F Head - replacing the head gasket

Hi all,


First off, it has been awhile since I've had a chance to visit, hope everyone is well and planning for some peaceful family filled holidays.
If you have other plans, attack them with vigor!

Ok so I am replacing the head gasket on my 58 F-Head and I have a few questions.

I already did all the sundry extras, carb is off, hoses off fuel and oil lines off etc. All parts in labeled baggies and entire job has been photographed.

I have the crank set to top dead center, or should say as close as possible based on the "notch" in the crank wheel, it's not super precise looking!
So my first First question is....on this car is TDC really at 12:00 or is it that I should be lining up the TDC notch with a corresponding notch on the cover on the block? I don't see a notch on the block, but just curious.
Also, although I am already at TDC (or very close to it) is setting to TDC entirely necessary for this job? Since the cam shaft is in the block, isn't it actually safe to do this job at any point in the rotation? Just curious.

Second, It appears that the three center head bolts will come out a lot easier if I remove the shaft holding all the rockers that are mounted to the valves first. I am guessing that is the standard order of operation. Remove all valve guts etc the remove head. But, I do not like surprises, so my question is, if I remove the four nuts holding the valves to the rockers, then remove the four main nuts holding everything in place, what is going to happen? How many pieces does this shaft fall into? Are the springs that are wrapped around the shaft going to push the opposite ends away from each other? How do the springs on the other side of the rockers respond to this intrusion?

Like i said, I took a lot of pix so far to judge how it is all supposed to go back together, but again, just curious.

Thoughts? Advice? Suggestions? Many thanks and Happy Holidays!:stout::stout::stout:

 

You should be able to remove the rocker shaft all together, the springs keep the rockers from moving side to side.

Also there is one bolt down in the carb hole, a lot of guys miss it and go and pry on the head and brake something.

Andrew

 

Nice tip! I did not know there was a bolt down there, I will keep it in mind. Thanks!

 

Remember the timing mark comes up top when the motor is not TDC too--it's 360 off. Hopefully you know that though-just sayin.

 

Right, the first plug hole should have the piston all the way up to "closed" right?

 

Well, it's usually termed 180 out, since the cam and distributor turn once for every 2 turns of the crank (a 4-cycle engine, you know). So the timing mark is aligned both at #1 TDC on the compression stroke and on the exhaust stroke. I usually take the #1 plug out, crank the engine, and listen/feel for the "chuff" of the compression stroke. Or you can use the rotation that puts the rotor pointing at the #1 plug wire, if the distributor is still in place.

 

I figured this was the situation regarding TDC, but just wanted to confirm.

Thanks all!

 

Yeah, I thought about it and couldn't figure out if it was 360 or 180.