All Right gurus.. lay it on me.

This weekend.. replacing the head gasket on my car.. or something.. maybe even a new head.

Not sure.

Lay it on me on what I should look for.. what should I do.. where should I go?

 

Take it apart, clean the surface. I would have the head surfaced, its not 100% neccesary, but can help prevent future problems. Put the gasket on with new head bolts and your done.

 

Just did this last weekend (the 22d and 23d); I was dreading it and it was for good reason. taking the head off this car, in car, is a real job! Unless you seriously overheated, you probably won't need to resurface the head, unless you can do withou the car for the time it takes; I needed it on Monday, so I did not, and haven't had any problems, and I have put about 2500 miles on it since I did the replace. Clean up the surfaces with a palstic scraper real good! don't use meal scrapers! I left the exhaust header on the head while Ipullled it; makes it a little heavier, but since time was og the essence, I just wanted to save a step.Also put on a Modern Performance 55mm TB, it's beautiful, and it makes a difference in how the car pulls. If you do't have a Haynes manual, I would suggest getting one, as it has clear instructionson resetting the timing belt and tensioner, pretty importatnt since it is an interference motor. I straighteedged my head bolts, and despite dire warnigns of impending doom, reused them, so far so good...

 

surfacing is not neccary, but while your there its just easier for the $30-$40. Reusing the head bolts is a big no-no, they are designed to be torqued down only once and you will most likely have a leak in the near future, and have to have the head surfaced as well as new bolts and gasket.

 

Not to quibble, but the Haynes anual stats that the head bolts can be checked with a straight edge, and if not stretched(ie threads don't touch all the way along the straightedge) they can be reused sfaely. So far, now at 2750 miles since and counting, o problems

 

hmm

that doesnt sound too bad.

I also have a Haynes manual.. and will buy whatevers needed.

Any tools needed.. should i take it to a self help shop? or can i do it in my garage?

 

Yeah if you are using bolts that have a torques sequence and not a torque to yeild spec you may be able to get away with checking bolt strech. Also check with an outside micrometer or dial caliper for overall length and they should be VERY close. If the torque sequence ends with turn an addition so many degrees or one quarter turn then you have torque to yeild and under no circumstance should you reuse such bolts. Even if you forgot to check something and just immediately unbolt it and check. Junk!!! Through them out and replace. So thats really about it for the bolts. Get ARP if you can afford it and they have a kit. One of the best quality fasteners you can buy.

 

Do what you are gonna do, but you are right they can still be useable. For me for the price of head bolts, $20 at most, I would prefer to be right and not need to do another head surface ($30-$40), and gasket ($30), plus new head bolts($20).

 

I just bought my head gasket kit.. with all the gaskets i need.. and new head bolts..

211 with 10 percent discount.

 

Wow thats real high.