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Well.....it lives - again I haven't dríven it yet - I have a slightly leaky top hose which needs replacing, and I'll probably drain at least some of the coolant to do a top up - it's looking pretty yucky as the dried gunk filters through. But it does start again - 1st time, idles nice, and temp gauge is back where it should be even if only having idled up so far.

Finished putting it all back together again this morning - weekend was spent fitting the head - thanks to 'Doc', the old guy next door who came and helped me lift the head into place.

Thanks to Jules who texted me at juuuuuuust the right moment to ask if I had Hylomar for refitting the gasket and to suggest smoothing off the top of the block with an oil stone - that made a huuuuuuge difference.

The piston heads have had all the carbon removed - a dremel sized light wire brush on a cordless drill, with a vacuum held close to suck up the gunk (which I also did cleaning the gasket gunk off the top of the block as per the performance manual instructions).

Thanks to Danny who did a wonderful job on the head.

Thanks to BiX (Drew) who helped me pull it all apart in the beginning.

Now - do I recall correctly that I need to (or that it is a good idea to) let the head studs settle and then re-tighten to torque? - they were torqued - slowly - bit by bit at cold over about 15 stages each. I just have a recollection somewhere that this is a good and safe step when doing a head gasket. And how long do the senior dodgies think I should let it all settle before I give it any welly?

No no no no no no no do not re-tension after using Hylomar, otherwise you'll blow a head gasket and as much as I know you love pulling thing to bits I think it will stretch the friendship.

Hylomar is used to fill and seal any inperfections in the head, block and gasket and help everything seal. If you disturb it it WILL leak. Ask me how I know

Terry

So the leaky top hose now doesn't leak, and I've idled her up to engine temp gain (in the driveway) to check for any other leaks and it all seems good.

Tomorrow I might even get to take her for a drive

Can't believe I started this project back on August 17.

Can't see why you can't enjoy her now on boost, but being a bit fussy I would probably give it week for everything to settle first though.


Jules

So all seems well - a couple of gentle laps around the neighbourhood - heavy braking to clean the swept area again, and the temp is behaving exactly as it should. I even seem to have solved the gurgling from the coolant system that I was getting BEFORE the overheat and subsequent head gasket.

Seems I can put another dodgy notch in my belt. That's now headgasket + turbo & tune, engine change, top motor clean (2 methods - wet and dry), diff, clutch, torsen rear end, clutch slave, brake pads & bleed, stereo install, repaint/touch up and polish, and interior retrim.

What's next???

So to celebrate, Max got a wash and polish this morning as well - now it looks and sounds like it belongs somewhere other than a junkyard.

Well done Mikey. Try doing all that to another sports car and see where your wallet's at!

Jules

Yeah - even the process of tinkering with Max has stripped the wallet a little bit (but the brain is bursting with info and dodgy learnings )

Next job is resleeving the brake master cylinder.....

Turbo Malibu on the way then Jules?

Haha..it'll probably be from Milkey's car as well!
After all I do have all his NA throwaways.

Jules

jules wrote:Haha..it'll probably be from Milkey's car as well!
After all I do have all his NA throwaways.

Jules

They're not throwaways - I'm finding sustainable ways to reuse parts that also build social capital and increase the overall knowledge and worth within the MX5 Dodgy community ;)

And yes - the clutch is yours - first dibs