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Beheading the MGA

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Beheading the MGA
From: WSpohn4@aol.com
Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 10:55:43 EDT
<<For the first time, I am going to remove the head from my MGA in an attempt 
to cure the leaking head gasket.
So any advice? Things to watch out for? I have Haynes and factory manuals, 
but is there anything not documented in these?
I have heard that one should chamfer the stud holes -- with what? How do I 
stop metal particles going into the bores?>>

Make sure that you drain the water first :-)
Then take the head, once you get it off, in to an engine shop to have it 
checked for warping, and resurfacing if it is, and have anything else done 
like valve grind, new seals etc. that it might need at the same time.

The only other thing to watch that I can think of is to pull down the 4 long 
head stud bolts holding the rockers evenly, being careful that all the 
rockers line up properly - I did see one guy trying to torque a head down 
with a rocker trapped the wrong way. I'm sure it would have occurred to him 
eventually if I hadn't pointed it out.

I wouldn't chamfer the stud holes unless the engine was completely apart 
(though I have done it myself on occasion) - the benefits are outweighed by 
the potential detriment of getting swarf into the system.


Bill

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