Continued.

Bill. KUdos, got that head right off !!!!

half way home..

Carl

 

Ahhh, the old day, right Carl. 312 Tbird engine was the cats meow back in the mid-late '50s. Much bigger than Chevy small block at that time.

It's amazing the things you would try "in the day", same thing would send you straight to hell today. I have use newpaper to shim up loose main/rod bearings, used that trick on a warmed up 454cu Chevy in a 1966 Impala. Ran like a streak until the kid I sold it to ruined it.

Dave

 

I had the same problem with the upper timing chain tensoner losing its pad, discovered when I removed the cylinder head to fit new valves. Actually in my case, the pad was just clinging on still but was about to give up the ghost. You definitely need the pads on the tensioners or the chain will be extremely noisy as well as slack.

I was able to change both upper tensioners without removing the timing cover by performing keyhole surgery through the top. It was very fiddly and required a lot of patience, but I can confirm it is possible and saves a huge amount of dismantling and reassembling work.

 

Read my mind.
Bravo!
Great you posted photos.


Head studs will most likely be weak.
I would not recommend trying to remove them.

If I may suggest, remember to always use wood as the intermediary buffer between hammer and head, etc. as aluminum is a very soft metal, very easily damaged.

Get many pieces of scraps of wood or 2x4's handy as they are very useful, if not fundamental, to wedge in the space between block and head as it raises to keep it raising straight and/or relieve binding, etc..
I use some scraps of little sheets of plywood handy too as I lift it off by hand I can slide the sheet of wood in above studs to set head down upon so studs will not damage head surface.

Use a hammer (with 2x4!) around the head to help unseat or relieve binding as it's raising.

Another little trick for very stubborn heads is to use water bottle caps.
Drill holes in them and silicone them around each of the tops of each head stud.
Allow to cure fully.
Fill each cap with 50/50 mix of Acetone/Transmission Fluid.
Refill as necessary.

Use hammer to tap the tops of each of the studs with the goop in them to help shock and separate the stud and help the goop go down.
This entire process can take days or more.
(The surprise corrosion within mine, despite outwards appearance upon purchasing sight unseen, required a couple weeks.)

This coupled with bottle jacks as shown above will do it.

I can stand within engine bay and assist it off.
I'm also strong enough to pull the head off myself and carry it off leaning over or sitting on the fender reaching, but prefer a helping hand.

Having done this recently after many years, how that Jaguar smell came back to me...
Such a special smell. Many memories.
It is like open heart surgery or something.

I wonder how a doctor describes the smell of open heart surgery, and if they are as sentimental?
Recent article read questioned what the smell of outer space was like?
An astronaut said it smelled like burnt steak.
I don't know how he could know that?

Be careful and have fun
Over and out

 

Andy T - I had to look up "keyhole surgery" to see what you meant. I'll assume you didn't have to drill any holes in the timing cover? Or did you, then cover them. Did you have to loosen any of the timing cover bolts?

OhIDon'tKnow - yes, I used my share of 2x4's and other various pieces of wood. And used the bottle jack method. And stood in the engine compartment and lifted it off myself. At 73 years old that wasn't easy, but doable.

Carl - Half-way though! Wishful thinking! Way more work ahead of me.

Fraser - Sorry, just saw that you asked for a pic of the top of the block. Will get and post.

Thanks all for your support and excellent suggestions. Am compiling a list of parts that include new studs, new chain guides guider plates, valve stem seals, oil banjo bolt crush washers. I bought a new set of chrome acorn(dome) nuts and washers a while ago, so I have those already. Won't know what I need for the actual head until I take it apart. Will try and either rent, borrow or buy a spring compressor, so I can do most of it myself (except for resurfacing the head). May just lap the valves in, instead of a complete valve job. Don't know yet.

Bill

 

Bill; Make sure you send the new studs all the way down. Get a tap the size of the stud and use it to clean out the threads and use air to blow the holes clean before installing the new studs.
Failure to get the studs all the way down will prevent the acorn nuts from applying the necessary clamping force on the cylinder head.
Did you get new washers that go under the acorn nuts or are the old ones in good shape? Sorry, Just re-read your post. You do have new washers.
I have seen where the acorn nuts bottomed out on the stud before achieving the proper clamping force on the cylinder head.
I know you are fully capable of doing the job the correct way, but that was just my 2 cents.

 

I have taken the photographs, I have cracks between four sets of cylinders! How do I get them onto this site?

