JX Head Gasket

[Syncro G]

How hard are they to replace? Basicly I want to know if the engine needs to come out to get enough acess. If its an insitue job do the sump gards need to come off? What else could make this job more complicated than first thought, turbo? Done this job on vereous (upright) petrols before but never a TD.

Trying to workout if a potenchal project is easilly repairable on the street.
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Glen

[Macflai]

I am not changing the head gasket just changing manifolds gasket and installing a new turbo and NEVER AGAIN!

Well I think is not needed that about the sump guard... just check if your hands gets the four bolts from exhaust.... if so, maybe you don't need to do that job...

[Bilbo Blue]

Did mine in situ last year. Was fiddly job around manafolds ie getting yer fingers in all the tight places but it can be done easy.

[dave friday]

i took the sump guard off, time consuming and fiddly taking the manifold nuts off dont forget gaskets 1+2 are different to 3+4 and look at the "Wiki"[exaust manifold].thanks Harrymann.
Baz.

[Bwana John]

Yes the job can be done in situ. The best way is to try to keep the manifolds on and lift the head off complete. The main problem with this is that you need to undo the 4 star headed hardened bolts that connect the turbo to the exhaust manifold.They are accessable from the top of the engine bay with a longish extension,a good quality 12 sided socket and plenty of muscle.( If you mess up the heads of these bolts you`re stuffed and will have to go a different route). You`ll need the air filter out of the way in any case, so if you`ve got any tin ware on the near side under tray you will have to remove it, but the main tray (sump protector) can stay put. The other thing that can be a bit of a bitch is cracking off the taper joint on the camshaft sprocket, you`ll need a puller because you will not want to hammer it off.Imade a puller using a piece of oak with two coach bolts (the heads as the grippers) undo the centre sprocket bolt a bit and then tighten the coach bolts to brake the joint, a tap with a hammer whilst under tension will usually ping it apart. You also need a timing locking kit to hold the injector pump and cam inthe correct position.The crank timing can be checked through the inspection hole in the bell housing. The JX engines in the Syncro were often (maybe always ) ones with shim tappets even though the hydraulic JX engine was in use on the two wheel drives, so make sure you`ve got the right gasket. Gaskets, bolts, cylinder heads etc. are available from A.W. Engineering, Darwen ,Lancs.01254 706170 at reasonable prices.EXPECT to find the head cracked into the water jacket! When you`ve done this cut your losses and get somthing that`s reliable ......like a Toyota.
Good luck and no thanks I don`t want to do the job!!!!!!!!!

[Syncro G]

Yes the job can be done in situ. The best way is to try to keep the manifolds on and lift the head off complete. The main problem with this is that you need to undo the 4 star headed hardened bolts that connect the turbo to the exhaust manifold.They are accessable from the top of the engine bay with a longish extension,a good quality 12 sided socket and plenty of muscle.( If you mess up the heads of these bolts you`re stuffed and will have to go a different route). You`ll need the air filter out of the way in any case, so if you`ve got any tin ware on the near side under tray you will have to remove it, but the main tray (sump protector) can stay put. The other thing that can be a bit of a bitch is cracking off the taper joint on the camshaft sprocket, you`ll need a puller because you will not want to hammer it off.Imade a puller using a piece of oak with two coach bolts (the heads as the grippers) undo the centre sprocket bolt a bit and then tighten the coach bolts to brake the joint, a tap with a hammer whilst under tension will usually ping it apart. You also need a timing locking kit to hold the injector pump and cam inthe correct position.The crank timing can be checked through the inspection hole in the bell housing. The JX engines in the Syncro were often (maybe always ) ones with shim tappets even though the hydraulic JX engine was in use on the two wheel drives, so make sure you`ve got the right gasket. Gaskets, bolts, cylinder heads etc. are available from A.W. Engineering, Darwen ,Lancs.01254 706170 at reasonable prices.EXPECT to find the head cracked into the water jacket! When you`ve done this cut your losses and get somthing that`s reliable ......like a Toyota.
Good luck and no thanks I don`t want to do the job!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for that very complete looking answer!

You've actully answered my next question about parts - Aparently it runs alringht up to about 50mph but gets very hot if you go over that speed and spits out its coolent which to me surgests a cracked head is very likely. The engine has been worked on alot in the past few years, rebored and all so the bottem end is good, just gets hot and been like that for about a year. New rad and thermostat didn't help. If I prepair for the worst it'll be a plesent surprise if I can just skim it and refit the old head (I'm really not that hopefull to be honest!)

Any rough ideas on head prices?

As for buying a Toymota, NEVER!! I actully want to buy a diesel syncro because I want something faster, more comfortable, less noisy and maybe even less thursty to my normal dayly driver (which is currently my only car), how is that possable? It's a 1956 diesel Land-Rover. That was reliable untill the transferbox broke last week. Maybe I've got my hands full with that so a nackered syncro is just what I don't need at the moment but then again, I hate toyotas, drive a vintage landy everywhere and want a syncro so I'm clearly terminally mentally ill! I blame it on my dad for running a T3 caravelle as the family car when I was young, you lern to accept no substitute!
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Glen

[HarryMann]

VEGE head ~ £400
Other refurbs circa £350~450
VW refurb head curca £800

eBay if you're lucky £200

The other thing that can be a bit of a bitch is cracking off the taper joint on the camshaft sprocket

Actually, I believe the trick is to punch it off from behind, from the camshaft side... that's what i was told and it came off pretty easily, som almopst fall off (allegedly, or is that apparently?)