Head gasket oil leak??

[donbowman14]

I have a JD 445 and the left side (from my seat) has a little oil on the spark plug and it blows some blue smoke. I'm assuming these are related. Does anyone have any idea on the process of replacing the head gasket? It seems relatively straight forward, but I'm a little concerned about getting the valves set back correctly.

 

[john_bud]

First step is to get the manual for the machine if you are unsure of the steps. Probably find it online or one for the engine at least. It is pretty simple, but there are steps to follow to get the valves set right. Basically, get the piston to TDC on the compression stroke and then set the valve lash.