 

Sanchez - Thank you. Yes, I intend to seek out the proper sized thread chaser and somehow make it longer to clean out the holes. And I've seen enough text and Youtube Videos to know that four of the studs are longer to accommodate the engine lifting hooks. Which my engine didn't have, but I bought a while back just in case I ever needed to lift the engine out. It was un-benounced to me about the longer studs and why, so maybe the PO didn't know about the longer studs and the bottoming out of the acorn nuts. So maybe the head didn't get torqued down properly and that's why this head gasket blew. That's my hope anyway. I hope to do this job right the first time so I don't have to do it again to this engine. I'm still considering buying another complete engine after this is running again and slowly rebuild it.

As far as me being fully capable of doing the job - yes I am fully capable of getting it done right come the third time of doing anything. The trick is to do it right the first time! Am I capable of THAT is the big question!

 

No need to post if you can tell us they're there ! So now you either need to repair the block with lipped liners or find an engine with the slotted block. Once the cracks have been there a while, the engine will suffer continuing head gasket failure at frequent intervals, I'm afraid. That was my problem in the late 80s. I managed to get an uncracked block from a chap in Hinckley who rebuilt these engines. I stripped my duff engine to a bare block then rebuilt it around the uncracked one. The car is still running around in the UK somewhere, but I sold it in 2002

 

I was able to replace the upper tensioners working through the top of the timing cover. No bolts needed loosened on the timing cover. No drilling required. I slackened off the bolts on the pedestal for the timing cogwheels (the two that connect to the cams).

 

I found a later engine that was fuel injected and retrofitted my carbs. I also got my hands on another slotted block but it had no bearing caps!

 

I use my taps and dies all the time. If I am keeping either part of a threaded component I clean the threads of rust, gunk, etc. with them. Especially a blind hole like an engine block. But rather than using compressed air that blows the chips out all over everywhere I rig up a suction device kind of like what a dentist uses. Maybe a soda straw for down in the bolt hole and then rubber hose that is connected to a shop vac. When you start it will suck the big chips up to the end of the straw and you can pull them out. Then it will suck out any oil, grit, small chips etc. You can then squirt WD40 down in there and then vacuum that out.

Jeff

 

Bill:

Apology. You had me for a bit. But, words have always intrigued me.
"UNBEKNOWNCED"... I got it !!!

Yes, indeed, the wrong stud could mean not enough torque be for bottoming!!!

As good a diagnosis as you will ever get.

Carl

 

Carl - thank you for the spelling correction. I knew it was a word, but even the spelling corrector didn't pick it up.

Bill

 

….”Will try and either rent, borrow or buy a spring compressor, so I can do most of it myself (except for resurfacing the head). May just lap the valves in, instead of a complete valve job. Don't know yet”
Bill
I went with all new exhaust valves, seals, followers, spring set, and hand lapped the seats... took 3 old exhaust valves and ground a different angle on each. Did a 3 angle valve seat with coarse then fine lapping compound, (then lap new valve to seat). If you go to a machine shop with the cylinder for one thing, they will talk you into full overhaul one minor item at a time.
I have attached some notes from my cylinder restoration. On the shim log just delete my numbers and insert your actuals.
Your are making very good progress!!!
Rgds
David
PS: Did have a friendly Engine overhaul shop in Santa Barbara, had both cams, lobes and journals polished for $75

 

David - Thank you. Both attachments will come in really handy. This job will take a few weeks. I have to mix it with life, golf, job, being a good Husband, being a good Father & Grandfather, keeping up the house, keeping up the other two cars, etc. etc. But it WILL get done and hopefully done right the first time.

 

Andy - Here's a pic of the front of my timing chain assembly. Do you remember which bolts you loosened?

 

Or... as an alternative, since I have the radiator and condenser and hood off - If I just remove the water pump - it looks like a few more nuts and bolts and the timing cover will just come out? That would make it really easy to replace the two timing chain guides. Am I missing something??

Bill

 

Over denotes a response expected. Out means gone, Outta here...

From the old days of two way radio. press to transmit. off to receive..

 

[QUOTE=yachtmanbuttson;2368726]Or... as an alternative, since I have the radiator and condenser and hood off - If I just remove the water pump - it looks like a few more nuts and bolts and the timing cover will just come out? That would make it really easy to replace the two timing chain guides. Am I missing something??/QUOTE]

Bill
If your water pump has not been changed in awhile, now is time for seals and bearing (free access) .... or you may just do exchange with one with the new improved impeller design. Upper and lower timing chain guides and that little filter behind tensioner (clean or replace).
[b]!!!!Sorry for the project creep, but as long as you have free labor and access, found jaguar parts to be cheap compared to wife's BMW 3 for same item!!!!
Rgds
David