[Slobodan]

If you mark everything, and make damn sure shit don't move. You should be fine. but its easier to have the right tools. To set pump timing, and what not. There are some interesting things about these engines. like the front cam gear.. No key way to index. Its a tapered fit. and when refitting the gear the bolts torque spec is 33ftlbs.

head bolt torque
33
44
55
180degree
run engine till warm
90degree
run car 1000miles
90degree further.

rear cam gear is 75ftlbs but you shouldn't need to remove that one.

the manifolds are around 15 ~ 16ftlbs

I would remove the cam shaft in order to lessen the risk of damaging the valves during removal of head. cam shaft cap nuts torque - 15ftlbs



Would be a good idea to get head shaved.... but take it to a machine shop that has worked on these heads. Do not worry about the cracks between the valves. its normal. head work will probably run you around 400$ on the high side. especially if you've overheated the engine a couple times.

Use new head bolts. or get ARP head studs. If you can find one, Get the metal head gasket... much better. I've done a couple head gaskets on these engines. I haven't done them the right way because the owners didn't have the money but wanted it running. So we did it the ghetto way. And so far so good. but then again. They didn't have just one head to choose from.


That is if you do have a blown head gasket.

I like doing the head gaskets on these engines because everyone else is like "What the hell?? how do you do this? " I say its easy watch this...