wow weird problem shitty day!

[e30loverSC]

how can i do it with the head on? Its the 3rd one in from the front on the intake side? How can i tell if i have a bent valve.. Plus i think i should go ahead and change the head gasket. How do i get it to line back up when i put the new head.. (piston and valve wise?)

AND i also already bought a new rocker... head gasket kit and timing belt kit. So i might as well follow thorugh and remove the whole head. But i need to know how to line it up so everything goes bak on correctly

[accident]

if you pull the head you should really get it machined, otherwise it probably wont seal properly. doing a head gasket is a big job.

[e30loverSC]

really? Where could i take it to have that done? ANd how much will it cost? DO i have to take the whole head apart? Is that hard to do?

[accident]

getting the head machined properly involves shaving the gasket surfaces, regrinding the valve guides, and getting the valves ground or replaced. you will have to take it completely apart. they will also hot tank it.

[e30loverSC]

What's that usually cost ? Do I have to buy all new valves and springs and whatever else is in there?

[Conrad311]

if you didnt overheat the head, i highly doubt you need to have it machined, when you take it off take a straight edged razor blade and scrape the old gasket material off the bottom of the head and the deck of the block, that should get it clean enough and prevent any improper sealing. I would just pull the head off, make sure you get new head bolts, as they are one time use only and replace the rocker,
here is a link i found on stripping the head, i found it very useful when i just did the same exact job you are looking at last weekend,

https://80-75-156-107.colo.gravityinternet.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Stripping_and_Rebuilding_an_M20_Cylinder_Head

also take the time to clean any carbon out of the combustion chambers with some carb cleaner.
As far as lining the valves and pistons up there is a great timing belt write up on pelicanparts.com, its really easy, just like up the marks on the crank pulley and lower timing cover and the cam gear and the cyl. head..
it was my first head gasket job and it came out fine.
Good luck getting yours back on the road.

[StereoInstaller1]

OK, so you broke a rocker in the middle of the head. (you fucking retard, DON'T break a fucking rocker THERE, break an end one!) and now you gotta get it fixed.

It really isn't that hard.

When you get your shit ordered, make sure your have a new cam seal, a new o ring for the cam seal carrier, new "half moons" (yes, duh, all 4) and a valve cover gasket.

Get 3 cans of carb cleaner too, I prefer the "chemtool" brand. Have coolant and oil on hand, too.

Now, don't even fuck around. 1st thing to do is pull the hood, then the radiator. Very next thing you wanna do is get that fan off...it is SO much easier with the belts on! 32mm wrench and do NOT forget it has backwards threads. If you are feeling up to it, pull the shroud and the fan together, but make sure you get the fan loose first.

I would get the car up on ramps or jackstands, but I require space to work, I am a big guy.

Pull your motor mount bolts off and using a chunk of wood under the oil pan, lift that motor as high as you can. NOW you can start pulling off cap/rotor/plugs/water pump/hoses/belts/timing cover and get the front of the motor stripped.

Don't bother to set your timing to TDC #1. You will be resetting it and checking it when you reassemble, and you will be moving the cam around anyway.

BEFORE you pull the timing belt, loosen the cam sprocket! Yeah, you can grab the cam with the channellocks, but why be stupid, right?

Once you have the timing belt and cam sprocket off, start getting the rocker arm off. Those goofy clips pop straight up, so you can slide the rocker arms to the side.

Lubrication here might be needed, BTW. Liquid Wrench would work OK, or ATF.

Take the damn halfmoons out (double DUH!) and slide each of the rocker arms sideways down the shaft so they are no longer above the valve, but are in the galley next to it. You will likely have to turn the cam, so you might need to put the sprocket back on, and you may even have to turn the motor over a bit (by HAND, with a wrench ONLY) but be careful as being brutal might ding a valve...but if you are using a wrench, you would have a hard time doing any damage.

Once you get those arms slid off to the side, that shaft slips out. It will need some motivation to do it, but it will.

Once you are this far, you will see what you are doing and feel all manly and shit.

