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What did the inlet gaskets look like?

Not as bad as I thought they'd be. Definitely stuffed though.

immortality wrote: If I'm feeling real kind I might even pull out the pistons and file open the ring gaps a little just to give this thing half a chance to live with some decent boost.

I recommend doing this.

Great idea, I will be watching your progress with interest.

your certainly getting right in there!

Holden202T wrote:your certainly getting right in there!

Gotta keep digging until you find the problem.

heff0018 wrote:

immortality wrote: If I'm feeling real kind I might even pull out the pistons and file open the ring gaps a little just to give this thing half a chance to live with some decent boost.

I recommend doing this.

Great idea, I will be watching your progress with interest.

If the engine survives till xmas than it's most likely it will, ideally it needs a quick dingle ball hone to clean up some of the water damage discovered today.

In today's world I wouldn't use a brush hone (dingle ball hone as you call it) when a half decent stone hone can be had for about the same money, maybe a tiny bit more and they leave a much superior finish and a flatter surface.

Finally the stars aligned, days off decent weather.

Put my neck out yesterday, suffered all day and finally bit the bullet and took some pain killers last night and again this morning so I could get shit done. Me and pain killers no longer agree and I'm sure I'm gonna pay the price for it in the next few days.

So finally got the heads off, those exhaust manifold gasket bolts area PITA with those securing straps on the 2 outer bolts on head manifold. Basically had to cut each one/destroy em to get the bolts out. Look like all original studs, no broken ones either. A good start. Had another look at the intake manifold bolt holes, orange gasket goo on some, did someone try and fasten em down again at some stage? Bores look ok, a bit of carbon buildup around the top of the bore but no lip, bores look good, can still see a bit of cross hatch here and there
Last cylinder on the drivers side was full of water, a bit of surface rust but nothing drastic and should clean up ok. looks like a bit of water damage in the bore but nothing substantial, can't feel anything with your finger nail. Passenger side looks fine. Heads look ok too. Nothing obvious other than a good coating of rust in the bad bore and some carbon buildup. Time to inspect the head gaskets....

And I think we have a winner! So I think the plan at this stage is to head into work this weekend, strip and clean the heads in the wash tank and inspect and then re-assemble. Might give the valves a quick lap and some new valve stem seals. Then start re-assembly. Still need to get some new head bolts, thinking I might go with cap screws rather than another OEM set of TTY head bolts and keep cleaning and re-assembling as I go.

The bad cylinder really does need a clean up of some sort. If the engine lives till the end of the year I think I'll pull it out, a quick hone, file the rings and she's ready for some boost.

Gampy wrote:In today's world I wouldn't use a brush hone (dingle ball hone as you call it) when a half decent stone hone can be had for about the same money, maybe a tiny bit more and they leave a much superior finish and a flatter surface.

I'll be honest and say it's not something I've done personally before. This car/engine is another learn as you go. Fortunately it was cheap so I don't have a lot of money in it and it if goes bang it's not going to hurt to bad.

Learning is something we all have to do ...

Can you put a price tag on education? I don't think so, I think it takes what it takes to get what you gotta get done, done!

Do lap up them valves a bit ... It pretty much can only do good!

Do you know the felt pen trick to see the seats ??