Maintenance...Water Pump, T-Stat, Oil Cooler, Flush Engine/Radiator, now head-gasket blown :( (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

How did you get that circular pipe out so easily? I tried to take mine out earlier today and it did NOT want to budge. Literally had 2 pairs on pliers on it, standing INSIDE my engine bay, pulling hard as hell and got nothing. I am really considering trying to dissolve the o-rings but pouring some acetone on them andletting it eat them away. I have a new pipe and o-rings ready to go.


Since you have a New Bypass Pipe you are not concerned with marring the old one BUT you must still be careful not to damage the T-Stat housing.

My cooling system has always been kept clean...so I was able to just wiggle mine back and forth while pulling up until it came out. However, some folks have experienced 'corrosion' between the pipe and the housing. IF that is the case...it isn't the O-Ring that is holding it so tightly in there, but rather a bonding of the parts due to corrosive build up (not unlike a chemical weld).

Depending on what these deposits are made of you might be able to find something (CLR/other) that would help dissolve it enough to let you remove the pipe. But in any case it's going to require some mechanical force (rocking back and forth) to get it to come out. By now....I suspect your old one is a bit worse for the wear and it's not an option to leave it in there (provided it wasn't leaking before)? If all else fails you might be able to drill a hole through it (laterally) insert a screwdriver, then use something to pry up (from underneath it). Just be CAREFUL not to apply too much force. Walk away from it...for awhile if you need to.

water bypass.jpg
 
Last edited:
Since you have a New Bypass Pipe you are not concerned with marring the old one BUT you must still be careful not to damage the thermostat housing/jacket.

My cooling system has always been kept clean...so I was able to just wiggle mine back and forth while pulling up until it came out. However, some folks have experienced 'corrosion' between the pipe and the housing. IF that is the case...it isn't the O-Ring that is holding it so tightly in there, but rather a bonding of the parts due to corrosive build up (not unlike a chemical weld).

Depending on what these deposits are made of you might be able to find something (CLR/other) that would help dissolve it enough to let you remove the pipe. But in any case it's going to require some mechanical force (rocking back and forth) to get it to come out. By now....I suspect your old one is a bit worse for the wear and it's not an option to leave it in there (provided it wasn't leaking before)?

View attachment 2306853
The pipe isn't totally frozen, I can get it to wiggle a little bit. It just doesn't want't to come out. And yes it is pretty knackered at this point. I really might try the acetone do dissolve the o-rings, but I have to be suuuuuper careful not to get it on anything else or let it run anywhere.
 
The pipe isn't totally frozen, I can get it to wiggle a little bit. It just doesn't want't to come out. And yes it is pretty knackered at this point. I really might try the acetone do dissolve the o-rings, but I have to be suuuuuper careful not to get it on anything else or let it run anywhere.

If you can wiggle it...then you're home free. Instead of pliers...you might consider locking a pair of Vise-Grips on it...then using something to pry up from underneath against the Vise-Grip pliers. Using 'leverage' rather than just trying to pull up.

Good luck Sir.
 
If you can wiggle it...then you're home free. Instead of pliers...you might consider locking a pair of Vise-Grips on it...then using something to pry up from underneath against the Vise-Grip pliers. Using 'leverage' rather than just trying to pull up.

Good luck Sir.
Yeah I was using my Knipex Cobra 250mm which is very similar to vise grips. I'm going to give it another try tomorrow, maybe try some penetrating oil (although I have to be careful not to get that in many places too), and if none of that works I'm going for the acetone route.

Anyway sorry to thread hijack, good luck with the rest of your head work!
 
Yeah I was using my Knipex Cobra 250mm which is very similar to vise grips. I'm going to give it another try tomorrow, maybe try some penetrating oil (although I have to be careful not to get that in many places too), and if none of that works I'm going for the acetone route.

Anyway sorry to thread hijack, good luck with the rest of your head work!

Not ' hijacked', we're all here to help one another. 👍
 
@flintknapper Really enjoying this thread. Thank you for taking the time to document and share. Keep up the great work!
 
