Order of assembly: head, sump, front cover, water pump, etc.

[The Veg]

If you've read my recent threads about oil leaks and broken bolts, in pursuit of remedying all this plus a couple of other things, I have removed all the items in the title of this thread. The WSM isn't clear on re-assembling more than one of these in a combined operation, so what's the advice of the more experienced hands here regarding putting it all back together? What first, what order, hints and tips, pitfalls to avoid?

Also, the last guy who was in there used red RTV on basically everything except the sump, for which he used a blue RTV. Opinions? Use something else in any particular area? I have some red at hand.

[rgh0]

Follow the workshop manual as it gives a good guide on assembly order of the various components. I normally do the rear main seal, front cover and pump, then the head and cam clearances and timing and finally the sump and flywheel. This way if I drop anything into the engine on assembly I can retrieve it until the sump goes on last with minimum risk

I dont like using RTV except in a few specific locations as excessive use sees it squeezed out and potnetially blocking passages

I use

Loctite anaerobic gasket former on the metal to metal joins. There are various grades to use depending on how flat your front cover to back plate is.

I use Loctite aviation gasket cement No3 on paper and cork gaskets. I let it go tacky before bolting the joins up so it holds the cork gaskets in place.

I use small dab of Loctite red or copper silicone sealant ( RTV) in the corners where the sump longitudinal gaskets meet the semi circular gaskets that go over the the front and rear crank seal housings. I also use it on the exhaust port gaskets

I use Loctitie Teflon thread sealing paste on the various gallery plugs

cheers
Rohan

[512BB]

I will never use Loctite aviation gasket cement No3 again. It might be fine in hot climates, but it certainly is not, in the UK, in winter.

I built an engine a couple of years ago, in January. It was about 5 degrees in my workshop. I was fitting the front cover, and opened a new tin of the above. It was like golden syrup, but darker, and did not taste the same So I heated it up in a bowl of hot water, which thinned it considerably and proceeded to apply it to the paper gasket with a fine paint brush. Not quite sure what application you would use the rouge sized brush for inside the cap, but hey.

Bolted everything up and called it a day. The next morning, I observed the LAG had squeezed out all over the show and I feared that it may have blocked the chain feed, and I could not take the chance, so stripped it all down again. Fears confirmed, it had bled into the dimple.

Cleaned everything up and reassembled with the trusty old Wellseal, which smells exactly the same as LAG, but tastes completely different, and is infinitely thinner, even in the dead of winter. No further problems.

Leslie

[The Veg]

Luckily I live in a hot climate!

[nigelrbfurness]

Assenble in this order: Block spacer, water pump and front cover then sump and finally the head. Don't torque the front cover bolts until you've bolted up the sump, in case you have minor alignment issues. Use Wellseal on the sump and if you feel inclined, on the head gasket. For aluminium to aluminium, ie. Water pump and front timing cover to spacer, blue hylomar.

Good luck with your reassembly!