NEW GASKETS

[DEE'S NOVA]

does anyone know how much a garage would want roughly to put in new rocker cover gasket,head gasket and sump gasket?or would i be better of gettin the maunal and having a go myself if so what tools would be needed?

[DEE'S NOVA]

:o strong silince me guess no one knows or nobody wants to talk 2 me :(

[sparky]

Some people might say this is straight-forward but it bloody isent! You need a shed load of tools for it including very importantley a torque wrench and the correct sequence for undoing the head bolts and doing them back up again. aslo you have to make sure that put all the valves and bits exactley where they came from or you will have to buy some more coz of all the noise the engine will be making. If you dont know anything about cars, I wouldn't attempt it! I did it on my GSI and it took about two days give or take, coz of the amount of stuff you have to take off and put back on. Try it and if you are unsure about anything ask me and I'll be able to tell you what to do.


good luck

[ade]

rocker and sumpo gaskets are straight fwd. changed my rocker gasket this evening - 10 minutes tops!

As for head gasket - I agree with sparky - it can be a pig. Ive never don eit meself but there are tons of stuff to take off and then put back on.

Youre looking anything between ?250 to ?400 depending on where you go to change head gasket and get engine skimmed (if needed)

Ade

[Dave_Hay]

he wont be touching the valves tho?

its easy when u know how so if u have a mechanicly minded friend wholl be willing to help u out ask them do and have a go yourself.

i wouldnt just go full steam ahead with head gasket on ur own cos u gotta set timing and make sure blocks clean and smooth as well as getting head skimmed.

u got torque tightning sequence with new headgasket. have a read of haynes manual. if u can afford to spend up to ?400 at garage for the work do it, i know i cant and wont.

as ade says with other two gaskets, have fun with oil sump one tho.

hth

[Dave_Hay]

oops thought i was in techy there lol

[MattyWoo]

I did the rocker gasket when i got my car, then i did the sump gasket last weekend, when i was puttin the sump back on i thought it seemed a bit difficult, so i looked in the good ol' haynes manual and realised i should have taken the exhaust off and the flywheel cover, WHOOPS!!! that actually made it quite easy to put it all back!!!! hays is right they r both easy but im gettin a mechanic to do the head gasket!!

[DEE'S NOVA]

right i'll try this then i'll get the manual and do the rocker cover and sump myself then i'' get get(try) her brother(vaux machanic) to do the cylinder head !!

so do i need lots of tools to do rocker and sump gaskets?

[ade]

rockers easy - 10mm socket head and a new gasket (?5 frm vauxhall) - you might wanns fit new bolts too (?2 tops)

Simply remove oil cap, undo all nuts in a diagonal sequence so start from top left bolt, loosen it, then go to bottom row and second one from left, then top row third on from left, then bottom and so on.

Remove rocker cover and gasket, making sure nothing falls in the engine and wipe any sh1te off the engine block with a clean cloth.

Throw away old gasket (and nuts of new ones to be used) and put new gasket on place on engine block. No need for any sealing stuff or owt

Give the rocker cover a clean down with degreaser (if the inside is dirty wipe all sh1te off it) and make sure the edge is nice and clean. I had bits of old gasket stuck on mine so used a plastic scraper to gently remove it - dont use a metal one - you dont want to scratch the cover if you can help it!).
line up the rocker cover with the gasket and the block, drop the nuts and washers in the thread holes (remembering to add the bar that supports the HT leads if you have one!) and gently hand tighten them.
Then, using yer socket, tighten the nuts up in a diagonal fashion the same way you did when you loosened them off. Dont overtighten them to start with, work along diagonally getting tighter and tighter as you go - this will spread the pressure evenly across the gasket surface.
There are no torque settings in Haynes so remember how stiff they were to loosen and aim for that on the tighening up scale!

10 mins tops...

Aint done me sump but looking at haynes manual seems "okish"

Ade
:D

[DEE'S NOVA]

cheers ade infact come on down and show me :D nah appreciate u takin the time to write all that out m8

and i've still not seen a pic of ur nova

[DEE'S NOVA]

So i can do the other two and get the cylinder head done later or does it need to be done first or at the same time?and how much to send it somewhere to get it skimmed as i'll get someone to take it off and put it back on

[DEE'S NOVA]

ANY SPECIAL TOOLS REQUIERED FOR THE SUMP ONE?