z24i head replacement prep hints?

[schrocketeer]

Now that I finally have the front cover off, I can get to the timing chain and tensioner, so I can de-tension to put the new head on.

 

I bought a rebuilt head from Advance Auto with valves, cam, etc. in place.

 

What prep do I need to do to the block before I starting cranking down the head bolts, and crush that fancy gasket?

 

I have NOT kept the headless block in pristine condition. Life happened, I moved the pathfinder to the new place in the country, and am just ready to start putting pieces back together 18 months later.

[Kingman]

Check the block for squareness, scrape all gasket material and rust off, tap the head bolt threads in the block to remove all the crap after blowing them out with compressed air, oil the head bolts before torquing, remove the old basket material from the intake and exhaust manifold before putting the head on, make sure both alignment dowels are perfect, replace timing chain and tensioner with quality made in Japan parts , clean the cylinder walls thoroughly, check the valve lash, thoroughly clean the valve cover inside and out, clean the carbon and rust off the pistons, and if you're using a factory Ishino/ Stone head gasket make damned sure you retorque after 500 miles!

Edited October 23, 2013 by Kingman

[Kingman]

And flush the cooling system really really well. Hopefully you have a new thermostat as well.

[schrocketeer]

Thanks for the great tips!

 

and yes, will focus on cleaning out cooling system, and replace the thermostat.

 

The whole reason I got the deal on it, that I did, was because of a cracked head. Over cylinder #4, the head was all clean. Guess was a cooling system problem and the antifreeze sprayed out the cylinder.

 

I heard it kind of run for ~10 seconds before I bought it. Definitely mis-firing.

[Kingman]

Head gaskets blowing are a common issue with those engines. Overheating to the max is probably what cracked the head, hopefully it didn't cook any bearings with the oil having no viscosity.