head gasket replacement, preferred parts sources?

[gadget73]

I suspect I may have to do a head gasket. I noticed a puddle on the ground the other day, and previously it had been leaking coolant from the rear of the head. It has a small ongoing coolant loss situation that I have not identified either. Possibly its the head, hoping for a gasket.

Anyone have suggestions on where to get the parts to do this? Not sure if specific brands are preferred. German cars are not where my experience lies. I believe the head bolts are single-use, not sure offhand if anything else is.

Any other "while I'm in there" work I should be considering?

[Kerrvillian]

Head bolts are single-use. I ordered mine from Schmiedman's because nobody this side of the pond had them. Check the head gasket that's installed on the engine, there are different thicknesses. Service information has a blurb on how to identify the thickness of the gasket based on a punch code up near the water neck. You want to order the same thickness gasket that's on the car currently. I used an Elring gasket.

As far as "while you're in there" stuff:

- Skim the head
- Lap the valves or have a valve job done
- Replace the front cam seal
- Replace the rocker arms if they're worn or the eccentrics are spanked
- Replace valve stem seals
- Replace timing belt if not done very recently

Make sure you chase the bolt holes in the head with a bottoming tap and blow out the holes with compressed air. I believe the tap size is M11 x 1.5. I haven't got my notes in front of me for what I did on the Dumpster.

[gadget73]

Are the thickness marks visible with the head installed or is that a take it apart and find out what I need thing? Does having the head shaved affect what thickness that needs to be, basically add the shave amount to the thickness?

I remember reading the head bolts are single use.

Belt I did in 2018, 25k ago. New tensioner at that time, but I wouldn't be unwilling to throw another belt on. Its not that expensive and it has to come off anyway. I've got the cam lock tool, the drill bit for the injection pump, and a lock pin for the crankshaft.

Valve seals, lapping the valves makes sense. Same with the cam seal if the cam is getting pulled anyway.

I'd probably have the head skimmed anyway just to make sure its good and flat. Maybe just have the shop do the valves while they have it. Assuming I can get the grouchy SOB that runs the place to consent to touching it.

Appreciate the heads up on the rockers too.

[Kerrvillian]

There's a tab that sticks out with holes punched in it to denote the thickness of the gasket. You can see it without removing the head. Unfortunately I don't have a TD anymore to remember where that tab is or provide a picture. If you're just having the head skimmed, I wouldn't think you need to go to a thicker gasket. Perhaps someone else can chime in with that information. I didn't have a skim done on mine since the head was trash, I installed a new head, so those details didn't apply to my situation.

If the belt was done in 2018, it's due. Change interval is 5 years or 60K miles.

[gadget73]

Luckily mine is a Lincoln, they don't give a time interval

I'll see if I can see it next time I'm poking around under the hood.