Head removal?

[4G63dsmpwr]

Hey guys I'm going to be pulling the head off my 90 AWD.

Wondering if there is a write-up on it. I checked VFAQ - and didn't find anything. I have the manual, but I'm sure there are things along the way that you guys do which make it quicker.

Thanks a ton!

 

[huafist]

It's actually pretty straight-forward - just follow the manual and you'll be fine. FWIW, you don't have to remove the Exhaust and Intake manifolds to pull the head. Make sure all your coolant, vacuum, and electrical lines are unplugged before you proceed - double and triple check this.
Like I said, it's pretty straightforward. Just jump in with both feet.

 

[kalla]

Be sure you have a 10mm allen head socket to loosen the head bolts .. you'll need one.

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

Ok, I def. have the allen key socket, thats not a problem. However, its a 3/8" drive - will this hold up and everything, I know that you need to torque them down to about 70ft. lbs, right?

I'm not sure if you knew I was talking about just a cheap HAYNES manual, like 5 bucks at Autozone. I don't have an actual shop manual for my car, nor the extra cash to pick one up right now.

I'm going to leave the exhaust/intake manifolds attached, and take it all up at once to save time.

Any special tools that I will need besides the basics? Pliers, sockets, etc.?

I ordered a headgasket, and thats pretty much that - right? My valve cover gasket is pretty new, only about 6 months or so. I'm picking up some orange RTV to seal it up nice though.

I know what to remove, and how to remove the head pretty well... The part I'm fuzzy on is the whole timing deal... Don't know too much about that. I know you zip tiw the belt to the cam gears right? I need to read up some more, but I'm going to attempt this Sat/Sun...

Thanks for all the info!

 

[RoasT BeeF]

You should deff check out vfaq.com and read up on the timing. It says you need special tools to do the timing belt but dont really worry about that. It can be done without them.

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

Haha, ok thanks alot man, tonight I will do a few hours of reading.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[DevilSperm]

if you re-use your timing belt, make sure to mark with white out or timing chalk, the direction of travel so you put it back on the same way

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

Ok, thanks!

 

[bob_green]

i am debating doing the same on a cheap junker i got let me know how it goes first

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

Well I just spent about 2.5HRS taking off a ton of stuff... Here's what I removed, maybe this list will help someone:

HEAD REMOVAL:

drain engine oil

drain coolant

remove turbo-manifold bolts

remove valve cover bolts

remove upper coolant hose

remove battery

remove mass air assembly

remove upper IC hose too

remove CAS

remove injector/o2/CTS/ harness

remove heater hose line running to thermostat housing

remove coolant line that runs from water pipe to throttle body

remove alternator belt

loosen PS belt

remove water pump pulley

remove power steering pump

remove upper engine mount

remove timing cover

remove brake booster vacume line

remove T that runs from FPR to boost gauge line

Whats Left:

Taking off the head, and all the timing crap!!

This was pretty easy so far... I'll let you know how the rest goes!

 

[kalla]

BTW I used a 3/8 allen head socket (with a 3/8 - 1/2 adapter) to remove my head, don't worry about that. Remember to be careful prying/removing the valve cover as it's fragile and you don't want to crack it.

 

[Tongboy]

don't forget the big bracket on the back of the intake mani that goes to the block, its a PITA to get at but its what I couldn't figure out when my head wasn't budging

 

[Jeff_Jeske]

don't forget the big bracket on the back of the intake mani that goes to the block, its a PITA to get at but its what I couldn't figure out when my head wasn't budging

Its very easy to get at from under the car.

 

[project94tsi]

you should deffinitly check out www.plymouthlaser.com he has a good tech atricle on how to remove and rebuild your head and it has pictures, hope that helps.

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

Thanks for all your help guys - its appreciated very much!

Ok so all thats left is the following:

Head Bolts
Timing Belt has not been touched, lower/top covers removed.

Now I tried reading up on it in the Haynes manual tonight - the only thing they cover is how to completely remove the timing belt. Is this what I need to do?

I know I've seen people zip tie them and stuff... Do they always pull it entirely out or?

Also, I have limited tools, and I'm working on the street - and it snowed recently haha!

But its gotta get done. I'm going to check out that link, thanks.

I picked up a set of ARPs head bolts also, what should I crank them down to w/the OEM gasket?

Should I attempt the timing belt, or will I mess something up?

Any special tools required, besides the basics?

Thanks.

 

[Catbox_95]

You won't be able to just zip-tie the belt to the pulleys and pull the pulleys from the cams. There is too much tension and you wouldn't be able to get it back on.

I recently tackled such a job, and tried to leave the belt intact, but it ended up being 5 times as much work trying to get around just taking the whole damn thing off!

There are tricks to getting it back on without all the expensive and hard-to-find tools they tell you you need, so don't worry about that. I have a 2g, and while I know the 1g is similar, I'm not sure if it's exactly the same so I don't want to give you wrong installation instructions! If someone can confirm that the 1g and 2g timing belt installation is the same, I'll give you step-by-step instructions on how to do it the EASY way (and the right way too!)

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

Someone please let me know the differences between a 1G and 2G timing belt job!

