Procedure

[ralphcap]

This will probably be considered laughable but here goes....does a written procedure or checklist exist for replacing a blown head gasket on my 1981 FI 2000? I've reviewed the postings here and garnered some tips but was looking for more detail. Although I've been successful with work on the drive shaft, ignition system and brakes I'm wondering if I should even start this job.

[So Cal Mark]

all of the various shop manuals will detail removing and installing a cylinder head. But the most important step is determining the extent of the damage and the cause of the overheating or detonation that caused the failure. Just removing the head and replacing the gasket almost guarantees a future failure

[ralphcap]

Well there was certainly a "detonation" versus overheating. I assume the detonation results in the most damage. I've read in postings that you regard the Brooklands manual as best for FI spiders.

[maytag]

Detonation can cause severe damage, if it's persistent. So to Mark's point, IF you tackle this project yourself, (it's not a difficult procedure that should scare you) you'll want to inspect the cylinder and most particularly the outer 'rim' of the piston tops for pitting, scoring, or other signs of damage. If you find any, your project will be a bigger ordeal than just a head gasket.

Assuming you find no damage, you can replace that head gasket, and then immediately go to work to find the source of that detonation, or you'll be right back into the motor in short order.

For information:
Detonation (sometimes called 'pinging', and sounds like 5 small rocks in a coffee-can) is the premature ignition of the air/fuel mixture, resulting in extraordinarily high cylinder presures and hot-spots that can melt (or "slag") cast pistons in a heart-beat.
Detonation is frequently caused by either ignition timing problems (firing too early) and / or overheating (hot-spots in the cylinder that ignite the mixture or promote over-accelerated combustion).

[pope]

You should get yourself a couple of manuals, because each is a little better at something than the others. The Spider shop manual is a must.

Brooklands is the old Clymers manual.

[majicwrench]

Ralphcap,
NOt at all a laughable question.
With manual in hand you should be able to do head gasket. That would be a good time to change T-belt as well.

Head gasket, esp on engines like ours with aluminum head and cast iron blocks, can certainly fail WITHOUT an underlying cause. The head expands much faster than the block, and the gasket is constantly putting up with this shearing force. But if it has been pinging, you need to fix that asap.

Methinks one thing most folks miss is doing a nice job cleaning up the head bolt threads AND the bolt holes in the block.
Keith

[ralphcap]

OK, thanks. I'll be following the "CYLINDER HEAD - Removal and Installation (fuel injected)" section beginning on page 10-39 of IAP's Workshop Manual with special attention to "head gasket" postings on this extremely helpful forum. I sure have enjoyed driving the spider down here in the swamps for the past six months. I hope I can get it turned around quickly.