If I pull the head...
 

I've been pricing some parts and it looks like ECSTuning has a good head gasket kit with the valve cover gasket, and a few other seals and such, and they sell a 10 pack of Head bolts for not too much. I recently replaced the Intake gasket, so that should be good, but I'll do the exhaust gasket while I'm in there. I think I may need to do the throttle body gasket as well, since I'll have everything ripped apart. I might as well clean that little bad boy while I'm at it.

I recently did the TB, so she's good. Is there anything else I might want to consider while I have her ripped apart? I'm just over 130K on the odometer. Would replacing the intake and exhaust valves be worth the extra money, or just a waste of time. Obviously I'm going to clean everything I can.

Any suggestions would be great, especially from you guys with the 1.8Ts who have done this stuff before. Perhaps a few little tricks to make the job easier, or things to watch out for...

Make sure you get the poly drive head bolt tool. And a new timing belt tensioner, or grenade as I call it. Don't lay the head down on the valves. Don't replace them either.

yea, unless you plan on going BT, your valves are fine. if you are planning that, only the exhaust valves need replaced. to be honest, ive had my intake, exhaust, and TB off many of times, and never replaced the gaskets. i really dont see the point unless theyre like falling apart. when you take your IM off, watch out for your dipstick tube, they break easy as shit, as for the hot side, youll need to cut a socket in half to even get on the last of the 3 turbo bolts, and they suck. mine ended up breaking off in the turbo

It'd be a good time to do cam/half-moon seals if you didn't do them at t-belt time.

check your cams and lifters for extreme or excesssive wear.

i have seen that a lot and known people to ignore it and it didnt have a happy ending.

I replaced the TB tensioner while doing the TB maybe 2K miles ago. Would I really need to replace it again?

Oh, and I was looking at the tool too. Supposed I'll need a torque wrench as well...

nah, just W.A.G. it ;)

i would suggest a torque wrench...

i replaced every bolt i took off and torqued the new ones to spec when i rebuilt my head

Yes. I wouldn't trust it after its been installed, removed, put in a vice to reload, and reinstalled. It's not expensive, you wouldn't want to risk it failing ya know?

Attachment 35469

This might help also if you didnt already know