Open heart surgery...........

[Surfer Ross]

............. on the truck. She went in this morning to have a new cylinder head fitted. Dropped off at the garage with about £1k worth of new kit in the back. Namely a new AMC built up head, complete gasket set, thermostat, radiator cap, oil & filter, red coolant and de-ionised water. Hoping to get her back tonight or tomorrow morning and fingers crossed she won't be blowing bubbles any more.

[yoshie]

Can I ask what they charge for this, these days?

Not on your list but I take it new cam belt, pully ect is also included?

[Surfer Ross]

Yep cam belt and pulley included Brian. I forgot that one. They charge £30 an hour labour. Probably about 8 hours maximum so £240 + VAT.

[yoshie]

Yep cam belt and pulley included Brian. I forgot that one. They charge £30 an hour labour. Probably about 8 hours maximum so £240 + VAT.

£30 an hour is a good rate, I hope you are back running tomorrow mate.

[Surfer Ross]

Thanks mate. He has a good little workshop and doesn't charge a fortune.

[gwh200]

Good luck old bean... i must put my rate up...im only £22.50 an hour...

[Surfer Ross]

Good luck old bean... i must put my rate up...im only £22.50 an hour...

Cheers Graham, I never thought I'd see the day when I thought £30 an hour was good value for anything! I'm a tight git though

[stormforce]

Hope you get the truck back soon Ross.
For those wanting to know the 3rd gen Ross bought from me is the one with the head gone.I drove it 180m home and no problem and then Ross drove it home 400m with no problem.The day after he got home is when he noticed a major problem.
There was k seal or something put in to disguise the problem which neither of us knew about till it was too late.
Anyway i have sent Ross some money to go towards his cost as i couldn't live with myself knowing i sold a truck with a major hidden problem.Anyway Ross is happy that i am helping with the cost of repairs and its just a shame there was thios problem as the truck is a lovely drive

[Surfer Ross]

Hope you get the truck back soon Ross.
For those wanting to know the 3rd gen Ross bought from me is the one with the head gone.I drove it 180m home and no problem and then Ross drove it home 400m with no problem.The day after he got home is when he noticed a major problem.
There was k seal or something put in to disguise the problem which neither of us knew about till it was too late.
Anyway i have sent Ross some money to go towards his cost as i couldn't live with myself knowing i sold a truck with a major hidden problem.Anyway Ross is happy that i am helping with the cost of repairs and its just a shame there was thios problem as the truck is a lovely drive

Rich,

You couldn't have been more helpful mate and you are an asset to the forum. Nobody should have any worries about buying anything from you.

It'll be tomorrow before I get the truck back as they didn't get it into the workshop until this afternoon. I don't care if I don't get her back until the weekend as long as the job is done well.

[Long way 'round]

I've just changed the head myself. I thought that the cost of labour would've been through the roof. I enjoyed doing it, though it took me 3 days from start to finish because the most complicated thing I've done before was the front wheel bearings.

The engine repair manual helped. It didn't mention however the little blanking plate/plug at the back of the head right behind the cam shaft. Evidently you've got to take it out of the old head and put it into the new one otherwise you get embarrassing oil spills all over your drive on christmas eve just as you've told everyone that everything was a success.

I was worried about the number of unused parts in the gasket kit and how many nuts and bolts I'd got left over until I was speaking to a friend who was a mechanic before becoming a nuclear power engineer that when he was in the trade after an engine rebuild there's always an alarming amount of stuff left over.

I also changed the rad. as the old one had chemical metal all over the top from pinholes. And I took the opportunity to take out the egr altogether and the whole A/C system.

The truck is now running so well, smoother, much more powerful and quieter. Fluid levels aren't budging. Brilliant.

I was able to do the work thanks to listening to people on this forum and the speedy service of Roughtrax.

Cheers

Jason.

[flounderbout]

I was worried about the number of unused parts in the gasket kit and how many nuts and bolts I'd got left over until I was speaking to a friend who was a mechanic before becoming a nuclear power engineer that when he was in the trade after an engine rebuild there's always an alarming amount of stuff left over.

.

Does your friend still get a lot of stuff left over now that he is a nuclear power engineer? If so, please could you post a list of the facilities that he has worked on... Ever...

[yoshie]

I was worried about the number of unused parts in the gasket kit and how many nuts and bolts I'd got left over until I was speaking to a friend who was a mechanic before becoming a nuclear power engineer that when he was in the trade after an engine rebuild there's always an alarming amount of stuff left over.

Jason.

There to be expected, ever major job on your truck ends up with "comfy nuts"






































Where the Fuc did that "come fa"

[Albannach]

I was speaking to a friend who was a mechanic before becoming a nuclear power engineer that when he was in the trade after an engine rebuild there's always an alarming amount of stuff left over.

I'll respectfully disagree.

If you take something off, then put it back on, there should be nothing left over.

Engine swaps, short block fitting and the likes are marginally different and you may have the odd 'pocket bolt' left over; definitely not an 'alarming amount of stuff'. Swapping a head should leave nothing, that wasn't replaced, behind.

[Long way 'round]

Does your friend still get a lot of stuff left over now that he is a nuclear power engineer? If so, please could you post a list of the facilities that he has worked on... Ever...

Funny you should say that...

Evidently one of the problems facing the nuclear engineers working in Britain today are small modifications made to parts of the cooling systems in the past which are "less than ideal" for the output requirements of todays greater population.

Someone's left a box of bits under a bench somewhere....http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/images/sm...cratchchin.gif

[Surfer Ross]

I'd have had a go at it if I was 100% confident of having all the right tools and it wasn't just above freezing outside. I love this truck so I'd rather leave the job to somebody who has done a load of work for me in the past and always to a good standard. I don't mind doing brakes, servicing, exhaust etc but a head swap with all the stress and swearing that would entail, is a job best left to a pro where I'm the alternative.