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[Pavel]

Haven't posted on here for a couple of days. Was preoccupied before, and yesterday went to work on Stacy.

Currently she sits outside my mechanic's garage, next to a MG Metro from which she will receive an engine transplant. Before that happens, the current engine must be in perfect nick, since my friend is buying it off me...

Judging by the symptoms, the head gasket is gone, so that's what I decided to change yesterday. Turned out much harder than expected.

First the radiator to head water hose was removed, along with the carburettor and manifolds.
Then the heater hose was removed from the head.
After that the rocker cover was removed, and all the nuts undone (4 pedestal nuts holding the rocker assembly in place and 9 head nuts)

Then the trouble started. After removing the number 1 nut from the head (front of engine, right in the middle), I could see rust around the stud, which basically fused it to the head.

I am guessing this is a result of a faulty head gasket, since water could go from the waterways and creep up the stud hole in the head, effectively stopping my head removal!

The cylinder head wouldnt budge, after some persuasion with a rubber mallet, it gave, and started being moveable from side to side. Problem is it would rotate around that one stud which was rusted. No amount of swearing or hitting it with a rubber mallet or pulling the head had any effect!!

Out comes LiquidMoly or whatever its called, and the stud area gets a generous spray dose. After about an hour the top of the rust has gone, and you can actually see the hole around the stud now. Still the cylinder head wouldn't go, so we sprayed it a few more times, and let it sit in between. Since it was getting late, we sprayed it again and went home. Off to see what's going on with it again today.

Was going to take pictures yesterday, but left my camera at home and the garage isn't the closest place to my house... Wasn't anything fascinating anyway.