head gaskets too??

[bonesbrakr]

Hello
Just bought a 94 firebird 3.4L with 88,000 miles on it where the antifreeze is mixing with the oil. Did a compression test and all 6 cylinders read between 145 and 150. Had FUN taking the top end apart and the lower intake gaskets didnt really look that bad. With the compression test, do you think the head gaskets are good and the intake just needs to be replaced? I did search and nothing specific came up. One other thing, upon removing the valve cover gaskets to take off the lower intake, crappy design isnt it?, anyway the inntake sat above the heads maybe 3/16ths of an inch. Is that normal? Think it will be OK to just replace all the intake gaskets and hope for the best???

Thanks in advance for the replies...

Bill

[Vanquish]

Re: head gaskets too??

Yes, it was a crappy(I mean weird) design on those 3.4's. The clearance height is normal and if you have taken off the top end of the engine then it would be foolish to not go ahead and change the head gaskets now while they are out in the open instead of having to take it all apart in a few months to change them.

88k on an early 90's 3.4....wow....is it the original motor? That's pretty good mileage, someone took care of their baby and didn't take it driving much. Either that or lived in a small, secluded city and had everything at their disposal within a few miles distance.

Edit: And yes, the intake needs to be replaced as well.

[BLLDOGG]

Re: head gaskets too??

compression is on the lower side but not something I would sweat right now and no, it doesn't seem to be a leaking head gasket. I would expect the compression to be lower

[bonesbrakr]

Re: head gaskets too??

These engines SUCK!!! I am by no means a amateur mechanic as i have a 72 Charger that i completely rebuilt all the mechanicals on. But this design really SUCKS. 2/3s of the engine is under the dash pad. The lower intake is part of the valve cover mating surface. you have to take off the rocker arms to replace the lower intake gasket. The way the injector pack is setup is totally screwy. Should i go on??? Anyway almost done putting it all back together. Helping out at a mechanic shop also and the parts came in late and we had some work that needed to get done today. So hopefully soon it will be up and running. If i didnt get it for such a good price and if i wasnt able to do the work myself..... i would of never got the car. good thing it looks good.... sorry for the rant...

Bill

[BLLDOGG]

Re: head gaskets too??

:cry:

Why does every redneck who says he has done this and done that to old motors think he can work on cars?

[Firebird45331]

Re: head gaskets too??

I used to own a fiero GT. My 95 firebird is much less of a ***** to work on than that fiero

[bonesbrakr]

Re: head gaskets too??

Is it my cowboy hat or the piece of straw that i am chewing that shows im a redneck??? Guess all those years working in a garage ranging from brake jobs to replacing motors in all types of cars was a waste. But what do I know I am inbred too..... after all I am from Oklahoma.....

[Camaro Dom]

Re: head gaskets too??

haha, no dude. its not just the 3.4s... its the 3.8L too. for that matter, its really all new cars. GM opted to move the engine back rather than forward for two reasons: 1, weight distribution... moving the engine back moves the center of mass of the car towards the middle and makes it handle better. and 2: cost... the V8s fill the whole void. if they were to mount the v6's forward, they'd have to relocate the trans forward and that would cause all sorts of headaches in assembly. there IS a method to the madness. remember, old cars didnt have as much crap to cram under a hood like emissions stuff and big ol relay boxes and crap like that. that 72 probably doesnt have a/c either... i'm just saying, the stuff piles up and they try their best to fit everything but sometimes it is what it is.