Reliant cylinder head stripdown

[tbone]

Ever wondered what goes on inside that big lump of aluminium we call the engine? Ever needed to replace a blown head gasket and didn`t have a clue where to start? Well lets have a look inside one shall we, or at least the top half of one, known as the cylinder head.
Here`s my engine, i got it from someone who got it from someone who, well you get the idea. Now apart from missing a few nuts and studs, i really don`t know its condition, so i`m gonna pull it apart and see.
Obviously this one isn`t in the frame, and all the ancillary components, as they are known in posh circles are not fitted either. If you strip yours down you`ll also need to drain the oil & water first.

[tbone]

First up for me then is to remove the tin lid from the engine, otherwise known as the rocker cover cos it covers the rockers. Just 2 nuts hold this in place and once undone, the cover lifts off. Under the rim of the cover sits a cork gasket and this is sometimes held in place by a gasket sealing compound. If you strip your engine, you will need  either a head set or complete engine set of gaskets, you do not reasemble it using old gaskets or it`ll leak like the proverbial sieve.
In the second picture here, you can see the line of 8 rockers sat on thier shaft and also the cork gasket for the cover.

[Manky Monkey]

Sorry TB, interrupting you already! You appear to be missing the filler neck from your rocker cover. Is that on purpose? -are you planning to re-route it? Exactly what I'm doing with Taz's. If not & your cover's just buggered, I've got a couple of spares if you need one.

[tbone]

The rocker shaft is held in position by 4 nuts, 3 of which can be seen in the first picture, undo all the 4 nuts and lift the shaft from the studs as a complete assembly.With the shaft removed, you can now see the pushrods that operate it, (pic 2), these need to be lifted out of the holes they sit in.

[tbone]

Sorry TB, interrupting you already! You appear to be missing the filler neck from your rocker cover. Is that on purpose? -are you planning to re-route it? Exactly what I'm doing with Taz's. If not & your cover's just buggered, I've got a couple of spares if you need one.

Well spotted. Nope, i`m afraid thats how it was when i picked the engine up. Hadn`t really given it much thought yet as its a long way off from running, but yes please to one of your spares.

[tbone]

The head is held to the block by more nuts. There will be 12 to find on the top and 3 more smaller ones in front of the spark plugs, all need to be removed, not forgetting the washers underneath them.

[tbone]

one of the three nuts by the spark plugs. Whilst your down round this side, it wont hurt to remove the plugs either.

[tbone]

Not vital to the removal of the head, is the themostat housing. As i dont know the condition of this engine i`m gonna look where ever i can for clues, so thats coming off too. 3 little bolts to undo and lift the top off, again expect a gasket too.

[Manky Monkey]

Rocker cover in the post in the next couple of days TB. 

[tbone]

Now i can lift the head off, well not quite. After being bolted together for a number of years, its not gonna fall apart for me, so its out with the prybar and get some leverage to it.
What you dont wanna be doing is wedging anything between the head and block, you will more than likely scratch and score one surface and possible even dig great lumps out of it. Gentle prizing is the way to go, looking for leverage at each end of the block. Now there is a slot or two around the bottom of the head, and these can be used to lever from too, very carefully.

[tbone]

With the head now lifted off you can see the head gasket on top of the block and the 4 cylinders containing the pistons.
The gasket will be a metal/fibre one and needs to be lifted from the block, when you do this, parts of the fibre will stick to the top of the block and need to be scraped off, again very carefully, you don`t wanna damage the top of the block or bottom of the head.

[tbone]

Rocker cover in the post in the next couple of days TB. 

Once again i`m in your debt  .

Again, its not strictly speaking neccassary, but i`m gonna remove the water pump too, this is held to the block by 4 nuts, undo and pull the pump from the block, this again will have a gasket under it.

[tbone]

Back to the head, the picture here shows the bottom of the head and the valves in place, i think they need a de-coke! The exhaust valves have a coat of orangeish crud which needs to come off, whilst the inlets have a darker coating of sootish like crud.

[tbone]

To remove the valves from the head, you will need a valve spring compressor. Various designs are available but they all do the same job, and that is, one end locates on the head of the valve whilst the other end sits on the valve spring cap, as the tool is operated,the spring is compressed to release the 2 piece collet that locates in the valve stem and holds the cap and spring in place.
The bigger boys on the forum will tell you you dont need a tool to do this, just a socket on the cap and hit it with a hammer, thats true and will work, but i`ve never seen anyone reasmble the valves using this method 

[tbone]

The collets tend to fall off, so do this were you can see everywhere! Undo the tool and lift away the cap & spring, also on this side will be the oil seal, slide this from the valve and pull the valve from the bottom of the head. And now you should have the head, stripped and ready for cleaning.