Thanks for the link, I read through that on my phone but will look it over again.

I plan on going through my HLA's on my car in the process of applying turbo. Just gotta get one first.

Machine shop called, valve seals are fine, I'll pick the head up this afternoon.

For future reference the water pump inlet/mixing manifold gasket is part number: B366-15-165

As I'm scraping off all the head gasket stuff I notice a lot dropping into the water/oil passages. What should I do to wash these out? Mineral spirits+drain the oil pan??

Yes, once you're completely finished, douse it in minteral spirits with the drain bolt removed. These are also coolant passages though, a garden hose through the mixing manifold with the radiator drain plug removed would be good here.

Mineral spirits in the oil cap hole?

More pics:

http://i60.tinypic.com/vymvi9.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/29bysyg.jpg

Freshly surfaced:

http://i61.tinypic.com/2n0vne9.jpg

Gettin there:

http://i60.tinypic.com/27x1pnt.jpg

Installed

http://i57.tinypic.com/2pplqif.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/a3crcp.jpg

It was the last head bolt too. What do I do? New block? Ez out? I need to go to bed now though, too pissed.

wtf!?!?


i assume this occured during final torque?

take the head back off, unless the thread somehow got bugered it should just walk right out. it looks like a fatigue failure, not like you forced it, so i dont see why youd need and ezout or new block.

that sucks even more because you proabably need another headgasket now. if you can extract it without taking the head off, them no need for another HG.

Yep final torque, it got easier then snap.

It's very unlikely it was a fatigue failure.

Much more likely that "something" was on the threads that significantly changed the friction on the thread engagement that caused the bolt to be overloaded. "Something" being oil/grease/anti-seize/coolant/water or the like.

You may have been over-torquing the bolt without knowing it. If there was a significant amount of fluid in the bolt hole, it can change the friction interaction and then more of the force of the torquing action hoes into the bolt itself and not into the clamping of the bolted joint.

Also, this bolt may have been over-stretched the last time it was installed (assuming you re-used the headbolts). Did you measure the bolts before installing?

you would know better than i would

maybe im misusing nomenclature, this is what i meant by fatigue. bolt was torqued past yeild in the past(or something caused it to yield) and caused the failure this time around. i would almost bet this was the bolt near the location of the leak and is what caused it in the first place. would the proper term be "yielded" luke?

aidan why you up so early?

Yes reused, no measured. I was going to but then I got all excited to have it back together. I didn't clean the threads well enough is my guess.

Questions:
are 1.8 head bolts the same?

If I pull the head off will the head gasket really need replacing. It was placed onto 2 clean prepped surfaces.

Will the head need to be resurfaced?

were any of the other bolts torqued already or was this the first one? if the gasket has already been compressed, then yes i would replace it, especially a composite(they like to pull apart when you lift the head after theyve been clamped). and yes, people have reused them after things like this with success, but i wouldnt take my chances. if the gasket wasnt compressed, then you can reuse it.

you do not need to resurface the head

It was the last bolt, on the last round of tightening.

What about bolts? I can't find any 1.6 bolts anywhere.

parts of a head gasket(fire rings, oil port) are like crush washers. they get crushed once and thats it. i would replace it, unless you want to risk doing this for a 3rd time. i know it sucks, but be glad its not a V8, i spent $250+ on 4 head gaskets on my SBC because i made a stupid mistake and had to pull the heads before it ever ran.

im not qualified to answer 1.6/1.8 bolt compatibility. ill see what i can dig up, but im sure your already researching it.

Good news! I put the bolt back down in the hole and started turning left. It backed right out.

Can I pull the rest of the bolts, clean the threads, and replace without taking the head gasket back off?

No need to do any researching, im sure someone knows off the top of their head that's why I was asking. ARP studs are the same so I would guess head bolts are too.

I was just looking for spoon feeding, this whole thing had me pretty riled up. The thought of pulling the engine again was enough to make me quit early last night.

i had a feeling it would come right out, i really dont think threads bound up or anything like that from the pic you posted.

i wouldnt touch the other bolts and remove the preload from the head gasket. replace that bolt, work up slowly to the torque value and slap the rest of that bitch back together. do you have a tap you can run down in there just to make sure threads are clean? drop it in there and use a 1/4" 12 point socket that fits the square end of the tap, and an extension. i hope it goes without saying: make sure you oil the head bolt heads and threads when torquing.

Yeah the way it broke meant it had a part to grab onto.

I'm worried about cross threading if I tap it but I will probably do that.

I think I'm going to buy a set of head bolts. If I dont want to remove preload can I remove and retorque each bolt one at a time?

