Replacing Head Gasket

[budzinsk]

Hello. I recently purchase a 82 Zagato and I decided to replace the timing belt before disaster happens. When I got into the engine, I noticed a lot of oil leaks so I decided to replace all of the seals on that side of the engine and replace the cam housing gaskets (where they meet the head). Now that I have it down that far, I am thinking, I may as well replace the head gasket also.

What are your thoughts? I already have the gasket head set, I would just have the head planed before putting it on. How hard are the intake and exhaust manifolds to get off? The car has 57,000 miles on it and has 150 PSI compression in each cylinder so I would simply replace the valve seals and head gasket - nothing else. While I have it apart that far, shoull I replace anything else?

Thanks,
Rob

[davidb]

Of course w/the head off, valves out you're gonna re-lap/grind
them. W/the correct head gasket no surface grinding will be
necessary unless it's warped. W/the F.I. system off you may
elect to replace some of the hard to get @ components: thermo
time switch, fuel pressure regulator, cold start sensor [blue one]
and maybe injectors. Depends upon your budget. Check all the
fuel & vacumn hoses for integrity, fuel rail too. W/57K miles unless
you know for certain it's been replaced replace the Lambda sensor.
You'll have the exhaust manifold off anyway, take off the "down-
pipe", torch, remove & replace the O2 sensor. Hit the re-set button
on the ECM. All I can think of for now. Good luck . . .

[budzinsk]

Thanks David. Are the intake and exhaust bolts pretty easy to get at? Do I need to remove the exhaust manifold or can I just push it away?
Thankd,
Rob

[Allen Lofland]

Anoter thing to consider if you do all that is you are now able to access the starter so consider a rebuild or at least a sylonoid install :)
Personally I start this type of project with the removal of those four big bolts on the bottom :)

[len_newstrum]

The car has 57,000 miles on it and has 150 PSI compression in each cylinder so I would simply replace the valve seals and head gasket - nothing else. While I have it apart that far, shoull I replace anything else?At 57,000 miles I would have to say, "If it ain't broke, dont fix it!"

I've gotten 150,000 on one engine and even then there wasn't a problem, I just wanted to put it back to Italian specs. The rebuilt engine went for another 150,000 and was still going strong when I retired the car for other reasons (body damage and a cracked windshield). 57,000 miles is just broken in.

Regarding the oil leaks. If the car has been sitting for a long time it is common for the seals to become hardened. Just put in some seal softener and run it for a while and the leakage quite probably will stop. If they continue to leak, it doesn't take much effort to go back in (be sure and replace the timing belt, even if it is still relatively new.)

[1,6 HF]

Rob,

Frankly it sounds as though you've already done everything worth doing--you've addressed the only real "even if it ain't broke" issue, which is the timing belt. I'd concur with davidb's recommendations on the hoses and some other miscellaneous components. But otherwise, Len's right; with that little mileage and those compression figures, why would you want to do the head gasket and valve seals?

[davidb]

Ditto what Allen said: replace the starter too. "Easy", that's
pretty relative. Pulling a carbed head is "easy" compared to
an injected head IMO. Some people pull the A/C "exchanger",
radiator & fan to make it "easier" to get @ the plenum, start-
er, etc. Then the radiator gets flushed, tested. So then you think
new t-stat, coolant hoses. My point is when do you say that's
enough? Depends on your "P"s: patience, proficiency, pocketbook.
Maybe passion too. Some folks think if it ain't broke don't replace/
fix it, others say if it's in-my-face [accessible] out it comes. Some
folks leave the head alone, others pull it every 50+K mi. or so
[I'm the latter]. No hard & fast rules here, just suggestions. Overall
I'd say pulling an injected head is NOT "easy" but far from "very
difficult". We're here to help. Good luck.

[KeppelmanJ]

It would be good to know about the valve seals. Original owner '81 coupe, mine were seeping from old age at 43k miles. Look for a caked somewhat oily combustion chamber. While I was at it I did the valve job on a 1.8 head and used euro pulleys. Noticeable power boost at the top with no torque loss at the bottom.

[Jim Keller]

Don't bother with the head gasket, you may end up causing yourself greif going that far when it is perectly fine.

Concerning the starter, one thing you must do is replce the red wire from the starter selenoid to just past the plug up by the battery tray, making sure to clean the starter selenoid terminal well and use high quality connectors and electrical grease on connections, this will eliminate a couple plugs that are there pretty much for assembly line ease, not owner maintenance, that are notorious for having bad/corroded conections causing a "no start hot engine" situation at gas stations and carry outs.

In the past, the problem would go away for a while sometimes by installng a relay in the circut, but I found over the last few Betas I have had just replacing that section of wire and eliminating the extra corroded connections and wiring acomplishes the same thing permenently.

Unlike a Chevy or Ford type car, If that selenoid doesn't get an actual 12 volts plus, it will not trigger power to the starter, 11 volts ain't enough believe it or not! it's bad engineering, IMHO! LOL

[budzinsk]

Thanks everyone! This is just the info I wanted.
Rob