Here is a big fat warning: DO NOT GET ALL CRAZY AND DECIDE TO DO MORE SHIT. Yes, we know that there is all kinds of filth to clean. Yes, we know shit leaks everywhere.

You have 3 cans of carb cleaner, right? Clean some shit, but do NOT get stupid and do more. You don't have parts and you need this car back together. Get this fairly big job done and deal with it later...trust me on this!

get to work.

Luke

[e30loverSC]

well i already tool the head off figuring i would get it looked at and inspected. i will take it next week.

[e30trooper]

OK, so you broke a rocker in the middle of the head. (you fucking retard, DON'T break a fucking rocker THERE, break an end one!) and now you gotta get it fixed.

It really isn't that hard.

When you get your shit ordered, make sure your have a new cam seal, a new o ring for the cam seal carrier, new "half moons" (yes, duh, all 4) and a valve cover gasket.

Get 3 cans of carb cleaner too, I prefer the "chemtool" brand. Have coolant and oil on hand, too.

Now, don't even fuck around. 1st thing to do is pull the hood, then the radiator. Very next thing you wanna do is get that fan off...it is SO much easier with the belts on! 32mm wrench and do NOT forget it has backwards threads. If you are feeling up to it, pull the shroud and the fan together, but make sure you get the fan loose first.

I would get the car up on ramps or jackstands, but I require space to work, I am a big guy.

Pull your motor mount bolts off and using a chunk of wood under the oil pan, lift that motor as high as you can. NOW you can start pulling off cap/rotor/plugs/water pump/hoses/belts/timing cover and get the front of the motor stripped.

Don't bother to set your timing to TDC #1. You will be resetting it and checking it when you reassemble, and you will be moving the cam around anyway.

BEFORE you pull the timing belt, loosen the cam sprocket! Yeah, you can grab the cam with the channellocks, but why be stupid, right?

Once you have the timing belt and cam sprocket off, start getting the rocker arm off. Those goofy clips pop straight up, so you can slide the rocker arms to the side.

Lubrication here might be needed, BTW. Liquid Wrench would work OK, or ATF.

Take the damn halfmoons out (double DUH!) and slide each of the rocker arms sideways down the shaft so they are no longer above the valve, but are in the galley next to it. You will likely have to turn the cam, so you might need to put the sprocket back on, and you may even have to turn the motor over a bit (by HAND, with a wrench ONLY) but be careful as being brutal might ding a valve...but if you are using a wrench, you would have a hard time doing any damage.

Once you get those arms slid off to the side, that shaft slips out. It will need some motivation to do it, but it will.

Once you are this far, you will see what you are doing and feel all manly and shit.

Here is a big fat warning: DO NOT GET ALL CRAZY AND DECIDE TO DO MORE SHIT. Yes, we know that there is all kinds of filth to clean. Yes, we know shit leaks everywhere.

You have 3 cans of carb cleaner, right? Clean some shit, but do NOT get stupid and do more. You don't have parts and you need this car back together. Get this fairly big job done and deal with it later...trust me on this!

get to work.

Luke

nice write up, mind writing a book on it?

[e30loverSC]

hey made good prgress tonight.. Now when i officially take the head off.. whats the beast way to do? with or without the intake manifold. How in the hell do i get it off i couldnt see enough to figure it out.?

[e30loverSC]

WEll here i am panicing again... I got the head gasket set in the mail today, And i dont know where the hell some of the gaskets go? Any suggestions? I bought the one off parts geek for 87 325is..

[Conrad311]

some of the gaskets are most likely for the intake manifold runners, valve cover, throttlebody, head gasket, maybe the exhaust if they have the heat shields on them (2 of them) as far as pulling the head, i pulled it myself with out either manifold, i wish i had left the exhaust on tho, i would remove the intake mani simply because the head weighs a TON with it on. it can be done tho, i personally dont like back injuries tho :)

[e30loverSC]

ok well the head has been completely rebuilt.. And what are the torque specs on the e30 head. 2.5l?