Head gasket - maybe?

[allan 295]

As others have said this is a left hand thread you need to tighten it to un do it. Don't wish to course any offense but some times things can get confusing and trouble is not far away then.

[hotwire 352]

I have always been able to free them by giving the spanner a sharp strike with a hammer (sometimes several attempts). That said, I have been meaning to make up a tool as Will prescribes.

[Kepes 231]

Tried whacking it with a hammer a lot already, no luck! But what Will proposed will be my best bet.

Also saw this on google, looks a little easier and just as effective.

[hotwire 352]

Simpler but not as effective.And its halfway to making a proper one...

[Kepes 231]

No luck yet. Have broken two 10mm wrenches in half while successfully holding the pulley in place. Thought the nut would come loose before the wrenches broke but I guess not. Will have to make up that tool. Soaked it with wd40 tonight. It could be seized??
So no progress, 2 broken wrenches. Was F***n hot today too.
Too hot and can't undo the nut = angry me. brb, going to go punch something.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Kepes

[hotwire 352]

That seems strange to break the spanners - they must be weak! I would expect the bolt to shear before breaking a spanner.

Also, I cant imaging that you can hold the pulley secure enough with a conventional spanner to be able to release the hub nut.

It needs to be rigid in order to crack the nut - hence usually a sharp impact will release it.

[Kepes 231]

That seems strange to break the spanners - they must be weak! I would expect the bolt to shear before breaking a spanner.

Also, I cant imaging that you can hold the pulley secure enough with a conventional spanner to be able to release the hub nut.

It needs to be rigid in order to crack the nut - hence usually a sharp impact will release it.

Yeah I see where you're coming from, but what I managed to do was get a bar that fit over the 10mm spanner and then secured it under the chassis. I'll try take a photo. I really should have the right tool to be honest, probably would have been out by now.

I've got one more 10mm spanner, hopefully the wd40 works its magic tonight

[Kepes 231]

Got mad, went to Mitre 10 and bought a hacksaw. Nut is off
WTB: Fan clutch to fit m20b25

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Got mad, went to Mitre 10 and bought a hacksaw. Nut is off

WTB: Fan clutch and water pump to fit m20b25

Fixed

[Kepes 231]

Fixed

i'll give you that, but i was intending on changing the waterpump anyway so have that part!

[allan 295]

A saying comes to mind "more than one way to skin a cat" not sound work practice but solved you problem

[Kepes 231]

good news is the head's back, no cracks!! It's all good.

Bad news is there's a piece missing from it (i think). Guy at the engine shop said it probably fell out while I had the head here. Have retraced my steps and can't find it. He had a look in his shop and said he couldn't find it there either
What's it called? is it necessary? Had a look on realoem but couldn't find it Thanks!

Edited December 17, 2014 by Kepes

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

It's the rocker shaft locking plate.... and YES it is very NECESSARY

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Had a thought - if you don't have the proper tap to clean the block threads, use an old head bolt with the thread ground off opposing sides. Works just as well (if a little slow & tedious) and also means you cannot accidentally cut / cross threads.

Just make sure you use a flapper wheel instead of a grinding disc, doesn't leave any burrs / wings that way

[Kepes 231]

Thanks for the suggestion! I did read about that and will do that instead of using a tap. Also, for anybody who has done this before, how did you go about putting the head back? With manifolds attached or totally bear? How hard is it to line the head onto the block properly? Thanks :-)

[polley 916]

A saying comes to mind "more than one way to skin a cat" not sound work practice but solved you problem

You could stick a straw up its ass and suck its brains out.

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Thanks for the suggestion! I did read about that and will do that instead of using a tap. Also, for anybody who has done this before, how did you go about putting the head back? With manifolds attached or totally bear? How hard is it to line the head onto the block properly? Thanks :-)

Bare, dude.

There will be a couple of dowels mounted to the block on opposing corners to help align the head

[Kepes 231]

Bare, dude.

There will be a couple of dowels mounted to the block on opposing corners to help align the head

Sweet! excuse my grammar.

Just about ready to get the head back on !!!

Edit: I have to tell you how happy I am with the guy who resurfaced my head! $200 for:

Resurface

Pressure test

Welding up the 3 (i think) holes by the water passages

Totally cleaning my valve cover

Totally cleaning the head

Letting me borrow his heat gun

Giving me heaps of good advice and info

Top bloke!!!

