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How much will it cost me to change the head or head gasket?

J

jrsavoie

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How much will it cost me to change the head or head gasket?
The 94 Dually is losing coolant. About a gallon every 2000 miles.
It starts a little ruff with some white smoke then smooths out rather quickly and runs good.
I haven't checked the glow plugs yet for uneven dis colorization. Or the compression.
I'm guessing a cracked head or head gasket problem.
It is not going into the pan. It is also not leaking that we can tell. No drips. running or parked. And the hose is not getting hard.
I have done no investigation yet.

How much does it cost to get a head checked?

How much will a replacement head be?

How much for everything needed to change the head gasket?

How much more are studs than head bolts?

Thanks
Jeff
 
Obviously you want to investigate to pin point the leak first. I had my truck leaking and for about a month I assumed it was the head gasket. When I had time to look at it more closely it turns out it was just a rusted freeze plug with a tiny hole in it.Maybe you will get that lucky too.
 
Thats nota whole lot. Could be a pin hole you are not seeing some where. Check all connections for the coolant lines. Definatly the (*%^$#$@ quick conects on the heater hose. These thing will pisss just a little for a long time.
 
I would check for wet at the firewall and under the pass side floor mat(leaking heater core) and engine bay firewall heater hose/connections,it could drip right on the downpipe and evaporate without one seeing it.

A coolant pressure test should reveal a pinhole leak any where external,quik connect,waterpump,freeze plugs,rad, etc
 
ARP head studs about $130 from summit racing.Crappy tty head bolts about $60. Fel-pro head gaskets about $28 each at napa. Small can of "the right stuff" and intake and misc. gaskets $50. Cloyes timing set $70 summit racing. Or you could try the gm tablets like mudbath did. If you head gasket was leaking into the cooling system it would be over pressurizing it.
 
I'm sure there are directions for a coolant pressure test here. Since I'm lazy does anybody know the test pressure off the top of their head? 5 lds. rings a bell. I just don't know if it's the right bell.
 
You can rent the tool from auto zone loaner tools. Pump it up to 15-16 psi and check for leaks. The tool also test the cap.
 
Sample both the engine oil and the trans oil. Radiator intercooler failure?

Look at the radiator and where the tubes go into the tanks. A pinhole gets dried by the fan.

Look at the block heater.

Check water pump weep hole.

Test or replace the radiator cap. A weak cap will pop off and loose coolant esp. after shutdown at random times.

If the oils test clean ask yourself if the cost to fix the leak is worth it? Coolant is cheap. As is the advice for stop leak.
 
GM Tabs work very well in your situtation. They were designed to be normal PM for the 4100 Aluminum motors. I have used them in these engines with great results. HG's are more than 28$ each from Napa, more like 60. I just bought a set. ARP studs are nice....But bear in mind...You may have to pull the engine to use them. I am not sure on NBS trucks but on OBS trucks like my Burb there is no way you are getting the heads on or off with studs without pulling the motor and unless you are beatig the balls off it, TTY bolts are fine. It's not a bad job. Probably got those shitty felpro printo seals in it. Garbage. I'd do the GM tabs first though. If it plugs the leak , you are NOT hurting anything by driving it. They lasted 3 yrs in my old 83 with 6.2 and were STILL holding when I sold the truck.
 
Acesneights1 said:
GM Tabs work very well in your situtation. They were designed to be normal PM for the 4100 Aluminum motors. I have used them in these engines with great results. HG's are more than 28$ each from Napa, more like 60. I just bought a set. ARP studs are nice....But bear in mind...You may have to pull the engine to use them. I am not sure on NBS trucks but on OBS trucks like my Burb there is no way you are getting the heads on or off with studs without pulling the motor and unless you are beatig the balls off it, TTY bolts are fine. It's not a bad job. Probably got those shitty felpro printo seals in it. Garbage. I'd do the GM tabs first though. If it plugs the leak , you are NOT hurting anything by driving it. They lasted 3 yrs in my old 83 with 6.2 and were STILL holding when I sold the truck.
Click to expand...
I've boughten 4 head gaskets from napa in the last year. Under $30 each. Arp head studs can be installed with the engine in the truck. 2 or 3 on the passenger side near the a/c box ,need to be put in the holes in the head before putting in place. All the rest can be screwed in with the head in place.):h The tty bolts don't retain their torque value under heat and vibration and are one time use only. ARP head studs are reuseable.
 
bk95td said:
I've boughten 4 head gaskets from napa in the last year. Under $30 each. Arp head studs can be installed with the engine in the truck. 2 or 3 on the passenger side near the a/c box ,need to be put in the holes in the head before putting in place. All the rest can be screwed in with the head in place.):h The tty bolts don't retain their torque value under heat and vibration and are one time use only. ARP head studs are reuseable.
Click to expand...

So if you don't have A/C could you pull one out at a time and replace it with Studs?
 
We won't be selling this Sub any time soon. I own several others, and for what I paid, $2800 + new wheels tires $1100, + paint $1000, it's a great truck except for the engine trouble. Tranny will prolly be next, reverse is slow, but my mechanic (who I hope will do the engine work) is also a tranny specialist, and maybe I can talk him into pulling the tranny and going thru it as it is prolly original and has over 252k. Reverse is very slo, but he says the reverse band pin is length is adjustable, but seeing as these go 150-200, and he's 400 miles away, mite as well do it when the timing is good.

Here's a link to him as his videos of rebuilding a tranny for me and a spare for his '72 Vista Cruiser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAHlyq4JjvU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RticeBJFYQQ
 
We won't be selling this Sub any time soon. I own several others, and for what I paid, $2800 + new wheels tires $1100, + paint $1000, it's a great truck except for the engine trouble. Tranny will prolly be next, reverse is slow, but my mechanic (who I hope will do the engine work) is also a tranny specialist, and maybe I can talk him into pulling the tranny and going thru it as it is prolly original and has over 252k. Reverse is very slo, but he says the reverse band pin is length is adjustable, but seeing as these go 150-200, and he's 400 miles away, mite as well do it when the timing is good.

Here's a link to him as his videos of rebuilding a tranny for me and a spare for his '72 Vista Cruiser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAHlyq4JjvU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RticeBJFYQQ
 
even though it's an old thread, I just put NEW Peninsular heads on. 1300 and shop labor was 2390 and change. That was 89 an hour and there were some parts on that cost. I supplied the heads through Peninsular. Hmm, parts. Head gasket, bolts, and incidentals. Bolts are 30 bucks and Arp studs 180 on Ebay.
 
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