Having vacuumed most every surface in the garage, I decided it was time to start on the engine, first the tape protecting the open alternator and clutch sides of the crankcase was removed, easier said than done. The masking tape glue had set like concrete in the time since the engine was painted.
Some while ago I bought a Laser (I think) cylinder head spanner and this was the opportunity to give it a try. Frankly it is not up to the job, the torque required to crack the cylinder head nuts caused the U section to twist. Fortunately I also had a 15mm crows foot spanner which did the job fine.
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I will do one head at a time as I could get in a right bugger’s muddle with shims etc.
This is what I saw when I took the vertical cylinder head off, piston remarkably clean top surface, heavily coked valve heads, some surface corrosion encroaching onto the milled surface, unlikely to have caused any pressure leak.
The engine has done about 25k miles and the bore looks nicely run in, some light polishing where the top ring stops and turns around, no ridges or longitudinal scoring or damage whatsoever. I was well pleased with that.
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The cylinder head studs are stainless and I was planning to replace them but using the two nuts locked together technique I tried to unscrew them but there was more danger of me breaking them than unscrewing them so I think I shall just leave them be. Given the condition of the bore and the remarkably little play on the top of the piston I do not think I will bother lifting this barrel as it will only lead to a possibility of broken rings when I put it back.
I cleaned the piston top surface of the carbon residue with a Scotchbrite pad but did not get time to have a go at the cylinder head itself.