Head gasket

[lazy rambler]

My head gasket has just gone for the 3rd time. This time I'm gonna do it myself. So has anyone got a how to on how this is done. Thanks.

[Darrell]

Not aware of a how to on the head gasket but the full manual can be found here http://www.4x4.in.th/manual_sj413/

The gaskets don't normally go that often, has it been skimmed? I would give it a good once over before bunging another gasket on just in case the head is slightly warped.

[timmy511]

on an sj410, it goes like this:
drain the water
unbolt the exhaust down pipe from the manifold
remove the radiator
loosen the alternator and remove the fan belt
unbolt the fan
unbolt the bottom pulley (i put a long screw driver into the teeth of the ring gear through the timing hole in the bell housing and use a long strong arm to hold and un-do the pulley bolt)
remove the cam belt cover (loads of little ten mm m6 bolts)
loosen the cam gear (using the same method as removing the bottom crank bolt)
then loosen the belt tensioner
remove the cam belt
remove the tensioner assembly
remove the cam gear / pulley
remove the bolts holding the rear pert of the cam cover to the block and head.
remove the throttle cable and choke cable
take off the fuel lines from the pump
remove the coolant hoses from the inlet manifold (one big one at the back going to the heater matrix, one small one at the front on the underside)
remove the dizzy cap and leads
remove the bolt holding the earth from the coil to the block
unplug the spade connector going to the coil to the dizzy
unplug the temp sensor on the thermostat housing
remove the rocker cover
loosen ten bolts that hold the head down

lift the lot off in one hit, you have to pull the back of the timing cover forward to clear the cam.

re-assemble the same way as taking it apart bar from:

cam timing, the crank is lined up to top dead center, which you can see the marks through the bell housing and on the cam gear there is a red mark and white arrow on the cam cover.

the cam gear, there are two positions for this to be put on, 83 degrees and 84 degrees, 83 has two dots on a tooth and 84 has one dot, you need to put the gear on the cam at 84degree (the key way cut at 84 degrees) and then line the signle dot on the tooth up with the marker on the back cam cover.

dont be worried about this, its a non interference engine, at worst it wont start.

if you end up stripping the manifolds off and the dizzy housing, mark the dizzy up to the housing in which it is bolted into, then the crank is set at top dead center the rotor arm need to point to about 1pm, if you then turn the dizzy to your marks, you shouldnt be far off, however, if you are, you need to pull the dizzy back out and move the rotor arm left or right so as it catches the next tooth on the drive gear. this will make more sense when you have it in bits and you can see the gear drive on the end of the cam.

please excuse any typos and spelling mistakes, im too lazy to read all that....... if ive missed anything please add to it.

[ScottieJ]

I Just replied in your build matey. There has to be another problem, headgaskets shouldn't fail this often

[timmy511]

ive just had one go in less than a week. just had the head skimmed now, put it back together tomorrow, hopefully its sorted this time.