Changing my head gasket, me asking for your help while doing this

[91whitepack]

Thanks for explaining that Cyrus. I put the exhaust manifold and the lower intake runner on before i put the head back on. I did this because of what Cyrus was saying about it being a pain while its on the car if one of the pulls out. I also took the time to clean the block up while the head was being machined.

 

[Doat]

Thanks for the info I will look into it for sure. I will be using ARP studs and that bottoming tap you were talking about, I just attach it to my drill and drill it into the holes and that is it?

 

[Cyrus]

that bottoming tap you were talking about, I just attach it to my drill and drill it into the holes and that is it?

^- definitely not.

you use a t-handle tap wrench or an appropriately sized 12 point socket, and then you turn it slowly into the holes. 2 full turns forward, 1 half turn backwards, 2 full turns forward, 1 half turn backward... and so on until you reach the bottom of the hole. go slowly and smoothly. if you feel the tap start to bind, just back it off half a turn and then continue. you must do this manually or your risk stripping threads in the block or even breaking the tap off in the block. if the latter happens, you will likely have to pull the block and take it to a machinist.

so yea, do it by hand, and do it carefully and deliberately. make sure to lubricate the tap before you start each hole. and then make sure to use compressed air to clean any debris out of the holes after you are finished with all of them.

 

[Doat]

That makes sense. Thanks I will look for those parts and go from there.

 

[Doat]

Alright I am sort of stuck on removing the turbo, I took off the nuts on the O2 sensor housing but where do I go from there to remove the turbo?
Here is where I am at the moment

 

[Typhoon]

I hope you're not replacing the head gasket just because you have some mild condensation on the filler cap and in the PCV lines?

 

[suprasick]

Unbolt the downpipe. Then there should be four nuts that hold the turbo to the manifold and also some supports. If you don't have a ratcheting wrench I would highly highly recommend one! Oh yeah and don't forget the oil and coolant lines.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Doat]

I hope you're not replacing the head gasket just because you have some mild condensation on the filler cap and in the PCV lines?

..... no, I have a BHG.

Unbolt the downpipe. Then there should be four nuts that hold the turbo to the manifold and also some supports. If you don't have a ratcheting wrench I would highly highly recommend one! Oh yeah and don't forget the oil and coolant lines.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

I am stuck on how to reach those nuts on the downpipe maybe I need to spray some pb blaster from underneath on the nut itself. I have normal wrenches and a socket wrench, a ratcheting wrench would be very nice to have.

 

[Cyrus]

3 nuts on the downpipe/elbow connection can be gotten to from under the car using a couple extensions and sometimes a swivel.

i think i use a 12" extension, then a swivel, then a 6" extension. definitely pb blaster them, it cant do anything put help.

not sure if anyone has already mentioned it, but let me give you some advice that may save you some busted knuckles and high blood pressure when you are reinstalling everything... after you remove the 4 nuts mounting the turbo to the manifold, and after you've taken off the 2 bolts holding the oil return line and removed the banjo bolt holding the oil supply line in place, carefully remove the turbo. this is the key part: try not to bend the metal oil supply line (the one with the banjo bolt). if you bend that one, it can be an absolute nightmare to get it reattached to the engine. I just did mine yesterday and it took me a solid hour of cursing and sweating and spinning that fucking banjo bolt but not being able to get it to thread in. had to take the turbo completely out at least 10 times and try making minute corrective bends to that pipe to get it to align properly and be at the correct angle to get the banjo bolt to thread in. i almost spiked my turbo like a football, out of frustration.

 

[Doat]

ahhaah, I did that I used 2 extensions and a breaker bar to loosen one nut that is next to the engine or manifold but there is no way I can get a good grip on the other two from underneath. I have to use a wrench and try my best to loosen them from the engine bay.

Tomorrow I intend on at least getting to the point of removing the head I am not too happy about the progress I have made from yesterday to today but at least I am at the big stuff now.

 

[91whitepack]

And thats why I opted for the suprasport softline kit. Kit was WAY easier than putting the stock back on. Good fit and no leaks on the first try. Seems like Everytime I put the stock line back on I would have a leak at the turbo. Then again I may just suck

 

[Doat]

The softline kit is for the turbo? Speaking of kits, I clearly see why everyone opts for an oil filter relocation kit because it is in the worst place I have ever seen lol.

 

[tyang82]

you can do it. I used a felpro head gasket kit and kept the old oil and coolent lines. no leak so, about 4 thousand miles and going strong.

 

[Doat]

Yea I have a Flepro gasket kit and will replace every gasket that I can when I start putting the car back together. I plan on spending a day with carb cleaner and a wire brush and just clean everything I can. I do need to replace my thermostat because the gasket inside of it where the spring area is came loose and was sticking out when I took the housing off. I was like, that is not good lol.

 

[Nick M]

Felpro is crap!!!

Come again?

And spray the tap liberaly with WD40 or some other lubricant.

 

[Doat]

Come again?

And spray the tap liberaly with WD40 or some other lubricant.

I was thinking the same thing, I've been doing research on Felpro and it has been all great reviews.

 

[suprasick]

No problems with felpro here! 8,000 miles and still going strong running 10ish lbs of boost!

 

[Doat]

Yea that has been the general consensus from what I have read. I also remember reading that it is recommended to not go over 0 psi for the first 621 miles or 1000km as I read it to let the gasket break in and such, that is true right? Good thing I live in Houston because it takes 30 minutes to get anywhere lol and usually I drive in and out town on the weekends but the ultimate test would be to fill up the tank and drive around the 610 loop around the city.

 

[jonahs_supra]

Come again?

And spray the tap liberaly with WD40 or some other lubricant.

what i normally do after tapping with WD40 is i apply grease to the tap, retap the threads and all most all the shavings will stick to the grease

 

[Doat]

this downpipe is pissing me off I can't get the other 2 nuts for the O2 sensor housing, I can get a wrench in there but it's just stuck even though I have sprayed it many times with PB blaster and other types of sprays