HG change has gone badly :( Urgent advice

[Ricky]

Right, need some advice on what to do..

Basically, HG change done, everything on timed up, does start but not very quickly, and it's pressurizing the coolant, took the cap off and coolant pissed out everywhere..

I did 20NM, 60NM then 90, 90, and 40 degrees. Now I admit the angles were guessed, do you think I should do an extra few degrees on each bolt?

[C2K]

Was the head flat?

[Ricky]

It was fully re conditioned, skimmed and pressure tested.

[MissTap_GTI6]

Perhaps the block could be warped.. Couldn't see any other reasons if you had a recon block and brand new gasket and tightened head bolts to spec...

[Tom]

Might aswell tighten it a bit more!

[Ricky]

Don't want to make things worse by over tightening them though, plus it means remove the inlet again..

Well, it starts a lot easier now, I bled the coolant again, top pipe still gets relatively firm, and it's smoking quite a bit, it's diesel because it stings my eyes when I get close. Do you think the smoke will clear in time or do I need to mess with the advance to clear it?

I took it for a drive, holds temperature perfectly, drives ok, suddenly lost power for a second, could that be down to my old fuel filter? Hope it's that simple.. Never been so nervous driving my car! Got home to find a massive oil leak coming from the turbo oil return, so will have to bugger about with that again to get it to seal.

[Jtrigga]

Keep going with it I know the feeling of driving your own car nervously. Change the fuel filter and advance the pump slightly to see if its any better.

[THE_Liam]

Sounds more like a huge air lock to me. I had a massive air bubble in the head after I did the HG on my Sedan, took 2 hours to bleed the c*nt out

[Ricky]

Yeah was thinking of advancing it to cure the smoke, I have to push it back to advance don't I?

[londondan86]

Yra tilt t towards the intercooler and +1 for epic air lock in the head. Get it up to temp so that the fans come on then open the top bleed screw watch out for hot water though!

[Jenkosowls]

Coke bottle trick will sort air locks out and the stat has to open to remove all air

[Ricky]

System bled properly now, still have quite a firm top pipe, but holds temp fine. The smoke turns out to be coolant burning off, so it hasn't sealed properly. Sorted the turbo oil leak, but now have a serious one from the rocker cover. Went by what the Haynes says on the cover bolt torque and it stripped a thread. Is it safe to drill and re-tap the bolt hole?

[Jonny81191]

can't see any reason not to, as long as you don't drill any deeper...

[Ricky]

Will have a look tomorrow. Anyone know if it's safe to add a few degrees to each bolt?

[Ricky]

Now i've worried myself slightly, was I supposed to re-use my old bolt spacers? (I have used them).

[Danny2009]

Every H/G i have done i have re used the spacers and its been fine mate

[Ricky]

Think I may be doing the gasket again this week anyway. Does the head need skimming again do you know?

[Danny2009]

What make gasket did you use ? and was it a MLS.

You buy new head bolts ?

[Ricky]

Everything was victor reinz, including the new bolts. Think maybe the block wasn't clean enough.