Glad to hear it Doug.
Head Gasket progress (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter IdahoDoug
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Great to get the good news Doug, proud of you man, I think I want one of those videos as well although I cannot imagine doing my own on my rig being that I am in driving distance of the masters at Slee, but again, great job man!!! 
powderpig
SILVER Star
The master wrench is no longer at slee, there turbocruiser. But I am still close to you none the less. Christo has a new guy that I do not know too much about. later robbie
powderpig said:
Wow, my jaw just dropped down to the floor and shattered!!!! What the heck??? Sometimes I think my work world consumes me to the point I miss the rest of reality, and I really must have missed something really real this time!!! Anyways, I hope this happened amicably and mutually and that it is indeed good for both you and him cause I consider you both to be the best there is in the cruiser community. Wow, I'm still picking up pieces of jawbone here, still, I made up my manic mind long long ago that whenever I was gonna go get the HG replaced (prolly pre-emptively) I was gonna go to the HG master and that is you man so perhaps post where you work now or PM and I will store that somewhere for future reference.
ditto 
powderpig
SILVER Star
As soon as my daughter that is helping me do a web site I will post something where woody has told me to put it.Which will be next week. I will be working out of my home (colorado front range) and mobile service(any where). No comments on what transpired, it will be for the better after things get going.
Any how Doug has callled a couple of times to get some minor help and so thay should filter down into the video so people that do their head gaskets will have that info. later robbie
Any how Doug has callled a couple of times to get some minor help and so thay should filter down into the video so people that do their head gaskets will have that info. later robbie
Count me in.
I'd definitely buy the Video as well. Very interested.
Thanks for taking the time to document the process, it should be of help to the rest of us in the future.
I'd definitely buy the Video as well. Very interested.
Thanks for taking the time to document the process, it should be of help to the rest of us in the future.
You didn't check the valve clearances? No better time to do them.
- Thread starter
- #29
Eric,
Nah, the engine ran fine when I shut it down for the HG. These are stout valve trains and unless I saw some distress (wear pattern, etc) I was not planning to do a thing. The shims literally had no discernable wear pattern - not so much as even the faintest difference in texture under a high powered lamp. Mirror smooth.
Finished it this morning and drove it all day on errands - 50 miles or so. I rinsed the block for 20 minutes before filling it with plain water. When I got home just now I also put in fresh Mobil 1 oil. Both intended to eliminate any of the sanding debris that is part of cleaning the gasket surfaces on the head and block. I also advanced the timing from the stock 3 degrees to 5 degrees. I've run the 93 at 7 degrees of advance for 3 years now but thought I'd wait with this one to have the new gasket settle in before chasing a few HP. As on the 93, I can feel the slight difference in the midrange. The thorough throttle body cleaning made the idle rock steady, and there was a faint occasional miss at idle that is gone but I have no idea what it was. The 93 has this, also.
This weekend, I'll flush the cooling system again and then refill it with Toyota Red and distilled water.
I'm happy to be done and celebrated by cleaning out the entire garage and washing both 80s on what is a beautiful Fall evening in Idaho. I saved $1200, ensured the job was done right, and got a lot of little things freshened throughout the engine at the same time. And I got some snazzy new tools that paid for themselves in 72 hours flat.
I'll post a larger review and get a pic of the head gasket as well. Clearly, I caught it early and there was no damage save a faint mar on the block surface. Kudus to Rick (LandTank) and to Robbie for taking a couple calls with questions they were able to reassure me with. Several good tips from Robbie that will indeed be in the video.
Ironically, putting the hood back on was a fiasco. I neglected to mark the bolt spots on the hood in my haste to dig into the project and lining it up was difficult. Yes, THAT tip will also be in the video.......
DougM
Nah, the engine ran fine when I shut it down for the HG. These are stout valve trains and unless I saw some distress (wear pattern, etc) I was not planning to do a thing. The shims literally had no discernable wear pattern - not so much as even the faintest difference in texture under a high powered lamp. Mirror smooth.
Finished it this morning and drove it all day on errands - 50 miles or so. I rinsed the block for 20 minutes before filling it with plain water. When I got home just now I also put in fresh Mobil 1 oil. Both intended to eliminate any of the sanding debris that is part of cleaning the gasket surfaces on the head and block. I also advanced the timing from the stock 3 degrees to 5 degrees. I've run the 93 at 7 degrees of advance for 3 years now but thought I'd wait with this one to have the new gasket settle in before chasing a few HP. As on the 93, I can feel the slight difference in the midrange. The thorough throttle body cleaning made the idle rock steady, and there was a faint occasional miss at idle that is gone but I have no idea what it was. The 93 has this, also.
This weekend, I'll flush the cooling system again and then refill it with Toyota Red and distilled water.
I'm happy to be done and celebrated by cleaning out the entire garage and washing both 80s on what is a beautiful Fall evening in Idaho. I saved $1200, ensured the job was done right, and got a lot of little things freshened throughout the engine at the same time. And I got some snazzy new tools that paid for themselves in 72 hours flat.
I'll post a larger review and get a pic of the head gasket as well. Clearly, I caught it early and there was no damage save a faint mar on the block surface. Kudus to Rick (LandTank) and to Robbie for taking a couple calls with questions they were able to reassure me with. Several good tips from Robbie that will indeed be in the video.
Ironically, putting the hood back on was a fiasco. I neglected to mark the bolt spots on the hood in my haste to dig into the project and lining it up was difficult. Yes, THAT tip will also be in the video.......
DougM
Well done, Doug.
I just so happen to have an oil sample that will go out soon.
Good effort!
I just so happen to have an oil sample that will go out soon.
Good effort!
- Thread starter
- #33
Tool wise, I bought some socket extensions (block plug, intake bolts), a universal joint (one intake bolt), some deep sockets (exhaust manifold bolts), torx sockets (EGR valve studs), flex head gear wrenches (tasty, but went back to Sears unused today), and I borrowed a couple tools (large crescent wrench and a big socket). I don't have a huge toolset, most charitably described as a home handyman set plus a bit. Most of my buddies have far more hand tools than I, actually.
By far the handiest tools on this job were my gear wrenches. Those things make a huge difference and it's always in some tight little spot. Because of this, it's worth seeking out the better made ones that have a small degree of movement since that's how they're inevitably used.
By far the handiest tools on this job were my gear wrenches. Those things make a huge difference and it's always in some tight little spot. Because of this, it's worth seeking out the better made ones that have a small degree of movement since that's how they're inevitably used.
Doug how many man hours do you figure you had in the job?
- Thread starter
- #35
22 hours with filming (messing with lights, up on ladders, etc) and doing some extra stuff a mechanic wouldn't bother with (cleaning things you'll never get to access again, etc) and also doing some other PM things (alternator brushes, etc).
If I did another tomorrow, I could lop 5 hours off it, easy.
DougM
If I did another tomorrow, I could lop 5 hours off it, easy.
DougM
alia176
SILVER Star
I'm in for a video!
Video sounds cool. WAy to go. 
Grateful for this thread. I've owned my 95 80 for a year, and think my HG just failed. Not looking forward to dng it myself, but can't afford to pay a shop either! Hoping your video is still around!
Thanks for the write up and taking the time to do it.
Thanks for the write up and taking the time to do it.
