Head gasket change

1. user_64763 Established Member Joined: Jun 2013 York Posts: 2134 Citroen Saxo VTR (2001)

   #1 8th January 2014, 18:41

   Going to change the head gasket on my VTR, sounds and looks straight forward enough. Only bit I'm not keen on is when taking off the cambelt etc how to lock the pulleys and which ones do I need to lock?
   Also will the head need to be skimmed, is there any way of doing it myself or where around the York/Hull area is there a garage that will do it?
   Or even if someone is selling a head thats skimmed already, I'll consider it.
   Also anything else to do with head gasket change that would be useful?
   Cheers
2. user_64763 Established Member Joined: Jun 2013 York Posts: 2134 Citroen Saxo VTR (2001)

   #2 8th January 2014, 18:47

   oh yeah, also anything else that would be useful to change whilst the heads off?
3. user_55718 Regular Poster Joined: Oct 2011 Tadcaster Posts: 331 08 turbo panda 02 vtr

   #3 8th January 2014, 18:52

   Piece o piss mate, remember to use new head bolts.
   I've done a few myself and never bothered to have the head skimmed and, touch wood, it's never come back to bite me!
   Oil
   Coolant
   Cam belt all need changing
   
   Personally, I would then change the
   Water pump
   Spark plugs
   
   
   Can come help if u want mate, am only in tad.
4. user_64763 Established Member Joined: Jun 2013 York Posts: 2134 Citroen Saxo VTR (2001)

   #4 8th January 2014, 18:54

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by thecorporatemachine Piece o piss mate, remember to use new head bolts. I've done a few myself and never bothered to have the head skimmed and, touch wood, it's never come back to bite me! Oil Coolant Cam belt all need changing Personally, I would then change the Water pump Spark plugs Can come help if u want mate, am only in tad.

   Ahhh sweet mate so you're about 40mins away? It had new spark plugs less than 50miles ago so theyre fine but yeah rest of it sounds good! I have the clutch to change on it too if you know how to do one of them? Would it be easier to it with the head off??
5. user_55718 Regular Poster Joined: Oct 2011 Tadcaster Posts: 331 08 turbo panda 02 vtr

   #5 8th January 2014, 19:03

   Where a outs are you? As long as you are mechanically minded then I/we could do it easy enough.
   
   Having the head off makes no difference to doing the clutch mate
6. user_64763 Established Member Joined: Jun 2013 York Posts: 2134 Citroen Saxo VTR (2001)

   #6 8th January 2014, 19:19

   I'm in market weighton...I'd pay you for fuel and give whatever I can for your time too. Can you do a clutch? Or have you got the clutch alignment tool?? And you know how to do cambelt and water pump etc?
   
   
   Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
7. cylon22 L-plater Joined: Jan 2014 manchester Posts: 53 saxo desire

   #7 8th January 2014, 19:39

   both jobs pretty straight forward done both jobs manys times before and if another member willing to help that's even better
   only had to have head skimmed once before and that was because the woman who had it ran it dry of coolant
   only thing is take your time and use plenty of wd40 on manifold nuts can be a bitch to get off we had to use heat to get some off and changed studs while head was off re taped them and put new in
   just get it very clean
   clutch is a lot easier with 2 people when doing it on a driveway wouldn't do both together as are time consuming and light and weather might be against you if you need car everyday
8. user_64763 Established Member Joined: Jun 2013 York Posts: 2134 Citroen Saxo VTR (2001)

   #8 8th January 2014, 20:14

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by cylon22 both jobs pretty straight forward done both jobs manys times before and if another member willing to help that's even better only had to have head skimmed once before and that was because the woman who had it ran it dry of coolant only thing is take your time and use plenty of wd40 on manifold nuts can be a bitch to get off we had to use heat to get some off and changed studs while head was off re taped them and put new in just get it very clean clutch is a lot easier with 2 people when doing it on a driveway wouldn't do both together as are time consuming and light and weather might be against you if you need car everyday

   Cheers and I dont need the car everyday so is possible but like you say, its all time and weather permitting! At the mo I guess the light would only give us enough time to get one job at a time done
9. cylon22 L-plater Joined: Jan 2014 manchester Posts: 53 saxo desire

   #9 8th January 2014, 20:26

   nothing worse than than trying to line up gearbox in limited space getting soaked through
   also I mark which bolt goes where on the gear box as some are bigger
   even search web for how to's on doing them to give you an idea
   replace anything that looks worn
   and my rule is never start a big job on a sunday cause if you break something or have problems nothing is open and if you cannot finish job have to wait another week to carry on because of work
10. user_64763 Established Member Joined: Jun 2013 York Posts: 2134 Citroen Saxo VTR (2001)

    #10 8th January 2014, 20:30

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by cylon22 nothing worse than than trying to line up gearbox in limited space getting soaked through also I mark which bolt goes where on the gear box as some are bigger even search web for how to's on doing them to give you an idea replace anything that looks worn and my rule is never start a big job on a sunday cause if you break something or have problems nothing is open and if you cannot finish job have to wait another week to carry on because of work

    Haha good rule! But next week during the week is best for me as I have the week off uni