Woo! Head Gasket Boom Boom! Yeah!

[jdub]

An experienced helper would be a big plus man
Not saying you can't do it...it's just going to take you a lot more time. Need to allow for that.

One other thing you want to check...there's a big banjo fitting at the rear of the head. These (and the fitting that secures it) are very often rusted pretty badly...might want to consider a new one.

No RA spec I'm aware of for the stock HG....get it as smooth as possible though!

 

[Mrbaboon]

i've rebuilt a 350 in school so im not totally dead in the water about the precision of this kind of a job. i will have some help with this job.
i still have to get the head machined with a stock headgasket right? any kind of spec i need to know?

Shit son. Before I started my entire rebuild, all I had done was change valve cover gaskets and install an exhaust. Now my engine is at the shop and I'm making THEM put it together. My machinist has built more 7m's than I have, so I'll trust him. The job is do-able alone, a HG change is fairly simple with enough organization and care on your part. Think of it as poppin' your cherry :icon_razz

CHERISH this learning opportunity. I sure did, and damn I know more than ever before. Well that and I did have the helping hand of 2 or 3 guys, and a few ex-toyota mechanics that now work at a shipyard.

 

[theKnifeArtist]

thanks guy for offering me your stock HGs. but before i jump to tell you i want it, is there a gasket kit out there minus the headgasket? because if not then, i'd just be wasting both your and my time getting a freebie and then end up that i have to buy it.

 

[empera]

Rob: if you need help...im willing to help, only thing is the time, i can only help on the weekends. Hit me up on aim and we'll see how we can get this fixed.

 

[theKnifeArtist]

thanks julio, but i don't think this car is moving from this parking lot, i'm gonna have to do the whole operation in the lot.

 

[steven89]

I have a question, how much boost can a stock HG and ARP studs handle?

 

[theKnifeArtist]

i was tryin to ask that but i wasn't getting a response. at this point i dont really care i just wanna get it done.

 

[jdub]

Safely to fuel cut (~14 psi). Been quite a few guys on here running it higher than that. No fudge factor for even minor detonation though!

 

[Mr.PFloyd]

i still think you should pull your motor. more then half of BHG lead to the infamous RK's...

 

[theKnifeArtist]

oh wow, i didnt know you can run that much boost on it.
what the allowance for how not-straight the head to need machine work. i can put a straight edge on it and check it with a feeler gauge. is there a chance i won't need it machined?

 

[theKnifeArtist]

i still think you should pull your motor. more then half of BHG lead to the infamous RK's...

i'm aware, but is really impossible to that indepth of a operation right now, but i will make sure that i drain all the fluids and do my best when doin this job.

 

[jdub]

oh wow, i didnt know you can run that much boost on it.
what the allowance for how not-straight the head to need machine work. i can put a straight edge on it and check it with a feeler gauge. is there a chance i won't need it machined?

It's in the TRSM

Do what I told you with the oil...hopefully your bearings didn't take a big hit.

 

[steven89]

i still think you should pull your motor. more then half of BHG lead to the infamous RK's...

thats what im thinking of doing. Pulling it out, get a proper MHG on it, check the crank bearings and etc and replace. Only problem with doing all this is budget.

 

[theKnifeArtist]

thats what im thinking of doing. Pulling it out, get a proper MHG on it, check the crank bearings and etc and replace. Only problem with doing all this is budget.

the only problem i have with doing that is budget, tools, time, and location. heh.

 

[steven89]

the only problem i have with doing that is budget, tools, time, and location. heh.

almost like me, but just a budget issue for me. Grr im only like $200-300 short though. Also depends on what kinda shape the rods/crank is in.

 

[empera]

thanks julio, but i don't think this car is moving from this parking lot, i'm gonna have to do the whole operation in the lot.

ok well lmk if u need help, i'd be willing to head up there.

 

[Zumtizzle]

lol, everything is mentioned except, 10MM Hex Key Socket, make sure its a little long.

 

[Mrbaboon]

Good luck to your Mr Knifeartist sir!

If you follow the book and make sure you DRAIN YOUR OIL HARD CORE, you should be okay. I'd suggest giving it a _good_ cranking and then changing the oil once more before another _good_ cranking, to make sure any contaminants are out.

ARP's + a new stocker will take a pounding and it means you have the added benefit of not cracking a piston if you detonate, you just get bits of gasket shooting sideways from between your block and head!

The only reason I'm going MHG rather than stock is to save me the hassle of upgrading the HG when the block is in the car. From here, with my forged pistons, I can move to stick on the rest of the goodies needed for a bigger turbo without having to tear it right down again.

 

[Subcept]

Heh, I'm about to start my first HG replacement myself tomorrow. kinda in the same situation about pulling the block for a MHG vs a stock HG. I'm going to wait to see how flat the block is, its a low mile engine so I'm crossing my fingers. I do have the luxury of time tho.

I just got the car with a new MHG installed, and a coolant problem I traced back to the head and block not being machined when the HG was replaced. and its blowing exhaust into the coolant. hopefully its JUST the head I need to get machined, heh.

I have the sections of the TSRM I need on a disk ready to print at work, so tomorrow off comes the hood and I hope it works out.

 

[theKnifeArtist]

lol, everything is mentioned except, 10MM Hex Key Socket, make sure its a little long.

what's that for?

i think i'll start tearing it apart tommorrow. hopefully get the head off if not tommorrow then saturday, and then i'll just have to wait for my headgasket to come in, in the meantime i'll shims the valves and check out the condition of everything.
can you elaborate about that oil thing mr baboon? i know i'm supposed to drain the oil, but what do you mean by a good cranking, please elaborate on this oil changing/cranking buisness.