anyone replaced the head gasket themselves?

[93v6firebird]

Ive gotten prolly close to half of the parts off to get to the head so far. Anyone know easy sequences of taking things off? any advice?
also since I have the engine so far apart, any thing I should get done?

[Backfire]

Sorry I can't supply any tips, but after you are done, let us know any tips you have picked up in the process. I will be replacing the gaskets next week in hopes of finally eliminating my oil leak. I have had the intake manifold off before but never the heads, and as you are surely aware now, any tips would be helpful!

[Tiago]

Ive done it 3 times now...

pics on my site, what do you need to know?

after you have the intake off and the rockers and pushrods out, unbolt your exaust, unbolt the accessory braket from the pass side head, unbolt the power steering braket from the drivers side, if you have m5, un hook the AIR lines, and that should be it, untq the heads with appropriate sequence and procedure, and lift them out.


good luck.

[4thgenowner]

93, what were the symptoms of the blown head gasket? I think I might have one but not sure.

[3.4 slow to go]

white smoke billowing out your tail pipe. Also beware of "cracked block" syndrome. That's when the oil has turned gray & sludgy, and prompts owner of car not replace blown head gasket as previous owner said was problem, but upgrade to a 3.4.

[ June 01, 2002: Message edited by: 2.8 slow to go ]</p>

[4thgenowner]

So if the oil has turned gray and sludgy the block is cracked or did I mix this up?

[RoyalBlaze]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> what were the symptoms of the blown head gasket? <hr></blockquote>

Three main things, as far as I know:
1) White smoke out the tailpipe, as mentioned earlier.
2) You have way too much oil and it looks either milky or full-blown bubbly.
3) One or more of your spark plugs is all gooey.

Why do I have this info on the top of my mind? Because I just diagnosed a blown headgasket on my Camaro. :(

[93v6firebird]

thanks tiago...
anything I should buy a "performance" replacement part that i have to put back on? I was thinking since the car is this apart I might as well put something on it to make it go faster

[Backfire]

Can a bad head gasket cause an oil leak without any of the other symptoms mentioned? I have been trying to get rid of an oil leak for a while, and replacing the intake manifold gaskets did not help. The leak is on the back of the motor so I can't see it, but oil can be felt on a small ledge on the block where the intake, heads and block all meet. There are a few drops a night found on the ground and sometimes I can smell it burning on the y-pipe. Maybe it is the junction where all three pieces meet instead of the head gasket? I just don't feel like pulling everthing out again plus the heads to fix something that doesn't need it.

[John_D.]

A head gasket leak will most likely not leak oil. Usually it will leak coolant, maybe outside the head, usually into one or more cylinders.

A valve cover gasket is the most probable oil leak. That or the rear main seal... If it's one or both valve covers, the oil has a lot of room to spread around before it drips off the bottom.

[John_D.]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by 4thgenowner:
So if the oil has turned gray and sludgy the block is cracked or did I mix this up?<hr></blockquote>

Could be either. Anything that lets coolant get into the oil. From a passage from the block to the head (gasket leak), or from a water jacket in the block. The block cracking would tend to be from freezing, or putting cold water in a hot block, or possibly a massive overheat. Head gaskets just happen... But most often with an overheat and the head warps a little.

[Tiago]

humm some performance mods you could easily do while its all apart, heads/cam/intake work [img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

[4thgenowner]

Well she's overheated 7 times because my parents think there is nothing wrong with my car. Everytime I was forced to use cold water so im worried. I can't drive 5 miles w/o it overheating.

[Tiago]

could be just a bad water pump.

if you blow a HG, you will have oil in the antifreeze and antifreeze in the oil, which makes the oil look brownish and bubbly, and in the radiator the oil will float at the top so you can easily see it, not to mention that you will be burnining coolant like a mofo, and iwll have to refill often.

[nova]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by 93v6firebird:
thanks tiago...
anything I should buy a "performance" replacement part that i have to put back on? I was thinking since the car is this apart I might as well put something on it to make it go faster<hr></blockquote>

If nothing else get some copper head gaskets if they make them for the 3.4L. From what I understand those can't blow. It will keep you from having headache again.