Hi there, I'm about to change the head gasket on my daughters 1.2 99 16v cabrio.

I've searched this forum as well as I can, I bought the cam lockers and piston height tools to aid for timing and I've purchased a complete head set, timing belt,tensioner and water pump.

I've also bought a Haynes manual and I like to think of myself as pretty handy and up for most jobs mechanical. Looking through the manual it looks like I need a specialist tool that goes between the head extension and the head presumably to stop the cam followers falling out.

The trouble is I can't find that anywhere on any forum or Internet. Is it needed or just something they say would be handy.??

Also I don't feel like taking all the stuff off the manifolds, I would rather just undo both sides and leave them tied back, is that right??

Thanks in advance

Craig

Yes, but the lifter holding in tool can be made up. The Mk1 Haynes manual (see the Downloads library) has the instructions.

Many ways to skin a cat. Just do enough to have good access.

Do get the head skimmed! And, remember, usually HGs go for a reason, rather than die of old age!

fingers99 said:

Yes, but the lifter holding in tool can be made up. The Mk1 Haynes manual (see the Downloads library) has the instructions.

Many ways to skin a cat. Just do enough to have good access.

Do get the head skimmed! And, remember, usually HGs go for a reason, rather than die of old age!

Click to expand...

they removed it

Ah well, plenty on eBay!

Alternatively, it's on most of the peer2peer networks (aMule, eMule, etc.) or torrent sites.

cheers thanks, i take it, you need it to stop the followers falling out??

can't be done without it i suppose? the manual does show you how t make one up, so i will give it a try. Seems a bit of a pain, but needs be

yeh i reckon its been overheating. Hope its not cracked

Yeah, they'll all fall out.

Never seen a cracked head (yet). Usual causes are fubar thermostat (beware of all but factory ones), rad fan not coming on, or water loss.

Thanks fingers,

Put a new thermo in as I was hoping it was just that. Car was overheating, water loss and no hot air through matrix. New thermo went in and now the temp is ok, but the heater is still cold and the car now smokes like hell.

Getting the head skimmed over weekend and hope that cures it.

Thanks again for your help

Got the head off. All looks ok apart from a couple of burn marks between pots 3 and 4. I have had it checked with a straight edge and it is indeed burred invetween those pots, so prognosise was correct.

Do the valves need to come out before its skimmed?? Not a lot of clearance between surface of head and valve heads.

Probably best -- the gasket set will come with new valve stem oil seals, anyway. Worthwhile (as it's the second most important seal on the engine) getting the valves recut while the head is skimmed (number the valves with tippex, take a photo).

Got it skimmed. Pots 3 and 4 were out. New valve seals in and hope to put the head back on today. Just found out it had a new water pump and cam belt a month before I bought it as they thought the pump was at fault, know now it was the head gasket.

So got a brand new water pump and timing belt if someone needs one as well as the cam lock kit, if you know if anyone needs them all at good price