removing and installing head gasket 71 s2

[exarkun1178]

Hello,  Going to have to get dirty this weekend.  I have to replace the head gasket.  looking for tips tricks and things to avoid.  also, aa link to detailed directions for a first timer.

any one in NJ NY PA area thats done this before want to lend a hand?    ive got lunch and what have you for your troubles.

Thanks,

Rob

[Grumblebuns]

In my opinion, Bryan Boyle is the S2 expert and I believe he is in the New Jersey area. Send him a PM. His email is in the Yahoo Europa mail list.

JT

[Mecky]

Hi Rob,

I think the most important thing is to avoid that the cylinders slide up, when you take off the cylinder head. They would get leaky from below and water could come into the cylinder. If a cylinder slides up, you would have to seal it.

To avoid that, you have to turn the head around 20 degrees WITHOUT LIFTING IT. That is possible, because there is a hallow shaft in the block, which helps to fit the head on the block. The hallow shaft is the center of rotation. It is in the right middle hole out of the holes, in which the cylinder head bolts come (inlet side on Renault 807 crossflow engine). I attached a picture, where you can see in which hole the hallow shaft is, but on the picture there is a crossflow head. Do you have a Federal S2 Type 65? The Federal S2 has this crossflow head. If you have the non-crossflow head, I am not sure, whether the hallow shaft is at the same position, but it would be logical.

After you removed the old gasket, you should clean the sealing face, but I think that is obvous.
When you install the new gasket, you should watch that the gasket is fixed on the right postion and that it is not able to move while you install the head again.

I'm sorry, for my quiet bad explaination, but I hope the picture helps to unterstand.   

[exarkun1178]

shift the head the 20 degrees  then lift off the head?  why does turning the head prevent lifting the cylinder ?  or better question what will cause the cylinder to lift?  being stuck to to head?

[Mecky]

It's not important, whether it is exactly 20 degrees. It is just important that the cylinders can't stick to the gasket and the head anymore.

The head should be turned, because the gasket can stick to the head and maybe the cylinders can stick to the gasket. If you just lift the head without turning, the cylinders could lift up. When you turned it far enough, the gasket cannot stick to the block and the cylinders anymore. Probably it will stick to the head or just lie on the block, after you removed the head.

I am not completely sure, if the cylinders in your engine are able to lift, but I think so.

I know that surely for the Renault 807 crossflow engine, which is in our Europa. I think it's the same for the Renault 821 engine, which is stock in the S2 Federal. Both engines (807 & 821) have 1565 cc.

Like I said, I am not sure about the 1470 cc Renault (697) engine, but I think it is the same problem.

Which engine is in your car?