Installing head gasket on 147.

[SDBOB]

I got the head off. I see some carbon buildup. I'm cleaning now, threads, bolts. CC factory manual says soak head gasket in water before installing. Never heard of this. Is this practice necessary?

[ol'George]

Old procedure using Asbestos material, not necessary with new gasket materials.

Now listen up:
Install the head and torque in 3 increments paying attention to the bolt torque sequence in the manual.
(say #10, then #20 ish then final torque.)
Then run the engine bringing it to operating temp ( 15 minutes more/less)
Then go through the torque procedure again.
You will notice they have loosened some.
Run it again and check the torque a third time.
they might only loosen a bit, now job is done.

Now this sounds like excessive work.
So,
you can torque it only one time,
and in a short while, get to replace the newly blown head gasket again
Only this time, correctly.
Have fun.
Oh, while the head is off it is a good idea to chase the head bolt threads in the block with a bottom tap so they are clean.
And flatten the head on a surface plate ( or glass) on a flat surface using wet/dry sandpaper.
( several posts on OCC) and yer-tube )
Now iffin 'yall know all this, sorry for wasting yer time

[R Bedell]

CC factory manual says soak head gasket in water before installing

I have never seen this. Exactly where is this recommendation..??

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by R Bedell

I have never seen this. Exactly where is this recommendation..??

I've seen it written before Roland, thinking it was in a Briggs manual.
But prolly in Kohler also, as he posted.
The mind is a wonderful thing, now where did I put it.

[cooperino]

George gave you the correct method. Only thing I saw missing is, You should let the engine cool before re-torque. If you tighten them hot they will shrink during cooling. Long time ago I saw a snapped head bolt due to this.

[SDBOB]

I forget where I'm at,oh yeah I remember! Thanks guys for the information. I will follow book,plus retorquing ,let it cool,etc. I'm not well....,I want to do things as best as I can,my father always said,you are only going to do it once'.He was a builder, painter, carpenter. My dad's dad was a steam shovel operator then steam fitter,my other grandfather was a painter did lot of special detail work in older churches and govt buildings that they use wall paper now with the delicate pictures. Again thanks ,Bob

[mortten]

Page 1-17 of the 1X2, 1X3 Service manual.

[Cub Cadet 123]

As ol' Jorge (sorry, my Spanish accent is showing), ol' George mentioned, when using a pane of glass as a plane for your head, remember to use a figure 8 motion on the sandpaper to prevent uneven sanding.

Cub Cadet 123

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by Cub Cadet 123

As ol' Jorge (sorry, my Spanish accent is showing), ol' George mentioned, when using a pane of glass as a plane for your head, remember to use a figure 8 motion on the sandpaper to prevent uneven sanding.


Cub Cadet 123

And dribble some sweat on the wet or dry paper to keep it from loading up

[TheSaturnV]

A spray bottle with some watered down glass cleaner really keeps the action going nicely. Every now and then rotate the head 90 degrees and change your hand position. We want it square and flat!