Head gasket

[Datsun AshLee]

Hi everyone, I know this is a dumb question but I'm trying to replace my head gasket to prove to my dad that I can do it without his help!! Anyway, what side of the gasket goes against the block? The gasket I have has an orange bead of (I'm guessing) a sealant on one side and not on the other side, so does this side go against the block or the head

[Nissanman]

The gasket won't be reversible. Once you line up all the holes in the engine block with the gasket then that is the way it goes.

[mraitch]

So

Make sure thar BOTH surfaces are clean AND match.

Why are you replacing the head gaskety??

Often, head gasket 'blowing' has an impact on the water pump - depending upon wha happened.
remember, you are dealing with a cast iron block and an aluminum head.

So, perhaps,, it is just not showing your dad, but perhaps you might want to look firtrher into why this heppened in the first place.

and then there iz the intake manifold gasket????

[Datsun AshLee]

I found water in my oil, it was very milky. The motor still ran but leaked a little water down the exhaust side of the motor, when the head was pulled there was water on the top of the pistons.

[Nissanman]

You should inspect the water passages in the head very carefully for erosion that is evident allowing the coolant to enter the cylinders.
A new head gasket will not solve that.
Lay the gasket onto the head surface and see how much larger the head passages are compared to the gasket cutouts.
The head, if corroded, will require welding repairs.
Datsun/Nissan engines typically rot out at cylinder #4 since that is the lowest part of the engine head and any sediment will collect there.

[Datsun AshLee]

I am switching the heads because I have a good head from a different motor however I noticed that there was some rust down in the block where the push rods go down into and there is a little rust around the top edge of the pistons. Is this going to be a problem?

[Nissanman]

Errrk! The danger I see with rust on the pistons is that the rings may have corroded to the bores, thus causing further problems.
How long ago was this engine running do you know?

[Datsun AshLee]

Last year

[Nissanman]

It may be OK but it has been through a winter like this hasn't it?
Mop up the water and dose up all the rusty bits with a de-watering fluid like WD-40 or CRC 556.
Have you turned the engine over at all or is it how you found it?

[Datsun AshLee]

Haven't tried turning it over yet

[Nissanman]

That could be a problem if the bores have been wet and the rings have corroded.
Make sure you use heaps of WD 40 inside the bores and let soak.