Edited December 18, 2014 by Kepes

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

i'll give you that, but i was intending on changing the waterpump anyway so have that part!

you can run the car without that fan clutch for the mean time anyways, just don't let it sit idling for too long. Getting your hands on one between now and January is going to be tough, but don't let it hold up progress, its not critical for engine running etc

edit: actually have one i just checked my stash, its for the 4 bolt fan as opposed to the 3 bolt fan, which do you need? will keep hunting for a 3 bolt one if thats what you need, probably one here somewhere.

Edited December 18, 2014 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[Kepes 231]

you can run the car without that fan clutch for the mean time anyways, just don't let it sit idling for too long. Getting your hands on one between now and January is going to be tough, but don't let it hold up progress, its not critical for engine running etc

edit: actually have one i just checked my stash, its for the 4 bolt fan as opposed to the 3 bolt fan, which do you need? will keep hunting for a 3 bolt one if thats what you need, probably one here somewhere.

Thanks Andy but i'm way ahead of yah! Chris (slideway) messaged me yesterday. Couriered from Wellington this morning and arrived here just after 1pm! f***n great. He's got the rocker shaft locking plate which I need too. Hopefully I'll be as lucky and get it tomorrow arvo

Edited December 18, 2014 by Kepes

[Kepes 231]

She goes!! Thanks everyone for all the help, I wouldn't have been able to do it without you.

However, the thermostat housing is leaking which sucks. I didn't take it apart and never noticed it leaking before I did this. It doesn't look like it's leaking from where the housing meets the head, but rather where the thermostat sits. Where the housing comes apart. Starting to think it may possibly be the oring in there. Would hate to have to take it apart again :-(. It's a steady drip, increases when engine's running

[Ahmedsinc 414]

She goes!!

It's a steady drip, increases when engine's running

Nice work mate!

Replace the thermostat asap. Would hate to see al your hard work undone by another overheat. Could probably find an o-ring but for all the hassle it'll just be easier to get a whole new one - also gives you 5% more peace of mind

[antil33t 90]

Good read, was about to suggest replacing the head gasket as having helped out do a couple now they're so much less tedious than an engine swap plus your engine will run heaps better after everything is refreshed!

Nice work.

[e30ftw 410]

Wouldn't run the car without that rocker shaft tab. If the shafts rotate the rocker locking tabs come off and the rockers will slide side to side and f**k sh*t up. Had it happen once but was lucky enough to not have any damage. Bastard of a job to fix though.

[Kepes 231]

Nice work mate!

Replace the thermostat asap. Would hate to see al your hard work undone by another overheat. Could probably find an o-ring but for all the hassle it'll just be easier to get a whole new one - also gives you 5% more peace of mind

Thanks man! Thermostat was replaced around a year ago. I took the thermostat housing apart and sure enough when I replaced it back then I put the o ring on the wrong side of the thermostat. Fixed that and no more drips!!

It feels great to finally be able to get the revs above 4k without the check coolant light coming on.

Car goes great!! Better than when I first got it. Made it from Levin to Wellington no troubles yesterday ( about a 1h10min drive)

One thing which I noticed was that when I was in traffic/at lights the coolant temp gauge would rise to around 12 position and even a little past that. On the motorway it sat between 1/4 mark and 1/2 mark.

Possibly the fan clutch BUT I think it could possibly be air in the cooling system as I was in a bit of a rush to get home and didn't put a lot of time into bleeding the system. Haven't done any tests for the fan clutch yet. Will try bleeding the system first.

Good read, was about to suggest replacing the head gasket as having helped out do a couple now they're so much less tedious than an engine swap plus your engine will run heaps better after everything is refreshed!

Nice work.

Cheers. Wasn't too hard, however there were times when I thought to myself "wtf have I gotten myself into." haha. Looking back now though, it's really not too bad at all.

Wouldn't run the car without that rocker shaft tab. If the shafts rotate the rocker locking tabs come off and the rockers will slide side to side and f**k sh*t up. Had it happen once but was lucky enough to not have any damage. Bastard of a job to fix though.

Thanks to Chris (slideways) I was able to get a fan clutch and the locking plate so no worries there :-)

Edited December 21, 2014 by Kepes