Small rant. It finally happened (1 Viewer)

[alia176]

I'd have just told her to pour in a bottle of Barr's stop leak into the radiator to see if that stopped up the leak so that she can drive it home. That's what I did 600 miles from home and it ran great after that w/o so much as eating a drop of coolant!

Of course, clean that stuff out of the engine and cooling system when everything is apart.

 

[BrotherRob]

Okay fellas. Sorry for the rookie question to this thread, but I need to know. So.......the one and only reason for head gasket failure is due to overheating????? Si o no??????
And if I were to PM the head gasket does that ensure me a solid truck or is there a possibility of failure again????

Overheating can cause a HG to fail and a HG failure can cause overheating. Either can happen without the other.

Any motor has a high probability of a HG failure if run long enough. That's also true of the second and third, if you and the LC live long enough to see it. IMO, there are more important concerns in life.

 

[OG 91 LC]

IMO, there are more important concerns in life.

Thanks. And you are so right B-Rob.

 

[1FZj80]

Here is the good news amongst the frustration. Once properly fixed with the "improved" HG, these rigs go on for many many more miles. Those who have had further issues with the HG are likely due to an improper replacement or problems with the head itself.

There are a few folks on here who do not believe in the preventative PM of replacing the HG. My view is that if you made it to 200k, why not prevent being stranded by fixing the gasket? Having seen three different motors in the sub-200 category without obvious problems have the PM done, all had the telltale signs at cylinder #6.



Steve

Is the HG failure specific years of 80s or all FZ80s.

My problem with doing the HG as PM is that with 216k on the odometer, if I pull the head I might as well rebuild it. And if I rebuild the head I might as well re-ring it. And if I re-ring it...

I bought the IDoug video and it just seems like a lot of work and if the head is off with >200k a rebuild makes sense.

Or, I'm I way off base here?

 

[BrotherRob]

Is the HG failure specific years of 80s or all FZ80s.

My problem with doing the HG as PM is that with 216k on the odometer, if I pull the head I might as rebuild it. And if I rebuild the head I might as well re-ring it. And if I re-ring it...

I bought the IDoug video and it just seems like a lot of work and if the head is off with >200k a rebuild makes sense.

Or, I'm I way off base here?

It's a judgment call. Bottom end failures are pretty rare in these things, so the need is questionable. On the plus side, if you have the equipment to pull the whole motor, the rest of the job is easier. Then again, the "while you're in there list" could get way out of hand.

 

[DSRTRDR]

Ah, bummer. I will say I agree with the sentiment that once the HG is changed, you will then have a hard time wearing that truck out. Mine went around at 170 if I recall correctly. Now it's at 235k and I think nothing of hooking a 3 ton boat up and towing it to a remote mountain lake in another country. I doubt your engine will need anything but a new gasket slapped down, drop the head back on it and you're done.

The comments about the cooling system are worth considering. Check to see if your fan clutch hub is a blue one or a black one. You don't mention your year, but the black ones are going to be suspect by now.

Your wife and kiddos are to be complimented on noticing the issue, by the way. Some of our spouses would have ridden the horse until it fell down...

yeah, yeah, it's always the wives

 

[NLXTACY]

yeah, yeah, it's always the wives

I know right?

 

[cme4lyt]

I totally second this option !!!!

Robbie’s aka “PowderPig on Mud” lives in Boulder. Call AAA have it towed to where he can work on it. Fly or drive back to get it in perfect working order. Drive home happy and know it was fixed by the best.