Need to go buy a magnet and a tap.

it did break in a "perfect way"

unless you are complete tool, thats going to be hard to do. you have the whole head bolt bore to align the tap. just take your time and if it feels like you are cutting threads, stop.

upon further consideration, if you dont already have that tap size and you are going to go buy one anyway, get a chaser, not a tap. most jap threads are tighter than most "over the counter taps", and youll end up with a lower thread percentage if you run a "regular tap" through it, this is an assumption on my parts, not fact.

get a chase, vatozone rents em. just make sure the hex head drive will fit in the hole.

proabably a good idea, but i really dont know, i could go either way on this one. one side of me says, if the current bolts are already torqued and are working why fuck with em?

but if that bolt broke maybe a few more arnt far behind. ive never replaced one at a time to save a head gasket, but i dont see why it wouldnt work, especially if you replace them in the same order you torque the bolts.

Can't find any bolt sets local, so I think amazon is the cheapest option so far:


1 day shipping and it will be here Monday morning.

I still need to confirm 1.8 vs 1.6 bolts.

Ok I'm stumped. The only helpful info I can find is that the ARP head studs are the same for the 1.8 and 1.6.

im looking, thats all ive found so far

W0133-1788784

listed as 90-05 at various sites

Yessss. Now to find one locally. Kind of annoying that a full set is 30 and the single bolt is like 20.

this is funny

VR number you posted listed as 1.8 only for miata, but 1.6 fitment on the 323.

Victor Gasket Victor Gaskets GS33556 - Engine Cylinder Head Bolt Set | O'Reilly Auto Parts

edit: click compatibility tab

Ok, if that is listed as 90-05, then the set that is listed for a 1.8 would fit. I think I'm going to get the amazon ones if I can't find something locally.

im going to guess that they fit 90-05 and anything saying only 1.8 fitment is a mistake. if they come up for the 1.6 323, then id say theyre the same. this isnt proof though, still conjecture. call your local dealer and see if the oem is the same part number or if they were both superseded to a new number.

Verified with Mazda, bolts are the same.

there ya go! mazda always knows best...

cheaper, and they ship quick
VICTOR REINZ Part # GS33556

I want em monday, so Amazon is the cheapest.

I have like, 3 used sets...

Hmmm, yes but driving my truck to portland could easily cost more than getting a set shipped from amazon.

and the last hour of our time will be for nothing.


but youll be jammin by sunset

Are you free today Josh? I might just drive up and grab a set.

Nope, work 7-7, home at ~8:30. Wife's not home either.

I may have a friend driving through Portland, I will PM you.

Amazon order canceled. I will find out a way to get to Portland and get some from Josh.

So instead today I will put the cams back in, intake manifold. I need to resbond the inconel studs, switch springs, etc, etc.

Does this look off by a tooth?

http://i61.tinypic.com/2v3r34n.jpg

It is off. Intake is clockwise a tooth.

Thought so.

This looks better:

http://i57.tinypic.com/21blj6g.jpg

Pretty sure I have been running with the intake off a tooth since the engine install....

Yes that's right. There's also a tooth count between the upper marks (19?) and a tension spec. Look these up and double check.

Thanks. Will do.

I'm on fire today:

http://i59.tinypic.com/wrno0z.jpg

Also picked up a new oil cap because mine was leaking. Garagestar Oil Cap, really well made, looks sweet:

http://i61.tinypic.com/2yx1xep.jpg

Resbonded Inconel Studs (thanks mobius):

http://i59.tinypic.com/2mxjwgh.jpg

Pulled the water temp sensor out of the connector :( Oh well, going to a digital gauge anyways.

http://i57.tinypic.com/121s96c.jpg

Turbo water return:

http://i61.tinypic.com/28rm79h.jpg

Feed:

http://i58.tinypic.com/2cosks6.jpg

Still need to get one last head stud, and put the locking bolts on the downpipe.

For future reference, how I did my intercooler piping:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRcS...r#action=share

Signed up for group C at MRLS. Rules say you're supposed to have a day at Laguna seca for C but I hope to have 5+ days before then this summer and I've heard D is too slow.

Also if I'd know ARP studs were the same for the 1.6 and 1.8 then I would have just bought studs and reused them on a 1.8.

I think you probably made the right choice. D is indeed much too slow. Easy to pass though :laugh:

Have you watched my video from last year?

D is glorified parade laps. C is perfect, even if you haven't been the the track before.

How long is the drive down for you PDX guys?

12-14 hours, depending on stops and how often the car breaks on the way :giggle:

Nope. Link?

I should probably get AAA before I go.

Like I said, maybe we should go halfsies on a trailer rental, I borrow a truck, and we just tow the two cars down there. It's a thought anyway.

Here's the vid.

Very tempting. I'll definitely keep it in mind.

Watching that was quite infuriating.

In case you were wondering the 1.6 intake manifold gasket is NOT symmetrical. And it WILL leak coolant everywhere if installed backwards.

Attachment 238243

This thread sure is living up to its namesake...

Keep up the good work!