lynchmob723 Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Well im getting air in my coolant resovoir. Im pretty sure my head gaskets need to be replaced. Can those of you who have done this give me some tips as to some things you didnt expect, or etc along the way. About how long did it take you to do this? Did you take the heads in for resurface or no? Thanks In advance for any help as I will be tackling this on the weekend of Feb 12th. I am mechanically inclined, and my mechanic friend will also be helping me Also is a specific brand of gaskets any better than others? I will be switching my coolant to the orange stuff after this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 what engine? 3.4 DOHC, 3.1 MPFI, 3100, ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynchmob723 Posted February 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Ya that might help huh. 3100 SFI out of a 94' Cutty Supreme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maybe2fast Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 not to hard, go grab a haynes manual. It may be the notorious intake leak on the 3100 and 3400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynchmob723 Posted February 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Ya im pretty sure its the intake. But im gonna do the heads while im there. It leaks oil from the Intake, and when its cold out, something get contracted and I lose pressure from my coolant system not allowing the T-Stat to always open up. But if its above 40 degree it operates fine. I dont lose any coolant either, kinda weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 You might as well do head gaskets while its down that far.......all you have to do is pull the rockers all the way off and remove the head bolts. Use AC Delco gaskets. Be sure to use the grey silicone RTV GM has (GMS)...its a lot better. Also....grab new lower intake manifold bolts from GM as well.....they've got some super thread locker on them. Don't forget the coolant nipple and o-ring for the water pump. Some silicon spray or WD-40 helps seat the injector o-rings. Unless its been running rough or leaking excessivly there really isn't a need to send the heads out. To clean them up a sanding block works well......or my favorite friend the Super Scrapper. Its a double sided carbide scraper with a wooden handle. Typically, it takes me about 8 hours to do head gaskets at work....I've done it a few times though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Dont forget you also have to remove the rear exhaust manifold (or downpipe, whatever's easier), and for the front head, the AC/engine iron bracket has to be removed. AC compressor must be unbolted from it and set aside. Mitchell labor claims 10.1 hours on a w-car, but it could be done faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 I unbolt the downpipe and pull the crossover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puggsley456 Posted February 5, 2005 Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 not to hard, go grab a haynes manual. It may be the notorious intake leak on the 3100 and 3400 Ya my car was dribbleing antifreeze for a while. Then my car wouldnt start. So I had the double wammy, intake manifold gasket leak and a bad fuel pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynchmob723 Posted February 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2005 is $250 for a resurface and valve job a decent deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted February 6, 2005 Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 for both heads? Hell yeah. But why the valve job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynchmob723 Posted February 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2005 $50 for each head refsurface....$145 for valve job on both...i might as well do a valve job while there off dont u think or now? they have 125k on them now...dont most car eventually need a valvejob? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynchmob723 Posted February 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 So is it dumb to do a valve job? Should i buy a complete gasket set or just the head gaskets, and the few others i need...i took it all apart, i didnt have to take the fuel rail off, so i didnt take the injectors out either, is this ok? Also is there anything else i should replace while its all apart? like the o2 sensor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 i paid $190 for both of my 3.1 heads to be hot washed, bead blasted, slightly resurfaced, 3-angle valve job, new expansion plugs, and new valve seals installed. IMO you could probably get by without the valve job. you might not even need to have them resurfaced, just get them checked for flatness. i used FelPro head gaskets and new FelPro head bolts. just get the surfaces as clean as possible. i also chased the head bolt holes in the block with a tap and sprayed them out with Brakleen. while you have it all apart you'll have to replace the lower intake manifold gasket & valve covers. i'd do the distributor drive oil pump O-ring and fuel injector O-rings while you're at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 the AC/engine iron bracket has to be removed. kind of off topic, but my '91 3.1 used that heavy ass iron left dogbone/AC engine bracket. the TGP bracket is wayyyyy lighter aluminum not that it would fit on a 3100 however lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 It's not a TGP specific bracket. All 2.8/3.1 W-car thru 1990 got it. I personally don't like it for the pain in the ass it is to remove, like that extra bracing and such. I was going to put the iron bracket on my '89 block, but the block casting doesnt have the provisions for it. '91+ blocks do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 It's not a TGP specific bracket. All 2.8/3.1 W-car thru 1990 got it. I personally don't like it for the pain in the ass it is to remove, like that extra bracing and such. I was going to put the iron bracket on my '89 block, but the block casting doesnt have the provisions for it. '91+ blocks do. the aluminum bracket looks to me like it would be easier to remove than the iron bracket :?: but i've been looking at it on the engine stand where everything is in plain sight (as opposed to in the car). it should be easy to remove, since i won't have an A/C compressor in the way. i also noticed that the lower engine mount brackets are different too, IOW you can't interchange them. sorry to bring this off-topic :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 It's not a TGP specific bracket. All 2.8/3.1 W-car thru 1990 got it. I personally don't like it for the pain in the ass it is to remove, like that extra bracing and such. I was going to put the iron bracket on my '89 block, but the block casting doesnt have the provisions for it. '91+ blocks do. the aluminum bracket looks to me like it would be easier to remove than the iron bracket :?: but i've been looking at it on the engine stand where everything is in plain sight (as opposed to in the car). it should be easy to remove, since i won't have an A/C compressor in the way. i also noticed that the lower engine mount brackets are different too, IOW you can't interchange them. sorry to bring this off-topic :oops: With the aluminum bracket, there's a steel rod that goes from the AC compressor to the starter bolt (actually a stud) and there's a thin steel plate that keeps the compressor in place, that likes to bend and mis-shape. Also don't ever drop anything down where the prybar goes, chances are you won't get it back. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynchmob723 Posted February 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 I may have made some rookie mistakes...please tell me what to do or if ill be ok...When i took the heads off...coolant got into the cylinders..i put paper towels in it to get it out...but then all of the crud on the top of the piston started coming off while i was attempting to wipe the coolant out....the coolant didnt "drain" into the oil as it just puddled in the cylinder. how can i clean the top of the pistons up without leaving crud in it that will scorch the cyl walls when i put it back togeter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 Scrape it all off, and use a vacuum to git-r-dun. The carbon won't exactly destroy the cylinder walls by a long shot, if you were to not get it all out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynchmob723 Posted February 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 excellant, git r done i will, thanks for all the input guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 i carefully scraped the tops of my pistons with a razor blade. i ended up shaving a bunch of crap off of them :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 With the aluminum bracket, there's a steel rod that goes from the AC compressor to the starter bolt (actually a stud) and there's a thin steel plate that keeps the compressor in place, that likes to bend and mis-shape. Also don't ever drop anything down where the prybar goes, chances are you won't get it back. LOL that doesn't sound like the bracket i'm using, i don't see any steel rod or stud or any steel plate for that matter. it's all one cast aluminum piece. there are 3 bolts that hold it to the lower block area, and then one bolt holding it to the top of the cylinder head (and that torx stud thing on top of the corner head bolt as a 'guide') anyways, i'll be posting pics of it soon in my thread in the members section... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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