Hello,

As part of series of threads all relating to the same problem I've got some quick questions about head gasket swaps on the B14.

I am aware of the liners concern and not to pull the head upwards - instead leave the last head bolt in - next to distributor and tap the block from the sides.

However, the gasket I've got doesnt have any sealant on it.

All the ones I've seen have sealant ready located which bursts out of the "packets" under pressure of tightening the head - it also sets under the heat as you warm up the engine.

I little alarm bell rang when I saw this gasket. Im thinking not to use it or Im gonna have to manually apply sealant in situ at the time. Concerned there about too much sealant gunking everywhere and risking it getting into water channels and oil ways or not enough sealant and the head not sealing properly

what dya reckon guys?

I've got the green books and have a question about the tightening but more of that later....

look forward to hearing your thoughts!

The gasket set isnt a waste - it comes with manifold gasket ( just the one for the combined inlet and exhaust ) carb gaskets, cam and water pump - early 343 though... )

Although it was many moons ago when I last did a HG change on a B14 I don't recall there being any sealant on/with the gasket. The gasket I used was an ordinary paper gasket and it worked fine.

hey Rupert!

How you doing?

Was very impressed with your V6 manual 700 foggy showed me at the VOC summer meet. got loadsa questions about that car for you - but thats for another time

Thanks for the answer - interesting! How long did you have the car after it has that sort of gasket? Im just curious as I thought most head gasket failures were caused by the sealant failing and fluid - oil or water escaping into other channels. If sealant isnt needed - why do heads fail ( lets presume cases where people dont overheat the car )

I guess we could go with the gaskets Ive got and see what happens.....

thanks for the info!

I had the B14 in my '81 345 which suffered a cracked sump due to hitting some debris on the M6 late one night. That led to loss of oil so I had to replace the engine with one sourced from a scrappy but it turned out to have a cross threaded spark plug. I decided to put the original engines head on the new ones' block thus meaning I needed a HG.

I ran the car for another year after the swap doing approx 25k miles before I sold it and then saw it a year afterwards in a scrapyard with 'Prop failure' written on the windscreen. It had since covered another 35k (!) after I sold it so the HG would appear to have lasted for another 60k.

hello

well thats good news...

you going to coventry or the VOC dinner?

Maybe I'll post a pic of the gasket. Its bald. Dont they normally have HAUT TOP on them?

I suspect you've not got a Volvo kit. The original Volvo gaskets do indeed have a HAUT-TOP written on them and they do have a coating of some sort around the pushrod area of the gasket. I would keep the other bits in the kit and use them but spend the extra few quid and get an original Volvo HG.

BTW you may not need to take the head off to fix the plug thread, if that's the reason for you needing to take the head off. I've not personally done it, but there is a method involving stuffing a cloth into the cylinder to catch all the bits and then careful use of a hoover to get any final grindings out, but you'll have to search for that.....

Gaskets were available over last new year... just try to go there a bit early then "I want one today please"... Involved me going on a 150mile round trip to collect it from a different dealers as they wouldn't do a 24hour courier service

Both dealers were super helpful though, and it was something in the region on 30-40 notes.

hi guys,

thanks for the info guys

pettaw, yep its a torqueline set so not a volvo original.

That cloth idea is good, liking that!!!

and true, its the only reason the head was going to come off!

Be interested of any of you guys have a plan for renewing valve stem oil seals without having to have the head off. I had an inkling you could possibly manage this with a couple of homemade tools to release the springs from the collets, remove the collets and use a bit of fishing line to stop the valve from heading south, but I may just have been dreaming....