Finished the head gaskets but......

Hello again.......
Just finished the head gaskets on my V8 3.9 but now it wont start.......not sure where to start, have checked all the obvious connections that i might have disturbed doing the heads. Any help appreciated.

it is very easy to get the dizzy in 180deg out.....check No.1 piston is at TDC and ON THE FIRING STROKE by checking all the valves are closed on No.1, and when you put the dizzy in remember it turns slightly as the helicoil drive gears engage....so you have to turn it further from No.1 plug point, then as you insert it, it should turn to the No.1 plug position...this should give you a good base to start from.

Also ensure the dizzy bob ewights are attached as well as the vacuum advance retard pipe.

my 4.2 lse did the same - no spark from the coil. i played with the wires from the amp on the side of the dizzy and checked the trigger inside. the amp was kaput. coincidence??? new amp and it worked. and may be worth checking fuses!

I had similar with my old 3.9....the amp went £15 odd I think, easy job and fired first turn of the key...

Saint.V8 said:

it is very easy to get the dizzy in 180deg out.....check No.1 piston is at TDC and ON THE FIRING STROKE by checking all the valves are closed on No.1

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How do you know the valves are closed on No1 without removing the rocker cover again?

Thanks

Davegilsenan said:

How do you know the valves are closed on No1 without removing the rocker cover again?

Thanks

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Take the plug out and put your thumb over the hole. When the piston is on the firing stroke you will feel compression on your thumb.

Thanks for all the tips so far. Success - engine is running! As i had drained all the coolant i was refilling through the tower at the top of the engine. The manuals say to leave the tower cap, rad cap and expansion bottle cap off and run the car up to temp. I have tried this but all the coolant is being pushed out the tower............I wonder if there is a blockage somewhere that has been causing the overheating all along. When i was filling through the tower, the water was very slow to go down.
I'm almost ready to set fire to the car now

I had that, turned out the stat was on its way out and wasnt opening soon enough so the water was boiling by the time it did

fit a new one but make sure its waxstat brand the cheapy ones are ****e

Its a new stat. The water is coming out the fill tower and soon as the engine starts from cold......

did you check liners

fanatic said:

did you check liners

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Yes......could that cause the coolant to be pumped out?

yes

also check the small hoses from rad are not blocked- how long till it blows out from start.

When you checked liners they should be no perceivable difference with block face- if there is it knackered.

put the heater on hot, and fan on full.

thats odd, have you got the tower hoses on the right way round?

Liners - checked when heads were off. All appear OK - all 8 were the same.
Small hoses from top of rad - clear
Fan and heater on,

Then I checked Fett's tip - tower hoses. They are back on the way they came off but looking at the manual, could they have been the wrong way around and causing all my overheating problems since i bought the car? The one to the tower goes to the inlet manifold and is the lower one going through the bulkhead. The manual seems to show it going to the back of the water pump.......but the manual also has arrows going different ways at the opposite ends of the same pipe. Hopefully someone can check theirs and let me know

ive sold mine so I cant help, might be worth trying it as you have nothing to loose atm

I take it the radiator was checked for blockages and flushed?