General Head Gasket Help - 1108 MPI

Currently reading:
General Head Gasket Help - 1108 MPI

13mm crows foot + extension bar, or a long handled 13mm flange/C/brake pipe spanner. The crows foot is easier to buy but the flange spanner was a great investment for me, I got mine from a tradesman's tool merchant & my 8-21mm set cost around £250.
 
Thanks for that fingers, after much searching I came across a bigger spanner and it is now off :) Yeah I removed the headlight and moved the tank out the way, but how I'm gonna torque it up when refitting I don't know cos there's no way my torque wrench will fit in that gap!

Damn also it looks like I'm gonna have to drain the oil & remove the filter! Doesn't seem to be any way to get to the last two lower exhaust manifold bolts except remove it :(

I only changed the oil & filter 200 miles ago! Can't be reused, can they? :bang:
 
I did it :D

Without taking the filter off. Just took two hours to take four bolts off, that's all. :p And I don't have a knuckle joint either!

Time to lift the head now, the latest problem I am having is the exhaust manifold won't move forward very much at all, the catalyst connected to the manifold is hitting the front of the car - plus I never managed to get the heat shield out so that is still floating around...
 
I really am screwed now. Undoing the head bolts, I've got stuck at number 3, all the rest undid fine (with a lot of force obviously) But bolt number 3 will not budge in the slightest. I've now put so much force on it that I've broken two 13mm sockets. It's on so tight that the sockets have both stripped out, and these aren't cheap tools (Draper)

So what do you do when this happens? I'm assuming you can't drill head bolts out
 
You weren't doing something silly like trying to use a 1/4" or 5/8" 13mm socket were you? I've used Draper Expert for some time without issue, but that is substantially better quality than their standard range.
 
1/4" or 5/8"? Do you mean 1/4 or 3/8"?

I was using a 1/2" drive, pretty sure it's not Expert, just standard.

My dad seems to think Draper are expensive tools, but then he is a tight.........

Will be getting a lift to Halfords tomorrow so the fun can continue.
 
Dont use a ratchet, you'll damage the mechanism, and if it slips, you'll probably end up on the floor with cuts and grazes.

Use a breaker bar, bigger the better, and like fingers said, a 6sided impact socket
 
Bent the head? Is that because I've had to put a lot of force on it, or because I've had to leave it with 7 bolts loosened by 1/2 a turn and 3 done up?

The head bolt didn't seem to take any damage, just the socket! Couldn't believe it myself

Pretty sure we've got a breaker bar in the garage...

What's the difference between an impact socket and a normal one, it is just stronger?
 
Bent the head? Is that because I've had to put a lot of force on it, or because I've had to leave it with 7 bolts loosened by 1/2 a turn and 3 done up?

The head bolt didn't seem to take any damage, just the socket! Couldn't believe it myself

Pretty sure we've got a breaker bar in the garage...

What's the difference between an impact socket and a normal one, it is just stronger?

Yes they are stronger as they are thicker, maybe a different steel.
 
But does it affect the non-interference of the valves and pistons in the event of a cambelt snap? Or is that only if you have it skimmed more than once?
 
Back
Top