Headgasket!

[coochiSR]

My car has been burning oil for a while now and i was trying to source another engine to play with and eventually swap, but last night out the blue my headgasket went. Last time i checked which was probably wednesday last week i had maximum water, hasn't gone down at all. The head has been off twice in under a year due to me being me and changing it when i bought the car and me bending a valve, but i never changed the bolts, should i of? Could this of caused head to go?. But anyway I went up a slip road went into 4th at bout 50mph and botted it and it just didn't pull looked in the rear view mirror and couldn't see a thing! Pure smoke! Tried starting and water just poured out exhaust:( So was stuck on the slip road for bout an hour waiting for RAC! Got it home last night and stirpped it down today (onbly took bout and hour) and found the head gasket had gone on the water way on cylinder number 4 at the top, which i guess then blew a hole between 3 and 4, hench why it wouldn't start! Then i suddenly thought it may have bent some con-rods trying to start it with so much water in it! So i drained the oil and that was really really watery. So im sending the head away to get checked and skimmed if its possible to be. Just wondering if i can't skim it, what head should i go for? It has a 14NZ bottom end in it and did have a 14NZ head and inlet but just wondering whether it's worth changing it with something a bit better in performance. Any ideas?

Dan

[H15 NVA]

Redtop lol

[macc nova]

either a sri or 1300 head!

[Adam]

You could fit a 1300 head and inlet, with the 1400 carb.

[womble sri]

i have a spare nv and an se but im not sure on the se as it has been used on a 1650 plus its got stupid injectors that made it run **** but i have an se bottome end, fuel rail, inlet, injectors etc so you could make an sri out of all the bits

[london_chris]

didnt you notice that the oil pressure dropped on your dash before headgasket went badly

[london_chris]

use a 1300 head mate as they are much better, i have a 1400 head with no valves if u want it haha

[garyc]

I've still got some 1300 heads!!!

[Stoo]

didnt you notice that the oil pressure dropped on your dash before headgasket went badly

Oil pressure shouldnt drop, and not all dials have an oil pressure guage

Water temp should have gone up but theres allsorts that can happen when a hgasket goes!

[coochiSR]

Well i decided to get the head skimmed and valve guides changed, new stem seals and head set and bolts. Put it all back together wednesday night in the cold, bit of a pain in the **** getting a lifter in but i thought it wouldn't make a difference, and couldn't get it started. Thursday Night i checked i had fuel and spark, then lost the light so on cam friday, so i tried the distributor timing, didn't change anything still non runner. So as i was busy all of saturday i cracked on to it this morning, checked the timing 3 times and was spot on every time. Cleaned the plugs up, changed dizzy cap and rotor arm, still no joy. Took the rocker cover off and found out id bent every single inlet "finger". So me being me got all stroppy and said thats it i don't want it anymore lol. So after hassle from parents and speaking to LLTN (thanks for the help ;)) i changed my mind and went to strip it down. Thinking that id find 1 and 4 pistons down and 2 and 3 up but i didnt :(. I took the lifters out, the sticky 1 being a pain in the a**e but came out in the end, so i took all my vavles out and they look fine. So if anyone can shed any light on why it snapped things then please help :D, because i'm confused!!!!!! Thanks ;)
Dan

[garyc]

did you drain the lifters before putting it all back together?

[coochiSR]

no i did not, was i supposed to?

[garyc]

I think its recommended when doing that job. Also while its all apart its probably worth stripping and cleaning the hydraulic lifters.

[coochiSR]

Thanks for all the help, ended up being the vavle guides that where fitted, hadn't been done properly so got them done properly and she's fine.......... and back on the road:D:D:D gotta get used to driving it now !!!

[garyc]

I hope you asked for a refund!!!!

[coochiSR]

i did and got told where to go so im going up there when i get a chance to give them what for! cost me a oner too!