Looking for head gasket / exhaust help

[nullset]

If anyone with some experience is interested in either helping me replace my head gaskets and exhaust, or just wants to do it while I stay out of the way, PM me.

I've got a head gasket kit, studs, rear main seal ( oil leak be gone!) and new exhaust from DPI. I've already removed the intake manifold and old water pump in preparation, but I feel like I don't quite have enough experience to finish this job myself.

Car is currently in my driveway downtown.

I am willing to pay someone experienced for this, so PM me if that's something you'd be interested in.

[opethmike]

Did you mean front main seal? The rear requires that the transmission comes out.

The DMC is a relatively easy car to do the heads on. The most important pointer I have is that when the heads are ready to come off, don't lift them straight up. Sort of 'roll' them out towards the side of the car. This greatly reduces the chances of unseating the cylinder liners.

Do you the workshop manual? There's a great section that quite clearly explains how to set the valve timing when putting everything back together.

[nullset]

Did you mean front main seal? The rear requires that the transmission comes out.

Drat. You're right. I ordered the rear main seal. Looks like i'll be putting in another parts order.....

The DMC is a relatively easy car to do the heads on. The most important pointer I have is that when the heads are ready to come off, don't lift them straight up. Sort of 'roll' them out towards the side of the car. This greatly reduces the chances of unseating the cylinder liners.

Do you the workshop manual? There's a great section that quite clearly explains how to set the valve timing when putting everything back together.

I do have the manual, and a good guide I found via google that offers some other tips. I'm still not sure I a ready to do it myself. I _really_ don't want to screw it up!

[opethmike]

I've done a few heads on these cars. Has the exhaust been off of your car before? If not, that will be the most miserable part.

[nullset]

I've done a few heads on these cars. Has the exhaust been off of your car before? If not, that will be the most miserable part.

I don't know when it was last off.

I'm installing a new exhaust from DPI as part of this job. Looking forward to it!

[opethmike]

I don't know when it was last off.

I'm installing a new exhaust from DPI as part of this job. Looking forward to it!

Okay, the fact that you're installing a new exhaust will save you numerous headaches, and hopefully busted knuckles. Some benefits for how you are doing this:

1. It doesn't matter if you break off any exhaust studs in the head. The DPI flanges have four holes, you can just use the opposite ones.
2. It won't matter that you'll have to break every single stud/bolt on the catalytic converter flange.
3. You can just sawzall the crossover pipe in half to make extraction of it easier.

-Mike