I have a vl calais 88 auto NA :cry: today the head gasket blew, the head is cracked and l need new walsh plugs... l know i'm up for at least $1000 for the head.. l was also told (1 month ago) that my injectors need replacing, high voltage leads need replacing the distributor cap needs replacing and the timning belt needs to be replaced.... what options do l have? is there a stronger head that l can get? what advantages/disadvantages are there? l desperately need my car back on the road so if only the head gasket gets replaced and a new head then i'm happy, the rest can wait but if its going to make things cheaper cos all the top of the engine is in bits then l might do it all at once... where abouts is a good place to get all the head stuff done at? l live in eastern suburbs of Melb... Please, please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!! any info would greatly be appreciated!!! thanks!! Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

not good to hear dude have u looked into getting a recon? i am not sure bout melbourne but i am pretty sure that up here u can do a sortta trade for a recond' engine. u take ur busted up one in and give them some $$ and they give u an engine they have done a recon on. might pay to look into. good luck. jeffo Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

If you are not to mechanically minded and don't have the neccesary tools to work on a car then I suggest you go to a mechanic to get the work done, but it's really not to hard to remove a head on a VL just some of the bolts are a prick to get to. If you don't have to much cash to play with then what I would do is try to source a secondhand RB30 head off a R31 Skyline, these were less prone to cracking or a VL but make sure you check it out it still is a bit of a gamble to use second hand parts, nothing is really guaranted. Otherwise get your head welded up at a engine reconditioner place or go get a change over head from somewhere like Repco, but then it gets expensive. Since your motor is'nt a turbo you can use a cheap ACL Monotorque headgasket it will do the job but if going for a turbo conversion only use a genuine R31 Nissan head gasket. Always replace a timing belt and tensioner after installing a head gasket you don't have to but I recommend it, a good timing belt goes for around $25 and the tensioner for around $50. Your leads choose any brand you fancy but you can expect to pay around $50 and up, the distributor cap around $30 and injectors shop around as some places can differ in price but then you could try useing second hand ones and see how you go. If you can do alot of the work yourself then you are going to save on alot of labour but it depends on what option you decide on when doing the head because it might not work out to be cheap.

I got a good condition recon'd head for $550 through my mechanic .. waruntee'd and all .. came with LPG strengthened valve seats too .. which should help in the long run. Was another nearly $500 in labour for it all tho. I dunno where in the east of melb you are, but if your out Frankston way, track down Vidotto's Auto Care .. highly recomended mechanics, did my head gasket and head .. 15,000kms later and still going strong .. no issues ..

why dont you just buy a second hand motor? ive seen them for $450 at wreckers. otherwise if you are short on cash just get a second hand head, doesnt need to be reco'd if you cant afford it. they go for $100-200

i gather you have the head off if you know it is cracked so you've already done most of the work. just get a manual so you can go through the procedure for replacing the above mentioned items ( ie head bolt torques and sequences for tightening etc) and you will save heaps. i got a reco head for $500 and gasket set for $70 and timing belt for $25. good luck.

nope, haven't done anything to the car, the RACV guy said that the head was cracked, i personally haven't even seen my engine since it happend cos i just got home and had to go straight out to work again and my car wouldn't start... so called RACV and took mums car to work.... i've got the Gregories manual, does this give me enough info for doing the work myself? i think i'd have the appropriate tools for doing the head...

1) drain coolant, buy cheap as **** pov coolant and fill the radiator with 100% of it. 2) drain oil, buy cheap as **** pov oil and fill the engine to the correct level. 3) drive to your local car yard like a grandma and trade it in on another car.

once the head gasket has blown, does the engine need machining on either side of the gasket cos some of it may have stuck to it?

no its good to machine the block coz the head overheats, and warps, and it warps the block along with it, and when u put a new head on which is flat it doesnt seal properly.

Doubt the RACV guy can tell from outside the engine if the head is cracked anyway .. my VL blew the head gasket a couple of months back, RACV guy said for sure the head would be gone .. took it to mechanics,they checked it all over, head survived .. passed pressure testing and all .. so .. just coz the engine/car has a reputation for cracking heads, doesnt mean it always does ..

ok thanks guys!! i've made a few phone calls and l would really like to do all the work myself... just so that l can learn more about the car and engines and get my hands dirty... i was thinking of doing the following: - replacing the injectors, high voltage leads, distributor cap timing belt weltch plugs and get a gasket kit. - taking the radiator out and getting it cleaned out, new thermistat and water pump, check all hosing. i'm confident l can do everything myself except for the head... but i've got a mate helping me with that and then ill send it off to a place get them to crack test it and fix it if it is cracked... then get it back and put it all together... i'm going to ring a few places up and see what they quote me to do the whole lot and then i'll find out how much i can get all the parts for myself and way up how much cheaper it would be for me as there is alot of labour work involved and as l only work 2 days per week l have plenty of time on my hands is there any post/web pages/info l can find out about taking the head off and replacing it? (i'm about to search this forum for posts on it) but any info would be greatly appreciated cheers -=whiteshadow=- Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Get a gregories book .. seriously, if your gonna be doing anything yourself on a car, get the gregories book for it (or similar book) .. well worth the money ..

yeah i've got that Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

I'll give you $1000 for you car :mrgreen: joking. I did my head, a long time ago. I suggest doing it properly because you dont want to do it twice!!!!! Replace what needs to be done. Go to the wreckers a buy a S/H one they an gurantee its not crack, Nissan wreckers is better as Skylines never had cracked heads. But they might want more, just tell them match the price of $150 and give them a big fat smile like :mrgreen: You will need to have a torque tensioner and the average home mechanic wont have one of these :mrgreen: . Timing belt just buy the ones Made in USA should do the job. How many injectors do you need ? I have good ones for NA, one or two brand new ones too!!!.

my mate has a torque tensioner... i'm getting reco injectors, thanks anyway...