Head bolts
MautoK - 21/5/09 at 10:03 PM
My MK is still overheating - badly 
I thought i'd improved things by fitting a Polo rad and replumbing. It seemed to run fine, stationary for about 15 minutes - warmed up OK till
the fan came on, then off a couple of minutes later.
Went out yesterday, did about 3 miles - OK.
Today did about 5 miles and come back boiling having expelled a couple of litres of water.
The good bit is that the replacement autobox is as sweet as a nut 
Today, via eBay, I bought a compression tester that should arrive in a few days. First of all I want to see if it reveals any positive indication of
head gasket failure. Then the head has to come off. I've not done it yet because my hands are still in sub-optimum state following their exposure
to ATF (75% of epidermis peeled - not recommended!)
Oh yes, head bolts... is it necessary to use new bolts on re-assembly? In other words, are they designed to operate beyond the yield point, i.e.
stretch non-elastically?
Thanks guys,
John.
Peteff - 21/5/09 at 10:08 PM
At about £10 a set it's not worth skimping on them.
Benzine - 21/5/09 at 10:09 PM
This same question came up earlier this month 
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=113061
MautoK - 21/5/09 at 10:19 PM
Thank you, Gents.
@Peteff: Better £10 than a snapped bolt!
@Benzine: Hadn't seen that thread - thx!
John.
ReMan - 21/5/09 at 10:33 PM
because my hands are still in sub-optimum state following their exposure to ATF (75% of epidermis peeled - not recommended!)
??? Please expand
Are u OK?
prawnabie - 21/5/09 at 10:35 PM
He had a reaction to the atf he was using when he changed his autobox. Its made me wear gloves since lol!
MautoK - 21/5/09 at 10:51 PM
quote:
Originally posted by prawnabie
He had a reaction to the atf he was using when he changed his autobox. Its made me wear gloves since lol!
Yes, I knacked my first auto box after the first time on the road. So I swapped it out and tried, really tried, to spill as little ATF as possible;
but inevitably a pint ended up on the garage floor. Used absorbent mats to soak it up but my hands got a liberal smothering of the stuff, and a week
later the skin started peeling on my hands - see pics in my archive
In the past I've slathered my hands in all sorts of oil, cutting fluid, solvents, paint, etc, etc and never had a problem - but this is the first
time I've been quite so intimate with ATF 
They're improving now, with lots of moisturiser every few hours, but the skin is still a bit thin and tender.
I've now bought a pair of impervious gloves for when I deal with the dreaded stuff again.
MikeRJ - 22/5/09 at 07:27 AM
The Pinto comes with two types of head bolts depending on it's age. The earlier type (spline head) could be the re-used, the later type (Torx
head) are stretch bolts that should be a replaced. They are quite cheap so it makes sense not to risk re-using them.
[Edited on 22/5/09 by MikeRJ]
MautoK - 22/5/09 at 12:18 PM
It's an 88/89 engine with JL prefix.
Although I had the cam box off a few months back (to change the stem seals) I can't remember which type of bolt is fitted.
Compression test first, when the gauge arrives...
It's so frustrating! Nice sunny day and I can only do 4 or 5 miles before the gurgly/boily noises start 
The rest of the car is fine, and it's a joy to drive 