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Head gaskets best way to change them?

BigBearZach

BigBearZach

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I am planning on doing a bunch of mods to my truck here shortly and I am planning on putting in head studs. Now from what a lot of people have said is that I should change the head gaskets before putting in the studs. So what is the best way to get the old gaskets off and put the new ones in?
 
That's a pretty involved job.... gotta remove intake, turbo, injector lines, exhaust manifolds,
probably at least have to move AC compressor.... I'm sure I missed a little.
While it's that far, and access is easy, time to change glow plugs and injectors,
also may be easy access to the heater hoses going to the cab, maybe drill & tap
the exhaust manifold for a future pyro, change out the brittle water pump bypass.....
 
My motto,..don't fix til it's broke,but if you insist.
The old gaskets peel of easy.
I use a flapwheel on the drill to clean head and deck surfaces and wipe them clean with brakecleen
You need to run a cleanout tap trough all the bolt holes.
 
X2 on what Tookie and bison said.

I just finished doing head gaskets on the 88 Crown Vic 302 V8. I don't have a flap wheel, so I used an old wood chisel to carefully scrape with, and then used a scotchbrite pad for the final clean and polish. For the valve covers I used some RTV silicone gasket sealer spread very thin, put the gaskets in, pressed them down, and let it set overnight to cure.

Don
 
tanman_2006 said:
With all of the work involved it might be just as easy to pull the engine to do the heads.
Click to expand...

This is my preferred way to do it. Makes getting manifold bolts out easy with a impact directly on them. Quite frankly it isn't that much of a bigger job. 6 bolts on the tc, TC rock guard 6, 4 bellhousing bolts, 2 engine mount bolts, oil cooler lines, fuel lines, wiring harness, radiator hoses. You can fix more leaks with it out like the oil pan...

Head studs make pulling the engine the way to go. Use locktight on the bottom studs and tighten them in to prevent leaks. Gasket should go on first then studs.

I have pulled 6.2 heads with the exhaust manifolds attached. They are heavy this way, but, again best way to fight the manifold bolts is out of the frame.

Use another thread sealer if you are doing heads in the truck. Then it is gasket, head, head studs, head stud nuts. Heads do come in and out with the engine in - you just do the studs after the heads are in place. The studs will have to be out to get the heads on and off with the engine in frame. Otherwise with the studs in you are moving the hydrobooster and AC stuff - maybe heads would clear the studs then.
 
now i had some one recomend just lifting the cab up a little bit now is that a good idea or is he just blowing smoke
 
The job can be done in the engine bay. The head will not clear with studs installed, they must be put in after head is set on the block. The firewall / hydro-boost interferes.

While you have the heads off, take them to a shop and have the precups inspected, cleaned, reinstalled and then surface the head. This makes sure the precups are tight in the head and perfectly flat to the deck. Make sure the shop can grind not cut the heads. (the machine used for gasser heads can not cut the hardened precups)


I pull the inner fenders, which makes the exhaust manifolds a piece of cake.
 
I would pull the engine. I pulled one by myself, and if I had hurried, I bet it could be out within the day. then, you can deal with the rear main seal, oil pan (and check for main web cracks while pan is off, you can do main studs at the same time too!)

not much harder, and easier on the back and knees not having to balance on your kneecaps on the core support.
 
well im trying to do this the best way because this is my daily driver so at most i only have a weekend at a time to do the job
 
jmiller said:
The job can be done in the engine bay. The head will not clear with studs installed, they must be put in after head is set on the block. The firewall / hydro-boost interferes.

While you have the heads off, take them to a shop and have the precups inspected, cleaned, reinstalled and then surface the head. This makes sure the precups are tight in the head and perfectly flat to the deck. Make sure the shop can grind not cut the heads. (the machine used for gasser heads can not cut the hardened precups)


I pull the inner fenders, which makes the exhaust manifolds a piece of cake.
Click to expand...

Never grind the heads with the precups installed! The wheel sucks the precups into the grinding wheel and they wind up sinking into the head on install leading to short HG life.

BigBearZach said:
well im trying to do this the best way because this is my daily driver so at most i only have a weekend at a time to do the job
Click to expand...

Rent a car. Seriously when things don't go well or run behind... I can't say this is a weekend project. Last engine in and out took me 3 days and I have experience doing it.
 
WarWagon said:
Never grind the heads with the precups installed! The wheel sucks the precups into the grinding wheel and they wind up sinking into the head on install leading to short HG life.
Click to expand...

The 25 year machinist with plenty of 6.5 experience begged to differ when he surfaced my heads. He cleans up the head and precup's, then inserts them with sealant of some type to "glue" them in. If a razor blade catches the edge, the precup height is wrong. They have to be fully seated and level with the head.

The sealing ring of the head gasket runs right across the precup so that level must match for a good seal.
 
6.5s are cheap enough find another one for DDing. I wouldnt be comfortable doing shit to my rig if it was my only one. If I had only one truck, I would have a teds motor and a rebuilt NV4500 ready to go at a moments notice.

but I own a fleet so no teds motors here, cant afford one due to tags and insurance! :D
 
jmiller said:
The 25 year machinist with plenty of 6.5 experience begged to differ when he surfaced my heads. He cleans up the head and precup's, then inserts them with sealant of some type to "glue" them in. If a razor blade catches the edge, the precup height is wrong. They have to be fully seated and level with the head.

The sealing ring of the head gasket runs right across the precup so that level must match for a good seal.
Click to expand...
The proper way to do the pre cup installation is to keep track of how many thou is removed from the head surface with the precups removed,then countersink the precup recess with the proper cutter the same amount and re install the precups.

Do not grind cut or alter the precups in any way.
 
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