Replace Head gasket on 504 RC

I need to replace the head gasket on my gas 504 RC, This will be my first head gasket replacement, more time than money, and like to get my hands dirty.
Anyone know where I can get a step by step?
the gasket is blown between #2&3 cylinders.
I am hoping to just replace the gasket.
I always get good info from this site.
Thanks Jay

The IHC repair manual is great. Automotive service text books are also very good sources of process info. Be sure to have the head checked for flatness. Jim

When you have the head off, there is no better time to do a valve job. A automotive machine shop could grind your valves, put new valve seals on, check for cracks and check to see if your head is flat. If it is not they could grind it flat. No sense doing the same job twice.

If you need to just change the gasket and no valve job, leave the manifolds on. Then you can t twist the bolts and studs off.

Not familiar with that engine, but can't imagine it's much different from any other.

It's probably a lot easier than you'd think - 99% of it is common sense.

Drain the coolant. Remove the top radiator hose if that's necessary on your engine.
Take off the obvious stuff that's in the way. Valve cover, any brackets attached to the head.

Unplug your plug wires - label them if you're not sure of the firing order)

Suppose you can leave the intake/exhaust manifold in place if you remove the carb.

Remove the rocker arm assembly - should just be a few nuts holding it in place. Pull out the pushrods. Check them for straightness while you've got them out.

Remove the head nuts, don't worry if a stud comes out with the nut, it happens all the time.

Pull the head off.

wipe everything clean - vacuum out any carbon or junk that fell into the cylinders.

Put the new gasket in place.

Reverse the process to re-install. All you really need to do is make sure you tighten it properly - using a torque wrench (not sure what setting) Torque the nuts down gradually - start from the middle ones and work you way outwards so the head sort of flattens out as you tighten it.

Of course, while you've got the head off, take a real good look at your pistons/cylinders. A leak of coolant into a cylinder can wreak havoc.

You could (one might say should) do a lot more while you're in there, but if you're low on funds and just want the gasket fixed, that should be all you have to do. Slap it back together and start her up.

Hope I didn't miss any steps - but again, it's one of those jobs that sounds a lot more complicated than it really is.

It is sorta straight forward . Best to get your self a I T manual as it will be a big help and it has PICTURES . IF she blew between 2 and 3 then you had best have the head ground as she is not flat anymore.

Hi guys..well I took compression on all 4 cylinders, they are all close.
When trying to start tractor I noticed the ignition blast resistor gets hot? I put on a new coil.
I reset the points,is it possible the distributor is bad? Can't figure out why when I pull the plug wires (which are getting spark) on #2&3 cylinders there is no change, for some reason it is just not firing on those two.
This happen last spring when the tractor was just idealing, I got off the tractor for about 5 minutes and when I got back on it started acting up.Hate to have it hauled into a shop.

The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Do you have the #2 and #3 wires on the wrong plugs?

The ballast resistor is supposed to get hot. It is a resistor. Resistors "burn off" electricity as heat. In fact the ballast resistor is a very large resistor, so it burns off a LOT of heat. That is why it is housed in a ceramic bracket.

Ive done quite a few jobs, even on my duramax. Here are a few tricks ive done that save time and mess.

Coats everything once a day for a couple days prior with PB blaster

Unhook lower radiator hose to drain, then thermostat housing. vacuum from lower hose and remove all coolant from head and passages so it wont get in your cylinders

xylene and razor blades are the best way to clean head surface

If you will be leaving head off for a while, outside, clean it all up, and coat cylinders, and block surface in ATF then apply a couple layers of Saran wrap, will keep cylinders and block surface from getting any surface rust.

When you are ready to reinstall head use same shop vac around each head bolt hold and blow hole out with air gun, the shop vac will keep the debris and ATF from blowing all over the other surfaces

If bolts are hard coming out i will get a bolt same thread as head bolt, cut a groove in it, then chase the threads and blow them out again. you dont want to use a tap as it will remove excess thread material.

I soak all pushrods, lifters, rockers in xylene or diesel fuel then in oil before reinstall

I second having head done by a shop. I paid $160 for my shop to mill and recut valves and new seals on the last head i had for a backhoe. money well spent.