HI guys, first post so go easy on me!
Firstly its not my car its my brothers, and he doesnt show it any love, its a heap, but it gets him to work and back.
He called me explaining it was over heating so i told him to let it cool down, top up fluid and get it back home as he was only 10km away. He did this, no dramas, said temp went quite high then came back to normal, performance normal.
On his driveway looked under hood and water dripping from water pump. No problem. Replace pump, no leaks perfect. Then the white smoke starts to bellow out the exhaust. Immediate reaction, Head gasket after being driven in over heated condition. Everyone agree? not a magna fanatic so don't know of too many other things it could be.
So on a 4 cyl, 2.6 ts anything scary about gasket change? is there a walk-through guide on here? everything seems to talk about the v6 version..
Also, in general, do the head gasket kits come with the intake/exhaust manifold gaskets?
With the head off, anything i should do while i'm in there? These things have a timing chain don't they? do i need to set it at a certain timing position, ie tdc, before i start. If so, how? what marks are there?
Apologies for loads of questions, i'm a magna newbie mechanic, however im no stranger to swinging spanners as i'm a veteran VW air cooled mechanic and a Licensed Aircraft Engineer.
Any recommendations for spares suppliers, i'm in Perth WA.
Thanks guys ( and girls)
Tony

post a month ago so its probably sorted already

anyway..for next time

you need to drain the coolant below the head the carby can stay on the inlet manifold

but take pictures or mark the vacumme lines and fuel line positions

the timing chain rachet system on the TR/TS is the tricky bit to reset

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh59/magnabuff/trchaintension2.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/magnabuff/media/trchaintension2.jpg.html)

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh59/magnabuff/chainlayout1.jpg (http://s253.photobucket.com/user/magnabuff/media/chainlayout1.jpg.html)

The closest write up this forum has on a four cyl

head removal 2.6 motor
Head removal
this will do for the 4 cylinder tm-tp and second gen engines with roller rockers
parts valve regrind gasket set (VRS)
Tools
tension wench metric sockets & spanners

If anyone else has a head problem/overheating
I would strongly suggest they have the block
tested for hardness/pressure tested/machined on all surfaces
fit new studs on sides
new bolts and washes ..clean out thread holes in block
check block surface for warp ..
specs only allow one mm for the block warp
two mm for head warp

TR/TS 4 cyl heads have been sucessfully been fitted to the first gen motors
carby and EFI...... including their rocker roller cam gear

TR and TS 4 cyl head bolts that fit the TN/TP motor
should still be able to be bought at repco bursons or other
washes if no luck anywhere .... a nuts and bolt shop should supply

proceedure
drain cooling system to below block
undo inlet manifold bolts-----12 mm-- pull clear of head
undo exhaust manifold bolts -12mm -make sure it doesnt hit the radiator
undo tappet cover water pump pully bolt off the cam (14mm)
turn engine to TDC make sure rotor button on dissy cap is at number one cyl and at top of compression stroke
remove dissy 12mm undo timing cam bolt 22mm
rest that cam on the cam rest
undo rockers and 2 bolts 12mm inside the timing chain cavity
watch out for falling tappets as you remove the rockers
undo head bolts 17 mm
lift head off without touching the cam sprocket
clean all gasket surfaces off before refitting new gasket
head removed

check cylinder pots

Timing and cam problems 2.6 4 cyl
before you undo anything
with the timing mark at TDC Its different because the line up spot is just before the 3 oclock position on the cam and the trick is to have the rotor pointing lining up just before number one lead on the cap so that spark happens at the number one lead not after when refitting the dissy

I have never come across a timing chain with the coloured link so I mark it with nail polish
the red circle is the pin that lines up the cam and the sprocket and the dissy cog you cant go wrong if all that goes togeather

The most annoying thing is the hydraulic tappets fall out easily when undoing the rockers
after the cam is removed the head can come off

If the head gasket and surfaces are ok, look for cracks and shifted exhaust valve guides.
If the head is softened from overheating, the guides can shift and let water out into the exhaust system.