Engine Top End

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I have a shop manual, as I get through it, I will be posting numbers

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I wanted to post these pics yesterday. Alas my job is kicking my ass and I have to stay diligent while my car suffers.

Took off the cam timing gears, the timing belt stuff and the cover.


Drained the coolant and disconnected the water into the head

[06T200]

I have been trying to follow this thread , but much of it is over my head .

When you get the head off , please post photos of the combustion chamber , valves & tops of the pistons .

If the pistons are dinged , how bad do they have to be dinged , before you have to replace them ?

What caused the belt to mess up ?

God bless
Wyr

To answer one of your questions, it is a tough call to make when to replace. If the 'dings' create sharp spots on the face of the piston you risk detonation issues as those bits of metal will get red hot. Also if you notice chunks of a valve (or guides as in my case) embedded in the piston by all means replace. On the other hand if you can clean up the dings and get them pretty smooth then you should be ok to run them. I went ahead and replaced all four in my LS, was only another Benjamin to go all new slugs and rings as I recall. Mine wound up being a full overhaul in the end, but I don't regret it as I drive the crap out of my car, and it has over 240K on the clock. If doing a low mileage car you may be able to reuse more parts.

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Hey guys, been doin the same job. I have mine apart, just ordered valve guides and seals and will order the valves shortly (I'm slow).I plan to take the head into a machineshop to install some of the guides. Don't know how far you are on yours but I wasn't expecting cracked guides (you should take a look at yours). I joined about a month ago looking for a post such as this and I'm glad I signed in today to see this. My problem is I'm still looking for a manual for tourqe specs. I tried downloading some stuff here and caught a virus lol. Also can you reuse the metal head gaskets that came with it?, Are the shims or gaskets? kinda confusing when I look up the parts to order on RockAuto - They sell a gasket but they also sell shims, when I took mine apart it had two metal gaskets or are these shims? probably gonna ask more questions as this goes on.

Don't miss my post on my 'project roadkill' as I did my best to document the entire job, and all the fun I had. http://www.aveoforum.com/forum/f82/p...oadkill-16797/

I was able to drive out the broken guides using a kwik way mandrel for another application, and the new ones went in with no hassle. I did my own valve job using lapping compound and a motorcycle spring compressor.

Never reuse head gaskets, unless you like pulling the head twice... I would not advise it.

I would consider this job a laborious one, and I'm not getting any younger, so I like to do them right once. A full gasket kit is not that costly anyway and you will need the valve stem seals anyway and other gaskets.

[06T200]

I wanted to post these pics yesterday. Alas my job is kicking my ass and I have to stay diligent while my car suffers.

Took off the cam timing gears, the timing belt stuff and the cover.


Drained the coolant and disconnected the water into the head

Looks like you are close to pulling it! Takes a couple hours to get it out of the car, then the rest you can do on the bench. Going in is a bit slower, or at least it was for me.

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FYI, the comment in my 'orange roadkill' post still stands: "If anybody needs 8 good intakes I have spares." I have 8 used intakes that are not bent and usable, but they have 230K miles on them. Might help someone doing a budget valve job if there is such a thing lol

Also another tip im sure most everyone will glance over, if you do end up doing new pistons or just rings, there is likely no reason you would need to hone the cylinders when using stock cast iron rings. I did not hone mine, and it doesn't burn a drop of oil. Something to consider, even though I know this goes against what we have been taught, but I have plenty of evidence to the contrary and three cars that have proven the theory.

[06T200]

xinter, when you get the head off, it should look something like this:



With: EGR, EGR tube, and the entire intake setup still on it. Notice the heater hose, you will want to make sure that is installed on the head before it goes back in, with the clamp good and tight at the head. Same with the temp sensor, make sure it is in the head before it leaves the bench. Would be a MOFO to install while in the car. Will also be a good time to inspect the lower rad hose elbow that lives under the intake and replace if needed. When the head is off, just about everything is 'easy to get to' might as well address while easy to access.

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Head is off! Pictures:

The cams. they look in good shape


The pistons:


My I have a problem with baked on grease


Down the well


Close of of a surface

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Now the valves


All four


Close up


An other set


OK, I am inclined to pull the oil cover and replace/rebuild the block. A couple of questions:

Since I don't have a way of soaking my head, suggestions for cleaning? Or should I take it to a shop?
Should I go ahead and get new pistons? Or just leave it at rings?

[WyrTwister]

I would probably send the head to the machine shop . And bite the bullet on the block . Rebuild it & replace the pistons .

But , before I did all that , I would price a crate engine VS rebuild cost .

And replace all the parts associated with the timing belt .

God bless
Wyr