While you're down there...

[acid86]

So I ripped the head off of the m42b18 on the 318, gonna do a basic port and polish, clean up the pistons while I'm down in there, but I came to realize. While I have the heads off, is there anything else I should be doing at the same time? You know, to avoid having to buy new gastkets and seals, new head bolts, etc., when I come to a point where I have to rip the 'sumbitch' appart again. I've racked my brain and with work and trying to figure out just how to get the head off, I can't think of anything... yet. I was wondering if any of you knew something I should go ahead and take care of while the engine is appart.

Hit me up. Let me know.

[german-speed-demon]

just go ahed and buy a new head gasket set. you will thank yourself 500 miles from now when it blows a headgasket after you put it all back together. I speak from experience. A head set might be $200 but thats a damn site cheaper than a new head or a new block.

[brettski]

Bore a couple of extra cylinders and give it extra capacity.

It really comes down to what condition you find the engine in when you get it all apart. Is there a performance cam or stroked crank that you could drop in?

[acid86]

Originally Posted by brettski

Bore a couple of extra cylinders and give it extra capacity.

It really comes down to what condition you find the engine in when you get it all apart. Is there a performance cam or stroked crank that you could drop in?

Haha. Yeah. The extra cylinders would probably be a good start. Turns out the tops of the cylinders have all kinds of deposits on them. I'll probably brush them out and try to polish that up too. The heads are covered in deposits and a couple of drain lines were corroded closed. She apparently hadn't been taken very good care of by the previous owner. I'll definitely get the gasket set. Autzone has a set for 208.00 but I get a 10% discount. Woo military. Found a set of head bolts on KOperformance.com that were 19 bucks, still looking for performance cams and a crank. If you guys have any 'ins' on where I might be able to pick these up for a fair price let me know.

I figure I get the ports polished, the pistons cleaned, the corrosion off, she'll pick up pretty well. Still trying to find a test pipe for the exhaust too. After that, maybe a chip and maybe fab a turbo or super charger sometime in the future but Untill I get a significant amout of cash and can pick up that 95 m3 engine, tranny, cluster, and harness all in one, that will be the extent of my modding to the engine.

[David Mc]

Basic stuff - I usually do the timing belt, tensioner, fan & a/c belts and thermostat/water pump on OHC engines while the things are apart as it saves having to do keyhole surgery later on.

[Lord Jock the III]

acid dip the head to clean the galleries

Lapp all the valve seats back in by hand

get the head shaved to up the compression and use a copper head gasket with a sealant

high quality coolant and oil

get the injectors ultrasonicly cleaned