Well, the head gasket on my 1998 1.6 petrol engine has gone kaput. (Overheating a bit, but no coolant loss, then last week: ZOOM overheated to the top, I pull over, no coolant; I add coolant and 8 KM later, its gone. Sure enough, mayo in the oil filler neck (although not a lot.) No sign of other external leakage, but fresh coolant--what's left of it...-- now brown.) Since I've been out of work for over 9 months, I'm considering trying this myself. (Have done DIY brakes, shocks, various sensors and regular maintenance items, but never an engine head overhaul.)

So 5 questions:
1. Does ANYBODY have a step-by-step guide, pdf or otherwise on exactly how I do this? (I checked Haynes but it's really not specific enough for this procedure.)

2. Can a person use hi-temp/copper Forms-A-Gasket for the head? Or must one use the OEM gasket? (I presume the latter.)

3. My supplier has a kit with a whole bunch of gaskets in it for my engine. Are there other gaskets/seals I will need to change BESIDES the head gasket itself? If so, what are they and how accessible or non-accessible are they?

4. Besides a torque wrench and crafting a tool to lock the timing sprockets, are there other specialized tools I would need?

Any help/tips greatly appreciated!

1. Will look when I get home form work.

2. OEM or aftermarket that fit 100%. The gaskets on the 1.6 are metal ones as I remember.

3. In general, the intake and exhaust manifold gaskets may be the ones to change, but first take it off and see.

4. Not that I know, you will need one of these

sorry dont know the english name, to measure the upper dead spot.


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Thanks Sven!

Thanks! I appreciate your taking the time to respond. If you do have a detailed guide I would appreciate your forwarding that to me.

As to the picture you supplied, I believe that is a 'pressure gauge.'

So, do I have to disassemble all the valves, guides, springs, and retainers, etc from the head in order to do this job? I thought the head was removed 'intact'.

BTW: I relied on your guide for replacing the heater matrix, and it went beautifully! (Still can't straighten my neck out a year later though...)
--Jeff

Sorry am not at home still so cant see for the guide. That is deffo not a manometer, its called comparator here. It messures the top point of the piston movement. Also the valves stay in! You need to take off the inlet & exhaust manifold, valve cover, camshaft, timing belt, timing belt pulley, then unscrew the head bolts and thats all.


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Here is the guide, sorry for the late response, had lots going.

Link:https://files.me.com/sven.c/r4u8ss



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