Preparing block for new head gasket?

[socalfiver]

I'm in the middle of a head swap. I pulled the old head. The gasket was totally stuck to the block. Got a lot of it off, but there is still lots of gasket material stuck to the block.

Does anyone have any tips & tricks for cleaning it up? What do I use? Scraper? Sandpaper? I've never had a gasket stick to the block this bad. They've always peeled off cleanly for me.

Sidebar: My original head has an '80 casting date, but has the long cooling passages instead of the round holes that my '86 head has. I was under the impression that casting dates of '80 indicated the new, round style cooling passages.

[Mike W.]

Yes, you have to get the block good and clean. I usually use a razor blade. You're not going to hurt the cast iron. I even use it on the head, but much more carefully.

On the head, it sounds like you have the intermediate one. Early ones had the slot with only 8MM (when new) between the water jacket and the combustion chamber. Middle vintage ones were still a slot, but 13MM thickness, the the later ones just had the two holes. Middle vintage is better, but no better than medicore about cracking. Inspect it very carefully for cracks between the water jacket and the exhaust valve seat.

[John in Simi Valley]

Agree with Mike W;
Get the head surface extremely clean.
The cleaner it is, the less risk for a GASKET LEAK.
Some recommend using a FLAT stone - like the knife sharpening kind in a cross-pattern. Others use 400 grit with a really flat sanding block.
No foriegn debris, no contamination, no material left over that may cause a leak.

Resurfacing the head is highly recommended, (I think you've already done this :-) It should cost about $50 bucks.

Also, a word about head bolt torque;
What ever the dry torque is, the wet (oily threads) torque shoud be about 40% LESS.
So, if the book says 100 ft-lbs torque, if you coat the NEW head bolts with oil, then torque them to 60 ft-lbs. (Perform in increments, like 20, 40, then 60 ft-lbs)

Another more gooder way is to use ANGULAR torque measurements instead of frictional. Make the seating torqe about 30 Nm (22 ft-lbs) then do 90 degress, and another 90, regardless of the ft-lb reading (cross-torque patterns, of coarse). The intent is controlling bolt stretch, or tensile load of the bolt -- which is really what we are concerned with.

[GripGreg]

I agree; but, I need to add this; when you start the tightening pattern, I think all the books say, to start in one corner with the first torque setting, go to the opposite corner & use the same ft/lbs. then go to the lower opposite corner with the same torque setting. Then go to the next one on the opposite upper corner with the same setting & continue on. You may already know this but, it torques evenly across the head. I think you'll end up at the center-most bolt. Use NEW bolts. Back under my small shadetree,,,,Greg

[DMS]

I agree; but, I need to add this; when you start the tightening pattern, I think all the books say, to start in one corner with the first torque setting, go to the opposite corner & use the same ft/lbs. then go to the lower opposite corner with the same torque setting. Then go to the next one on the opposite upper corner with the same setting & continue on. You may already know this but, it torques evenly across the head. I think you'll end up at the center-most bolt. Use NEW bolts. Back under my small shadetree,,,,Greg

The tighting order is always there with new bolt and/or gasket. But you want to start on the inside and work your way out.

[GripGreg]

OOPS!! I'm glad you caught that. This is what I meant!! WHEW!! I'll go hide under my small shadetree. Greg

[T.Hanson]

My reading here and there found our M30 head bolts reusable if clean, up to spec. They are not the newer style fancy torque, whatever kind requiring new.

Do take a rag on a screwdriver, dowel, something to make sure there is no oil in the bottom of the head bolt holes,...to get squeezed and give a false torque reading. Do work from the center, criscross to the ends in torque steps.

There's a FAQ, make sure you've got the correct head gasket. It's possible to get tricked, not have holes where they need to be.

Seeing cracks can be a real bear. For Kentucky windage, if it came off an engine without milk in the sump or a rod trying to escape, probably good.

Always good to have money to spend lavishly on machining, professional inspection, rebuilding, new parts. If your budget has a small m, or c for cheap, I stuck a steel straight edge on a head, used the original bolts, and 1000 miles later Penske can eat his heart out.

[socalfiver]

I found a product called CRC Gasket Remover which helped to soften the gasket residue. I got the rest off with razor blades.

There was no ridge in my cylinders, and the cross-hatching was still visible.

I got everything back together, but was disappointed with the results. It was running on 5 cylinders all the time. New Silber plugs, wires check out fine, seems to be sparking on all cylinders. Turns out my #1 fuel injector was unplugged!

