[frak]

Looks like i have a leaky gasket or crqcked head. In the last month started using water and seeing some oil on the radiator cap. (Also mysteriously found what looked like very thin black fragile plastic under the cap last top up. Quite a bit of it all scruched up under the cap.)

Not seen bubbles while running with the cap off yet and no fountains like the last car. But definitely oil on the cap i have cleaned it off twice. Will do a compression test soon.

So as i cant have this off the road long i plan to get a new head and gasket. (If i assume gasket and find i have a cracked head i will be sans car ie no easy way to drive back to canberra for work)

Any thoughts on getting work done on the new head before i fit it? Eg larger valves, mild cam change, maching the ports to the intake/exhaust manifolds, increase compression by thinner gasket or shaving the head?

[jdk81]

I wouldnt bother.

Id look for a new head, but also consider a whole motor from a pull it yourself type wrecker with 3 month warranty.
They will be roughly the same price, and they dont seem to last as long once opened.

[frak]

I dont have access tobauch a wrecker. Or the space to stash a car while i strip it. Fitting new head i can do over a weekend though.