Removal of heads?

[msherry21]

Hi all, Since some people have noticed large increases in performance and rev's since having the heads done, I'm now thinking of going down this route once I get used to the car. I'll get it dyno'd before hand so we can get a comparison.

My question is how easy is it to remove the heads while the engine is in the car and how long should it take to remove them? baring in mind I have a SC'er on top. Whilst the heads are off is there anything else worth doing at the same time? Will I need to replace the gaskets again? or can I re-use the ones Paul has fitted?

sorry for so many questions.

Cheers,

Michael.

[OlberJ]

If the gaskets are in good condition, no reason to change them.

I think the headwork with the supercharger will produce plenty power and retain your drive-ability. No need for cams, but then again you're keeping it as a track car.

Depends how extreme you want it.

I'd spend money on the heads and then making sure the exhaust and suspension is as good as it can be.

With the shorter ratio's of the NA box (iirc they're shorter), that's gonna be stupid quick round Knockhill. :fit:

Or any other track i can think of.

Although on saying that, maytbe a good idea to lengthen 5th and keep 1-4 as close as possible.

Anyone know what the top speed of an NA box is on a say 15/16" rolling radius?

[foxy-stoat]

Hey, i wanna get my heads done too. Just having a look, i'd say it would be a tight squeeze to remove them in-situ, so i'd guess engine will have to come out ( in a mk2 anyway....mk1's get that bulk head chopped out so maybe more room there ! )

I not sure you can re-use the head gaskets even if they are newish, as when they are torqued up they compress. Doubt they'd be the same fit if you re-used them.....they are not too dear anyway.

I had mine dyno'd a few months back and got 187hp at fly wheel and 156 hp at the wheels...thats a standard v6 without the exhaust Y piece being sorted.

Will get it dyno'd again once i have enough stirling for the head work.

:D

[foxy-stoat]

arrrr coolio !!!

i was gonna have to budget a weekend to remove the engine !!

nice one

:thumbsup:

[Paul Woods]

and gaskets cant be re-used chaps! :)

[msherry21]

So whats needed to remove them? how many bolts etc? Are they easy to get to? anything else I need to remove to get at them?

Thats good to know Paul, cheers, and I won't be putting in cams. Just wanted to help the car breathe even more.

Supensions all nearly sorted Ollie and so is the exhaust, thanks to Paul's welding skills.

[Marksman]

As Tony has alluded to they're no such thing as just whipping off the heads. 90% of the gubbins that bolts to an engine bolts to the head so head removal is pretty much the same as engine removal but without the block coming out.

Taken one bolt at a time then it's all pretty logical but if it were me I'd probably take the engine out anyway and then take the heads off, but that's just me. Or maybe build up a second engine and then swap engines.

Have fun whichever way you go,

Owen.

[msherry21]

Sounds interesting, also sounds like something I'd rather tackle in the winter than have the car off the road for anytime over the summer.

Cheers for all the info guys, I think I'll rebuild the 3SGTE first, It REALLY needs it!