The best time to post a thread like this probably would have been before I started, but if I were a man of foresight I probably wouldn't have a 33-year old station wagon. As it stands, the old warped cylinder head is off the car and the new cylinder head is sitting on my dining room table. Anyone looking for a new B21 cylinder head at the Lynnwood Pull-A-Part is going to be a little annoyed that I either snapped all the exhaust manifold studs off of or stripped a head bolt on all of them (i am not good at car D: )

I'm not running into any problems aside from the cost of the gaskets and o-rings I need to replace (if I could afford all this crap I probably wouldn't have a 33-year-old station wagon) It all seems pretty straightforward and I have repair manuals, but I figured one of you guys has probably done this before and would have some advice that would help me not mess it up.

 

It is fairly striaght forward... You got it off, just install in reverse order.

So you pulled the head from the yard? Assuming you checked to make sure it is in spec.
You might want to check valve clearance.

Did you clean all the carbon deposits out of the piston cambers? Make sure all the surfaces are clean. Take your time and follow the manual. Have the head bolts ready once you put the head on. Put a small film of oil on the head bolts and have them in reach once you put the head on.

Good luck.

 

+1 All very sound advice. Do make double darn sure the replacement head is straight. The mating surfaces have to be scrupiously clean. Wet the head bolts with motor oil and then wipe it all off, leaving just the tiniest bit in the threads. Don't want 'em dry...but nt dripping either. The amount of oil will affect thetorque values. You def. need a torque wrench, follow the specs and you should be fine. As was stated above, get the head as clean as possibe...deposits in the combustion chambers can lead to hot spots and detonation...never a good thing. Your wagon's not too old...mine are currently 37, 30, 21 and 20!!!!