Comments on: How To Replace The Head Gasket On An E Series Ford Falcon

By: craig

craig — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:05:29 +0000

Hi,
The earlier EA had 17mm head bolts and the later engines EF, EL etc went to a 14mm head bolt. From my experiences it is best to use a single hex (six sided) socket on the head bolts rather than the usual double hex (twelve sided socket).

By: Jack Frost

Jack Frost — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:49:57 +0000

What size socket do the head bolts require?

By: craig

craig — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:05:55 +0000

Hi Robert,
To be honest I have not had much success using RTV type sealant on the thermostat housings of Falcon cylinder heads and find that the Loctite No.3 product is more suited to this. I think the difference is that it stays ‘wet’ and doesn’t dry out like the RTV and maintains a better seal and no, it won’t matter if the surface is wet when applying it, just try to get a good coverage on both sides of the gasket before bolting it back up. Those housings can be a bugger of a thing to seal up even at the best of times!

Good luck and please let us know how you get on if you give the other sealant a try.

By: Robert Doyle

Robert Doyle — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:00:18 +0000

Craig,
Thank you for all your help.All ok with head except where the thermostat housing connects to the head.Cant get it to seal,keeps leaking.Have replaced twice using High temp permatex red rtv silicone.
Using the right gasket and housing looks ok.Head surface ok as is reco head.
Notice you suggest Loctite no.3.Do you think this will do the trick.
Does it matter if the surface is wet when applying.
Regards
Robert

By: craig

craig — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:15:24 +0000

Hi Steven,
Sorry to hear of your dramas, sure can make life difficult when this happens. The only other option you have other than those two you mentioned is trying a six-sided or single hex socket if you haven’t already done this.
The normal twelve-sided or double-hex sockets don’t grip the head of the bolt as securely as a single hex socket and you might be lucky enough to loosen it with the single-hex socket.(see picture)
If that is what your already using I suggest welding a nut to the bolt head as the preferred method as there is less chance of doing damage to the alloy and the slag can be easily cleaned up once the head is removed.
Hope this helps and best of luck.

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:30:38 +0000

I have started replacing my EF head gasket. Unfortunately one of the head bolts was difficult to move and I have rounded the edges. Can you suggest what to do now? Should I try to cut the top of the bolt off? One friend has suggested welding a spare nut on top and using it to undo the head bolt.

By: craig

craig — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:08:53 +0000

Hi David,
Common practise is to use Hylomar on cylinder block head gasket surface ( as per instructions on the can) and to use a non-hardening gasket sealer such as Loctite No.3 Aviation Form-A-Gasket on the inlet manifold gasket and thermostat housing gasket ( both sides of the gaskets coated lightly ).
The remaining gaskets (exhaust manifold, tappet cover etc) will be fine used without any sealant or gasket maker.

By: DB

DB — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:59:27 +0000

My son and I are about to embark on a head gasket change on our EL falcon. I am slowly compiling the tools, bits and pieces needed. One question keeps arising for me. I have a VRS set 522. When putting in the new gaskets should I be using a smear of engine oil on gaskets or apply a gasket maker? I’ve seen hylomar mentioned.

By: craig

craig — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:26:28 +0000

Hi Bob,
Thanks for letting us know of the problem you came across. I hope everything else went ok.

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:39:52 +0000

I came across one other problem when I did mine. The bolt head (10mm)holding the long chain guide was rounded and I couldnt get enough grip on a socket to turn it. Heating the bolt helped by weakening the locktite on the bolt thread and using a worn 3/8 (9.56mm) socket forced onto the bolt head got more grip