit and somebody with a high school diploma decides they need something on them to make them work .
ptschram
Well-known member
The lead tech at Land Rover PDX swore up one side and down the other that was how he was taught at LRU back when it was still in UK.
I'm sure it contributed to one tech having the same truck come back three times in one week.
Between not machining the heads and turning them around in less than the 17 hours of book time, you're doomed to failure.
Lately, I've seen more and more scrambled engines with evidence of Copper-Coat having been used on the head gaskets.
ptschram
Well-known member
I don't think so. The head job I did on my DI back in '01 is still going strong, can't see what could be better.
I bet it's been 3 yrs since I took the heads off a pushrods engine . There's always some kid that's willing to do it . It's not worth the trouble anymore . Now I'm trying to get proficient at the 5.0 . They started having us pull heads in the last year or so . Been into the timing chains and V V T 's . I think guys are going to make good money on that engine . I think I bought my house with the money I made doing Quad 4 head gaskets . I had it down to just over 3 hours , warranty time was 8.2