I just took it for a real test drive. It runs super smooth, no vac leaks. Steady power, but nothing fantastic. Still running hot. I'm going to have the radiator rodded and put a new water pump in. I I have family in Nevada, and this thing needs to be a cool runner for those long desert trips.

[John in Simi Valley]

Congratulations on getting your motor back together.
Nice accomplishment.

Regarding running HOT.
Couple suggestions;
Simple one is ignition timing.
<a href="http://www.firstfives.org/faq/ignition_ ... iming.html"> Ignition Timing FAQ</a> gives procedure, main thing is 2200 rpm.

Other one is the radiator.
I recommend replacing versus rodding.
CONSIDER the E28 radiator upgrade, esp in the Nevada desert.
You're swapping the water pump and yanking the radiator anyway, . . .
If you can swap a head, the radiator should be a snap.

You may have seen it, but here's some neat <a href="http://www.firstfives.org/faq/cool/cool.html"> Cooling FAQ </a>

[socalfiver]

I've been looking for a decent e28 radiator at the boneyards. I haven't had any luck finding an in-tact one that matches mine... automatic with cooler line on the passenger side. I've seen a few, but they've all had the cooler lines on the driver side. I saw one that was correct, but someone had broken the neck off. I'll check out how much they want for rodding mine for the time being.

I've had the radiator out 3 or 4 times already, as I keep breaking fans. Not the car's fault. I break them while working around them.

Also, I've noticed that my electric fan behind the front grille never comes on. Should it? The a/c has no charge in the system.

[DEMIURGE]

1. My reading here and there found our M30 head bolts reusable if clean, up to spec. They are not the newer style fancy torque, whatever kind requiring new.
2. Do take a rag on a screwdriver, dowel, something to make sure there is no oil in the bottom of the head bolt holes.

I agree with the first item - I've done the both way - with cleaned bolts and with new bolts. My manuals say - only with new bolts. Mr Walloth and Mr. Nesch also have warned me - only new bolts, so I've bought new bolts for my second e12 project.
The second item is even more important. These bolt holes really can be contaminated with oil, swarfs and similar "products". I have a friend, who have cracked his block, while tightening the bolts to specific torque and ANGLE...

[Mike W.]

M30 head bolts are reusable. If your friend cracked the block it was due to something, most likely oil, left in the bolt hole(s). A new one would have done the same thing. As long as the threads aren't damaged I've always reused them and I've put over 100K miles on a couple that way.

[DEMIURGE]

I agree. Namely, I've written the same...

Mike W. wrote: "M30 head bolts are reusable."

T.Hanson wrote: "1. My reading here and there found our M30 head bolts reusable if clean, up to spec."

I agree with the first item - I've done the both way - with cleaned bolts and with new bolts.

P.S. I've bought the new bolts from Walloth&Nesch, because they were something around 25 EUR. It is not so much for something original and new.

Mike W. wrote: "If your friend cracked the block it was due to something, most likely oil, left in the bolt hole(s). A new one would have done the same thing."

These bolt holes really can be contaminated with oil, swarfs and similar "products". I have a friend, who have cracked his block, while tightening the bolts to specific torque and ANGLE...

[socalfiver]

I cleaned and reused my original head bolts, as I have with every other engine I've rebuilt.

I used a Mityvac with fluid kit (brake bleeder setup) to vacuum oil from all of the bolt holes, and had no trouble getting everything back together without leaks or block damage.

It's been a week, and I replaced all of my fuel injector connectors and readjusted my throttle plate and idle/WOT switches. The car runs perfect, like a brand new car. I'm very happy with the head swap. It'll eliminate much worrying in the future.

[Mike W.]

I've been looking for a decent e28 radiator at the boneyards. I haven't had any luck finding an in-tact one that matches mine... automatic with cooler line on the passenger side. I've seen a few, but they've all had the cooler lines on the driver side.

If they're on the drivers side they're from a 528e, the M20 baby 6 and wouldn't work right. The hose inlets are too small and in the wrong places. FYI, seems like you also need at least the lower hose and maybe both to use an E28 radiator. For a water pump get a GMB, they can be hard to find, but I think GetCoolParts.com has them and they're a great pump, last 100K and pump more water so the car runs cooler.

Also, I've noticed that my electric fan behind the front grille never comes on. Should it? The a/c has no charge in the system.

It should come on if the car is heating up, but I've seen restricted flow so what little water comes thru is cool, so the fan doesn't come on, there just isn't enough water to cool the engine. Also test by shorting the leads for the fan switches in the radiator together with the ignition on but not running. It's not uncommon for the low speed resistor to be bad, meaning no low speed fan operation.