Getting closer.
Got the copper head gasket out, and needed to drill the two dowel holes (the head is doweled to the block). Galloway provided the dowels in place, and some temporary dowels that are pointy. Intent was to put the pointy dowels in, use them to centre-pop the gasket, then drill to suit. Went to remove the permanent dowels using multigrips and some rag, and no bueno... they are in fast. Closed my eyes and tried sidecutters, but no luck there either. Plan B: use the permanent dowels, put the gasket in place, gently tappy tappy with a wooden drift, and use the little circle dented into the gasket to drill the holes. Pray I can get the centre right. Got a bit smarter, drilled the holes undersized by a poofeenth, then used the tapered ream to make them just fit. You can see the dowel holes bottom left/right in the photo below. All good.
- copper head gasket.jpg (1.58 MiB) Viewed 3937 times
The gasket needs a light coat of copper spray to fill any imperfections.
- head gasket spray.jpg (1.12 MiB) Viewed 3937 times
Remove washing from line, spray gasket and let it tack off before fitting. Replace washing on line. Note to self: do not stand close to any HV switchboards wearing the undies with copper overspray.
- head gasket in place.jpg (2.03 MiB) Viewed 3937 times
Go to fit head, and realise the thing is hefty and awkward. Also realise that the Repco heads are hand finished, not CNC machined. Must be a stud or two at 89.5 degree angle instead of 90 degrees, as it did not want to slide over the studs (it does slide over the studs on the non-EKMart engine). Get the head stuck part down the studs, and nearly blow a poofer valve trying to get it back off. Start removing studs and refitting head each time to see which one is not quite right. Head on, head off, head on, head off... this is what I imagine doing weights in the gym is like. Finally get the head gently down. Hoorah. Put in remaining studs, which all screw in fine. Find nuts and washers and fit. Remove oil crossover pipe to get at one nut.
Then get paranoid... if I put it down over the studs, how do I know the dowels are home? Have mental picture of it sitting slightly canted on the dowels. Head studs all out, gently lift head and "feel" it set onto the dowels. All head studs back in. Studs are ARP, 7/16 UNC/UNF, 5" on the inlet side and 4.5" on the exhaust (exhausts are shorter so that they look neat - you can see those ones, but the rocker cover covers the inlet ones). Everything gets anti-seized, so by this time I am looking like the tinman from the Wizard of Oz.
- !@#$ antiseize.jpg (14.01 KiB) Viewed 3937 times
Studs tightened up until they snapped then backed off half a turn.
- head on.jpg (1.74 MiB) Viewed 3937 times
Zoomies back on, rocker cover in place. New candles. Repco recommended KLG plugs as per the table below, which I have converted to NGK:
- plugs.jpg (36.05 KiB) Viewed 3937 times
I'm going to start with the B6ES plugs are go from there (the FED does not run for long, and will run cold running on alky). Trip to Repco then gapped them (they came at 32 though, brought them back to 18 thou). Number one has a soft electrode (I can move it with the feeler gauge) so will replace it.
- gratuitous rocker cover photo.jpg (2.17 MiB) Viewed 3937 times
Replacement flexplate arrived, and fits. Drilled out holes to suit the larger ARP fasteners. Waiting patiently for the spigot bush.
Cheers,
Harv