I'd appreciate it a ton if you could help me out! All thats left on my car is the head bolts, and the timing belt.

I have a brand new Mitsu headgasket, and ARPs

Thanks a ton for all the help!

 

[Jeff_Jeske]

There about the same job just one has less room to work than the other.

Which head do you have and on which block?

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

I have a 90 AWD Talon...

The head was rebuilt about one week ago. Me and a buddy installed everything perfectly. While installing everything after the head removal, I broke a coolant sensor - and the interior guage wasn't working.

With my luck, my radiator cracked and leaked - and caused to overheat.

5 days on the old headgasket. I'm going to check both the block and the head for straight w/a feeler guage.

Thanks!

 

[power=dsm]

when did u realise your head was ####ed beacause i drove my car with no coolant and everything is fine well for only 6 min but the temp gauge never passed 3/4 or never touched the second line
i'm wondering how long did you drive it to cause ur head gasket to blow? how did u know you blew it??smoking burning coolant? did u check your block and head for cracks and warpage

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

I drove it for only about 20-25min, but like mentioned before my interior guage wasn't working - and I didn't know that my radiator was going to develop a crack.

I already installed a brand new radiator/thermostat so I'm covered there.

Last time, when we pulled the head off - the machine shop pressure tested the head, and we visually looked over the block. We checked both surfaces for straight using a feeler guage.

I alo ordered a nice water temp guage, and fixed the stock on - hopefully I won't have this problem again.

Thanks very much for all the help.

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

I just need a real clear explanation of the timing belt job, when removing the head...

I know some people zip-tie them, some dont. Some people say you need a ton of tools, others dont.

I do know one thing: If the goes back together wrong, as far as timing is concerned - I'll have some real big problems.

Catbox_95: I think a member said the 1G-2G are very similiar... If you could give me an explanation that'd be great!

Thanks for the help!

 

[Jeff_Jeske]

I think people do the tip tie thing when doing cams but normally when doing the head all that crap comes off.

Its really not that hard to do a timing belt. I think the hardest part is getting all the timing chain cover bolts out. I also dont have a TBT tool so I have to compress the tensioner with a vise.

JJ

 

[Catbox_95]

Ok, here it goes:

To make things easier, get the engine at #1 Top Dead Center. Remove the timing belt. If you are going to re-use the belt, mark the direction of the belt and be sure to put it back on in the same direction.

IMPORTANT!!! - ONCE THE TIMING BELT IS REMOVED, DO NOT ROTATE THE ENGINE OR THE CAMS! But once you remove the cams, you can spin the engine around all you wish.

Remove the timing belt auto-tensioner.

Loosen the center bolt that hold on the pulley that the auto-tensioner presses against.

To reinstall, make sure the engine is at TDC. Install the cams and align the cam markings.

Install the belt on the cam pulleys first, then clamp (or zip tie) the belt on the cam pulleys so they don't fall off while you go under the car.

Run the belt around the rear pulley, then around the rear balance shaft/oil pump. Make sure you line up the arrow on this pulley with the mark on the block.

Then run the belt around the crank pulley, again, make sure you have the arrow lined up with the mark on the block.

Next run the belt around the auto-tensioner pulley.

Now pay close attention to this belt-tensioning technique:

Put the auto-tensioner in a vice and SLOWLY clamp the shaft down until the hole in the shaft lines up with the hole in the casing. Stick a small rod, like a small allen wrench or something, through the holes.

Bolt the auto-tensioner back on to the block with this rod you stuck through it.

LEAVE THE ROD IN IT FOR NOW!

Take some kind of pry-bar and wedge it against the auto-tensioner pulley (do this from the top of the engine) and pry the pulley against the belt until the belt is tight.

When the belt is tight, tighten the center bolt of the pulley.

Now, check that rod you stuck through the auto-tensioner. If it is loose, then so far you have done things right. If it is tight and even slightly hard to pull out, try loosening the center bolt and grab that pry-bar and try to put more tension on the belt.

Keep doing this until the rod in the auto-tensioner is loose.

When it is loose, pull it out. Make sure ALL of the pulley marks are still aligned. Check the cams, the balance shaft, and the crank to be at TDC. If they are all still lined up, spin the motor over 2 turns each way, then let it just sit there for about 15 minutes.

After you have let it sit there, take that rod and try to stick it back through the holes in the auto-tensioner. If it goes through, CONGRATULATIONS! You're done. Pull the rod back out, you were just using it to test it. If it won't go through, you need to pull the auto-tensioner off, compress it, stick the rod in it, and repeat the steps mentioned above.

It's a lot of steps, I know, but it really isn't hard. It takes like, 10 minutes, plus the 15 you have to wait. It all worked on the first try for me, rod went right back in and all.

Good luck.

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

I have discussed some minor details over with him about the above...

Tomorrow me and a buddy are attempting this!!!

Armed with: The DSM CD, the H-Gasket section, Timing section. The write-ups from plymouthlaser.com, as well as this thread...

Anyone who'll be around tomorrow around noon time, stop by if possible, sure I'll have some type of question!! Thanks.