Funny, I just replaced the two o-rings I could see, didn't know there was a third. Not sure I want to tempt fate:bang:
 
Got up early this morning (well actually I get up early EVERY morning) and started working on the head some more. I wanted to finish cleaning it up (combustion chambers) so I could see what the valve seats looked like. All the seats looked pretty good considering the mileage. The intake Valves will clean up and lap in just fine (for now) but the exhaust Valves may need to be replaced. Most have some light 'pitting' and while I could make them 'work' until I do my engine 'refresh' I might order new ones.

The inside of my Spark Plug Tubes were fairly grungy and I was trying to think of how I might be able to clean them. Yeah, I know...who cleans SPT's right? Well.....I was cleaning the head right next to where I clean my firearms and spotted a shotgun bore brush. Then had an Epiphany (and I don't have those often). What if I chucked the brush up in a battery drill and wrap it with a copper scrubbing pad? How clean would it get the tubes?

Stay tuned:



And here is our answer. Not as shiny as the bore on my Superposed...but not bad.

Spark Plug Tube.jpg


Combustion Chambers Cleaned:

CC cleaned.jpg


Intake Valves will be fine once I clean them and Lap them in:

Int lap.jpg



Exhaust Valves....not so much:

Exh Lap.jpg
 
Great thread, keep it up! It will be great use to people doing their own work.
I’m like you, don’t trust so called mechanics typically. There are some good ones out there but few and far between. Like a good DR, once you find one keep going to them!
 
Great thread, keep it up! It will be great use to people doing their own work.
I’m like you, don’t trust so called mechanics typically. There are some good ones out there but few and far between. Like a good DR, once you find one keep going to them!


Well...I will use a Machine Shop to go through the head properly....when I am ready to do the other engine work (do it right all at one time), but for now I need to get it back running. So...I want to do at least the rudimentary work to insure it lasts until I'm ready to freshen up the engine.
 
Good trick with the shotgun brush. I happen to know a 9mm brush will clean out the bolt holes for the rear tow hooks quite nicely.

👍 :clap:
 
Just piddling around today while I wait on certain parts, gaskets, etc...

Thought I'd check the resistance on my injectors (all were good).

ohm injectors.jpg


Then go ahead and 'prime' my valve cover and let it start curing. I am going to paint mine rather than have it powder coated...since the nearest place that can do that for me is about 60 miles away. I'll go with Red Epoxy...so I primed the cover in White. That way the Red (light to medium reds) will really pop. Will get the Red on it in a day or two.

Primer Coat.jpg


Raised Lettering2.jpg


Raised Lettering1.jpg

Still trying to find my Valve Spring Pressure gauge to check the installed height figures. I know I have one...but darned if I can find it. Probably loaned it out to someone and don't remember. May have to buy another one.
 
So...FINALLY found my pressure gauge. Thought it was in one of my tool boxes...but turns out I had bagged it up with some other engine tools.

Rigged up a small fixture to hold my Valve Springs and a 'Stop' to let me know when I've hit the correct 'Installed Height', then made a Co-Witness mark on the Arbor Press Ram so I don't overshoot the Compression (gauge can continue to be compressed).

All of my Springs are fine for 'Free Length' measurement. Also for deviation off of square. Will get around to checking the Compressed Tension of each spring tomorrow sometime. But the first one showed 62 lbs. (@ installed height of 1.437"). Minimum is 54 lbs. so plenty good still.

Press1.jpg
Press3.jpg
Press5.jpg
Press6.jpg
Press7.jpg
 
Lapping Valves.

"We're having fun now.....eh kids"? :frown:

Intake valves and seats in the head are excellent and won't be any problem.

Exhaust valves and seats are pretty rough though, they will need attention later when I pull the engine for a re-fresh.

For now...I can make them 'better' to some degree. Just a lot of work.

But what the Hell....I'm retired....so as long as God doesn't 'pull the plug' on me before I get finished, it should all work out.


LV1.jpg
LV2.jpg
LV3.jpg
LV4.jpg
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom