Head Gasket progress (2 Viewers)

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Aug 8, 2003
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Well, got 'er stripped down to the camshafts, so next they come out and the head comes off. It's been a fairly uneventful day with challenges primarily of accessing bolts with various combinations of extensions, etc. It took me 10 hours to strip it down to here, and I'm a half hour from loosening the head bolts. Should be about the same to reassemble.

I'm videotaping, and keeping a tool list. So far it seems like I will be able to make a workable video of this and frankly speaking there will be a lot of time savings. For instance, I was able to leave the intake manifold in the engine bay wrapped in the wiring loom. That left out the pain in the butt step where you have to disconnect just about every single wire in the engine and pull it up through the intake manifold. The repeat the process without breaking any wires, or accidentally routing them the wrong way around component B, etc.

There were several steps I found were not neccessary, and will call them out as well.

Got stalled this evening when I realized I needed a 30mm (thanks ScottM) socket to rotate the engine before pulling the camshafts. Scott checked on his back in Michigan and a 1 and 1/4 will also fit well enough just to spin the engine. So I had dinner and hunted one down from a buddy (stores area all closed). Thought I'd check in here while my fingers were clean.

Strangely, still no sign of water intrusion. I can look right up the exhaust ports of the head and they're all uniformely grey. Had another look in the spark plug holes also. Even though we've driven it a hundred miles or so before getting the oil analysis, there's not a single difference between the plugs or piston tops that I can see down there. Strange. Hope Blackstone didn't get my oil sample mixed up.....

Hopefully, I'll pull the head and see a clear problem with the gasket that's not routing the water through the cylinders, such as a failure between an oil and water port.

DougM
 
Doug, how did the plugs look? or did you try the "bubble test"? just curious, as I hope Blackstone did not mess up.
 
Keep us posted and put me down for one of those vids, may give the courage to try a preemptive HG job.
 
So 2 days under the hood to do the job you say. Not too bad. I didn't tear into mine today. I will be picking up a 30 mm socket tomorrow or Tuesday and starting on it though.
 
I'm done for the night. Got all cleaned up for dinner and now I don't feel like getting oily.

The plugs looked uniform - completely. Just like last week, I used a very bright light and extremely careful examination. Nothing. I also did not find a trace of the water emulsion under the valve cover. Not a trace. Just some cleaner areas where the synthetic diet this truck is now on seems to be having an impact.

I actually spent about 8 hours working on the truck. I also spent some time messing around the garage getting things straightened, and messing with the video camera. Wow, did hitting the manifold and exhaust flange bolts with PB blaster pay off! Couldn't believe it.

I can now see why tightening the valve cover bolts a tad will pay off if someone has a slight oil seep. It's a very hiqh grade gasket and highly pliable. Just don't overtighten... Also see why the fuel filter is such a pain to change - yowza.

Now that I'm at this point, I'd never try this with a V engine - especially a transverse mounted one. Holy Toledo that would require some work.

I'm looking forward to cleaning the intake throttle body, but my EGR tube looked fine except for a bit of carbon at the juncture.

DougM
 
Doug 3M makes "throttle plate cleaner" that makes quick work of the carbon in the throttle body and intake on an 80. I have used other stuff before and was quite impressed with this stuff.

I dont know where to get it from, I dont think I have seen it in stores.
 
RavenTai said:
Doug 3M makes "throttle plate cleaner" that makes quick work of the carbon in the throttle body and intake on an 80. I have used other stuff before and was quite impressed with this stuff.

I dont know where to get it from, I dont think I have seen it in stores.

They make a bunch of good stuff. I've bought from here before:

http://www.autobarn.net/fuelsystemcleaners.html

Tom
 
Oh man, this is killing me. I've had the head ready to reinstall for 2 hours now. Waiting on my bro in law who's tied up in a contentious city hall meeting (9:20pm local right now). I just want to bolt the head on tonight so I can sleep well. Sat around and put the new O rings on the injectors, organized stuff, etc...c'mon man....

Got involved in a couple things today, so may not even be together tomorrow as I've got do do some work. Called Robbie (PowderPig) while sitting on the engine block in the engine bay (no hood - lots of room), and also had a question or two for Rick (LandTank).

Initial look appears to be a classic failure behind #6. A crack in the metal part of the gasket in my case. The new gasket has some differences back there. I clearly caught it early as there was very little water damage, some coolant creep across the block, but literally zero showing in the exhaust ports, or piston tops. Mine might have flowed from coolant into oil - dunno yet. Will have more time to examine when done.

DougM
 
Glad you caught it early Doug. You'll feel good when it's done.

Go get some beer and be off to bed.
 
Whew! The head was back in place at 11. Bro in law got here at 10. Tossed on the sealant (two 1 inch strips near timing gear), dropped the gasket in place, and we swooped the block down right on top of it. Three cycles of tightening and the head is done.

Tomorrow, it's:

Install the twin cams
Get engine top/bottom in time
Install intake and exhaust gaskets and bolt the manifolds on
Install fuel rail and injectors - already installed new O rings and rubber sleeves
Install top of intake manifold
Put on EGR stuff'
Clean and install throttle bodu
Bolt exhaust pipes back up to manifild
various water lines'

etc....

DougM
Install valve cover
 
Well, it's morning and my hands are a bit stiff but I'm on the downhill side of buttoning up this job. I slept well after getting the head back on as that makes the remainder seem less stressful - just a matter of bolting things back together and trying not to forget a little step here or there. You'll find it helps to keep a pad of paper on the bench for little notes like "put two vacuum lines on intake BEFORE tightening up" to keep track of little things that would be more difficult to go together with something else in the way.

DougM
 
Doug,

Are you doing anything that would be considered extra while you're in there, or just replacing all the non-reusable parts?

Count me in on the video as well.

:beer:
Rookie2
 
Doug: What format video are you shooting - DV? Do you have good editing/color correcting software and voice over mics? If not I might be able to help. A good trick with such a video is to shoot diagrams and pages from the FSM to supliment. key frame them like you're Ken Burns.
Mike
 
Micheal,

Thanks for the offer. Not sure I'll end up with something as sophisticated as what you're thinking. I'm compiling a part list, a tool list, and the video shows some of the things a first timer would consider daunting with the aim of dispelling that.

Rookie,

Yep, I'm taking the opportunity to do things as I reassemble and bought the parts in advance so I could. For instance, this morning I put new brushes in the alternator, since it's laying on the bench. Literally took less than 4 minutes and they cost only a few dollars from Dan. Kinda fun adding these PM items in. I'll have a complete list of that stuff.

Just got home from doing stuff and dinner's a half hour from the table. So, I'm relaxing for a bit not wanting to get dirty for 30 minutes, then clean up for dinner. Valve cover's back on, exhaust manifold's on loosely so I just need to pick back up at tightening it on and go from there.

DougM
 
Good job, Doug! Looking forward to the writeup/video. I will be a paying customer, want to have the vid on hand just in case :) .
 
I would buy a vid as well.
Cheers,
Sean
 
Doug---

I'm in too for a video.

I've learned a lot from reading this thread...lots of time consuming work it seems...

Let us know what finally happens...

Best.
-onur
 
Doug,

Did you get to check your valves (clearances) during the process? Probably a good time to replace any that need it since you had to take the cams out, besides I think that's the only way to change the ones that are back at the number 6.

:beer:
Rookie
 
Well, she's all bolted together. Just need to put the hood back on, then push her out of the garage so I can rinse/flush the block cooling system tomorrow before starting it and checking the timing. I know there's some abrasive debris in there from the cleanup of the head gasket surface. I plan to fill it with plain water after several flushes of the block, then drive it for a day before draining and refilling with coolant. Then I'll also change the oil as I'm sure a bit got in there as well. Part of the process, but I want it out of the system ASAP.

Did not check the valve clearances nor do any head work. It's a quiet, smooth engine and I hope to keep it that way, so all I wanted to do was renew the gasket and keep driving her.

Nice to see that pile of parts and bagged fasteners disappear. Just a few hand tools, the FSM and a couple lights left out there.

DougM
 

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