3.4L Head Gasket Replacement

[Rich97 W68]

Guys,
I need to know some information about replacing the driver's side head gasket on a friend's 1994 L32 Camaro.

1) How many head bolts? Torque-to-yield? Number of bolts?

2) How long for swap? It took me and two friends ~18 hours the last time I did it, but we already had all the parts and the head was mainly off before I attempted anything.

3) We need EGR/AIR/head gaskets, anything else you can think of?

4) Just how stoopid are we?

Thanks

R

[RoyalBlaze]

1) There's about 10 bolts per head. I can look it up for you if you need to know exactly, but that's what I remember sitting here now. They have to be torqued a hella lot. Something like 60 ft lbs + 90* after that.

2) Length is gonna depend on how familiar you are with the engine and how careful you are to arrange parts so that you don't lose them or mix them up. I'd count on no less than 30 hours if this is your first try all the way through.

3) Just get the gasket set from GM or wherever you choose. It will include everything you need except for the EGR gasket (which you might want to replace) and the TB gasket (also optional).

4) You're not stupid. Welcome to the world of being a hardcore do-it-yourselfer. :D I just finally finished putting my car back together last night, flushed the coolant system and put in new oil this afternoon. My dad and I did exactly what you're about to attempt. It's definitely doable as long as you have the right tools.

Some things to doublecheck before you start:
-If you can borrow a hydraulic ratchet, do so.
-Make sure you have a torque wrench that goes up to at least 60 ft lbs!
-When you get down to the heads, make sure to take them both off and bring them to a machine shop to get them magnafluxed and have a valve job done, at the least.
-Replace BOTH head gaskets while you're at it. ;)
-Be prepared to be slightly flustered when you're trying to disconnect the exhaust manifolds from the y-pipe and pull them out. That can be a *****.

That's all I can think of right now, hope it helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.

[Tiago]

there are 8 bolts on each head. you can't reuse old bolts. I use felpro gasket set has everything u need. can't remember the tq spec right now but its something like 65 ft/lbs plus 90* over.
Start to finish I can do it in about 8 hrs by myself with hand tools, but Im pretty familiar with the engine ;)

[MustangEater8251]

It will tak awhile, I would try to get replace bolts whereever you can. I snaped a upper intake bolt, problem was I was doing this at 4am in a parking lot, and nothing around to replace it with. I reccomend a really really really big breaker bar. Get the felpro entier upper gasket kit. I never took the heads but I took everything off to get down to that point. make sure you keep everything in order. I did take the heads off a 2.8L which is basically the same thing, took awhile.

If oyu guys are attempting this yourself, I would get a haynes or chiltons manual, you'll get your $20 worth out of it.

I would expect to spend a whole weekend on the car. I got everything off in about an hour, but then spent another 45min. jsut trying to get one valve cover, with no bolts on it off.

P.S. take the dipstick out, if you bump the old weakened plastic, the handle is very likely to break off and its a ***** of a problem to get it out. I know from experirnce.

good luck, I am sure its worht the money you will save on labor.

[Shadly]

Do BOTH heads. It's an extra 1/2 hour from what you already got going and just a few more bucks for an extra 8 bolts. Well worth the piece of mind. Get the heads resurfaced while they're off.

[viper98885]

Head Gasket Pic
Click the link above for tightening sequence. The factory shop manual says to tighten in sequence to 55N*m (41 lb.ft.) and then an additional 90 degrees.

[ June 18, 2002: Message edited by: viper98885 ]

[ June 18, 2002: Message edited by: viper98885 ]</p>

[Tiago]

anothing thing, the drivers' side you don't need an EGR or a AIR gasket. But like another said, Id do both heads while at it.

[Guardsman]

I agree about doing both heads, when I did mine, it took me and my father-in-law 2 days, start to finish, and that included changing the O2 sensors. It took us a while because it was my first time doing it, I started it myself, and we had to drive all over the place to get stuff.
As to getting gaskets, I had a hell of a time getting the gaskets and the head bolts, because nobody had a complete kit, so I had to call all over the place to find them.
I would definately change all of the headbolts, I had to tear mine down because one of my headbolts sheared while I was driving. It had sheared right at where the threads and shank meet.
Also, get a tube or 2 of that orange High Temp RTV gasket, I used that all over the place on mine, especially on the EGR stuff. I couldn't get some of the gaskets, so I either had to reuse gaskets, and coat them with the RTV, or just use RTV. Also, the TB gasket that I got, which was suppose to work on 3.4s and 2.8s, didn't work. We just took a piece of the box that the gaskets came in, tamped it on the face of the TB to get an outline of it, cut it out, and used that with RTV to seal it.

[Rich97 W68]

Good ideas!

While it's not my car, I'm thinking (and have him nearly convinced) to do both heads. I forgot about the manifold disconnect. We're in for a LOT of work...it's been a WHILE since I got this wonderful job...argh.

Thanks for all the replies, guys! I appreciate it VERY much!

R