Series 3 2.6 6 cyl - cylinder head gasket replacement

Hi Guys and Girls, I'm just about to attempt a cylinder head gasket replacement on my '79 Series 3 109 2.6 6cyl. I've learned loads from lots of the posts on here from peoples experiences and found some great pictures of others shiny cleaned up cylinder heads.

The reason for the work stems from a fairly consistent white smoke from the exhaust, loss of coolant level after really short drives and the temp getting high quickly, i.e. within 5 mins of starting the engine. I've an adjustable carb that I though was causing it as I had been 'modifying' the idle speed for the MOT, and not long after I put it back to normal running speed, the white smoke started. No sign of any milky crud in the radiator but just last night I took the breather filter cover off and found some whitish milky deposits on the arse of it...
Engine oil level staying up well so no major loss there, the white smoke isn't an oily smoke, seems to be mostly water/coolant.

So, anyone out there recently done a 2.6 6cyl head gasket replacement? any good tips or tricks that you can share before I get stuck in? I have a new thermostat to do while I'm at it, and the rocker cover gasket too. Will likely give the tappets a 'feel' while I'm there for the heck of it.
any pointers gratefully accepted!!
cheers
Pete

I can't offer any advice as I've never done this but as a fellow 6 pot owner (also from 1979) can I ask a favour, can you take a few pictures and slap them up in here when you do it as I'd be interested to see.

With that age of engine it's always worthwhile doing a full de-coke when the head is of - so valve spring compressor, valve grinding tool and paste - lengthy[ish] job but strangely satisfying...................... good luck

will do ajb403,
thanks waldamar, I have a course and fine paste tub to grind the valves ordered up with a sucker tool made from an old bath mat, haven't looked into the spring compressor yet but will before I get going.
I have a whole replacement engine for the beast, previous owner salvaged it from another 109, so have some leeway if I really balls something up!

ajb403 - some pics of the head replacement. hardest part was loosening the head bolts up close to the bulk head, see pic #7. all sorted now and no more white smoke!

Can't see any pictures chap, is it just me?

nope, I can't see em either

ajb403 said:

Can't see any pictures chap, is it just me?

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Just a thought....
White emulsion can be caused by short journeys
White smoke is normal for a few minutes after startup
Coolant can be lost to the overflow tank on the side of the radiator
Did you do a compression test first?

Cheers for that Pete, did you get any pictures of the block while the head was off by any chance?

waldamar said:

With that age of engine it's always worthwhile doing a full de-coke when the head is of - so valve spring compressor, valve grinding tool and paste - lengthy[ish] job but strangely satisfying...................... good luck

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Lapping valves with a wooden sucker stick is strangely enjoyable

Will you be looking at the exhaust valves ? I have a sidevalve compressor from when I did my Rover P4. To much work to skimp on the job.

hope those pics are through now, you might be seeing them multiple times... I was on a slow old internet connection and have little patience so clicked them a couple of times, will try to tidy up when I'm back on the computer later.
chris7 - good call, I had only been doing short drives for a while but the white smoke stayed after a good +50 mile run with a few radiator refils/hand scalds on route... pressure test showed c4 was weak as p155, but the old gasket didnt really look too bad, I had half hoped it would be blown apart to make it obvious that was the issue but it was reasonable looking.


I'll look for a pic of the block now, I sorta forgot to take pics once I was in the zone .
divie, I'll come back to the exhaust valves again, I didn't have time to dismantle the innards this time around (IOE engine) and was very nearly out of my comfort zone on this, but no better way to learn!

head pic

Thanks for that pete, what you can see of number 4 cylinder and piston does look remarkably clean and shiny compared to the others.

yeah, 4 was the best looking to me but the pressure test didn't like it

Hi - thanks for pics. Considering "doing" head job on mine today. On 6 pot head gasket - Bearmach and not marked which way up as LR OEM are - is it ridges to aluminium cylinder side up? Thanks, jj

Hi

jonjeans said:

Hi - thanks for pics. Considering "doing" head job on mine today. On 6 pot head gasket - Bearmach and not marked which way up as LR OEM are - is it ridges to aluminium cylinder side up? Thanks, jj

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JJ, sorry for late reply, I used a britpart gasket which had a 'this side up' showing the ridges downwards, I.e. Towards the block.
Good luck with the job!

Pete 2.6... said:

View attachment 98834

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and hows it look from the other sdide