Head Gasket Replacement

[ResonateEcho]

Hello,

I have a 1991 Camaro RS (3.1L) and noticed my car beginning to overheat, I proceeded to check the coolant and found a thick "mocha milkshake" substance in my radiator. I then flushed the system completely, checked oil fluid levels and drove it another day. The next day I checked it and it was packed with the stuff again.

I asked a couple of experts and have come to the conclusion that it must be a blown head gasket.

That being said, I was wondering if there was anyone here that has performed such a task, and if so, how difficult / time consuming of a job is this?

Thanks.

[3.4 slow to go]

I did on a 2.8, and it eventually led to a 305 swap [img]redface.gif[/img] ( 3.4 & 3800 along the way ;) )

Best friend will be either a Service manual or chiltons/haynes. May as well do both since teh intakes have to be removed. AS far as difficulty, just read thru directions & follow in book & engine a couple times before doing it. Get all gaskets needed for task, do dry run again. I've never had to mess w/setting vavle lash, so I'll leave that to those more aqainted w/it chime in.

[ResonateEcho]

Thanks for the response.

About how long did it take you from start to finish? I need to know if this is going to be a single day's job or an entire weekend.

Thanks.

[3.4 slow to go]

I'd save it for the weekend, that way you wont get rushed, plus teh black gasket maker stuff on teh ends of teh base manifold will have time to set before being used.
Start initial taredown on a friday night, including coolant drain. Finish up on saterday & let sit overnight. Sunday finish off the little things & take for testdrive.

[Jerriko]

The valve lash on these motors sucks. I have read anywhere from 1/4 turn to a full turn after zero valve lash. What I read was that you should start out with 1/4 turn, assembly the engine, test it and reset if it doesn't sound right. That is a PITA! Anyways, zero lash is achieved by using one hand to rotate the pushrod back and forth and the other hand with racket to tighten down the rocker on the pushrod. Once the you are unable to twist the pushrod back and forth, you have zero lash. When setting zero lash, the lifter has to be completely down. There is an order to set the valves, but I don't know it off the top of my head. You set half of them at 180* crankshaft position and the other at 360* crankshaft position. It should be listed in Haynes or something.

[ResonateEcho]

Thanks for all your help.

[Bud]

Everyone has trouble with valve lash it seems like.

Valve lash for a 60* v6 defined in the GM manual for the car is a turn and a half past 0 lash. I did 3/4 according to the autozone book. I just had faith that it was right and kept driving it. It wasn't. Engien sounds like a timebomb and it's been like a year or so since it was rebuilt. Other things are going in it fairly soon so the 3.4 in it now is of no concern anymore. hate hate hate

[img]smile.gif[/img]
-Bud