Head gaskets, 3rd times a charm

[jhornsby3]

Replaced the gasket on the drivers side last week due to not being tourqed correctly. They let loose this morning when heading out for work. When I took the gasket out last week, the gasket had sealed to the block but not to the head. That gasket leaked due to being scared during install as well as the tourqe being too low. The heads were used but for a few thousand miles and stored for the last few years. The guy desided to go back to a gasser due to a bad block. The heads were new.

I was told that heads that are stored on their ends will warp over time. That the first thing I should have done was had them surfaced. Being as they were not use that long I never thought about it.

The gaskets I've been using are the Victor Rienz High Output set. Is there a better gasket out there that I shoud be using? I've been told many times that this is one of the best. And should I be using the Low output gasket set?

Any advise anyone can pass would be great. I want this to be the last time I have to do this.

All that I've done in the past two times was remove everything clean real good and put it all back.

At least I'm getting good at this.:eek:

John

[DmaxMaverick]

Fel-Pro gaskets and new bolts (you can get them in a set with the gaskets). Torque and turn them right. If they still fail, something else is wrong. If the heads are in question, have them surfaced.

[Kennedy]

Fel Pro gaskets, studs, and super EP lube.

Skim cut the heads and no power tools to clean the block. Just a scraper and some scotch brite by hand. If it wasn't so hard to keep the grit out I'd use a body sander and coarse grit across the deck. Be sure to clean the surfaces with brakleen etc.

[JohnC]

It's easy enough to have the head checked for flatness. Any chance there's something else going on? Could you see the leak in the old gasket?

How do you scare a gasket?

[jhornsby3]

I used a scraper on the block and acetone to clean it up. The block was nice and shinny and very clean. I used the ol garage sale bath towels with the acetone to make sure all the nooks and cranies were cleaned.

The gasket was scared by the guy I had helping me sliding the head over the gasket and catching the edge on it. He mentioned this after I had it almost completly back together. He also torqued that side and said that he had gone to the proper position.. Three of the bolts came out with not even a grunt. The three places that it was leaking are very visable on the head side of the gasket.

I had two heavy diesel truck mechanics helping with the replacement last week. They are coming back this weekend to help take it apart and coming back during the week to help put it back together.

John

[JohnC]

The gasket was scared by the guy I had helping me

He must have been one ugly mother to scare a gasket! ;)

[GMTech97]

I guess the gasket ran away after being scared, get braver gaskets. Sorry couldnt resist lol

[twaddle]

Make sure that the bolt holes are clean with no crap or liquids such as fuel/antifreeze,oils sitting right in the bottom of any of the holes. A lot of people overlook this and end up with the bolt bottoming out in the bolt hole with anything in it. The torque wrench clicks ok at the correct torque but the bolt might not be putting enough pressure on the head and gasket.
Always use a tap to really clean each bolt then push a straight ended screwdriver in and turn it then pull it out and check for any signs of debri. Once you get the screwdriver coming out clean you"re good to go. You might be surprised how much crap can be in there, especially an engine thats had the heads off a few times.

Good luck

Jim

[Robyn]

The Bolt holes in the head deck all go right through to water (Open ended holes)

This is why the sealer is used on the threads of these engines.


Missy

[jhornsby3]

Went out to flush the oil system (again) and now the effin oil filter is stuck. I was slowly adding pressure and then "pinck" the filter wrench snapped and the filter crushed and started dumping oil. :eek: And then I felt the wet floor start leaking through my two shirts and sweat shirt.:mad:

I'm just loving Oregon and this truck right now! Scrap prices are looking dang nice right now.

So what is the best way to remove that fine non-US made product?

John

[JohnC]

Get your friend to scare it....

Or, take the big bolt out of the adapter and put the whole thing on the bench where you can scare it loose yourself.

[a5150nut]

Dynamite! Lots and lots of dynamite!

[jhornsby3]

Dynamite! Lots and lots of dynamite!

Don't tempt me!:D

I'll get that adapter off and in the vise.

Thanks for the advise. And I guess the ribbing for the misspelled word...................

John

[ronniejoe]

Thanks for the advise. And I guess the ribbing for the misspelled word...................

John

It's all in fun. Some of us like to play word games... and poke at certain individuals who couldn't spell to save their lives.:D

[JohnC]

It depends on the word. This one was too funny to pass up... ;)

(Don't feel too bad, I had to look up the spelling of "scarred" to be sure...)

Actually, thinking about it, I can hear my Uncle from Virginia saying "Scarred to death"...

[jhornsby3]

Saw gude.

Now to get some garage time to get the rest of the small stuff out of the bay so I can get those heads off, again. It's hard to get the gumption up to do anything with all the rain we've been getting. Damn I really dislike Oregon anytime of the year but the two months of sun we get.:rolleyes: The green carpet on the drive way is nicer this year than the floors in the house.:D

John

[Robyn]

I feel your pain John.

My Truck is sitting out in the yard turning GREEN.

The elevation here is right up in the clouds ya know and the rain is bad enough, but the Clouds/Fog/Soup that comes with it is just nasty wet.

100% humidity just seeps into everything.

Good luck on getting the pickemup back going again.

The more Y'all take it apart, the better you become at getting it back together.

I am really glad that I bagged and labled everything on my rig. Been many months since it came apart.

Missy

[jhornsby3]

I'm glad I bagged all my small parts too. 6 months sitting was long enough to forget alot of small details. I even took pix to jog the memory. That and working off a mil-manule was all I had. Printing photos and pages sure worked.

I will be sure to come over and help with yours. I can almost do this in my sleep.:D I'm still bagging and labeling everything. Even the placement of bolts so I can get them back into the correct places. I'm just hoping that I don't break anymore parts. And I'm thinking this might be a good time to get a D-Max fan as well. That is if I can find one in the bone yards.

John

[Robyn]

Well I got the call from the machine shop yesterday and my GEP Block is all ready to go.

Maybe now, if the weather improves some I can get the beast back together.

Tired of the whole thing. Just ready to dig a hole and bury it.

Really disheartening to have to redo it the second time.

Oh well, I knew going into that mess that it was a gamble.

Good luck with the head gaskets.

Missy

[jhornsby3]

At least your only doing it twice. This will be the third time here. As for the hole, might as well make it big enough for two. Whats another 20 minutes on the dozer. :eek:

I'd wish you luck as well but I think I should keep it. Between Murphy and bad luck I'm going stir crazy.:rolleyes: Besides, I think your not going to need it this time around. Sounds like you got the whole thing working out on the great side.:D

John

[Robyn]

We shall see for sure.

Missy

[jhornsby3]

Got the heads off today and there is signs that the heads are warped. Couple places on both heads where the gaskets didn't seal to the heads. But they did seal to the block all the way across.

Hope to have the heads down to the shop in the morning if they are open.

John

[JohnC]

Got the heads off today and there is signs that the heads are warped.

Are you old enough to remember "Scared Straight! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scared_Straight!)"?

Sorry, couldn't resist...:o

[DmaxMaverick]

Got the heads off today and there is signs that the heads are warped. Couple places on both heads where the gaskets didn't seal to the heads. But they did seal to the block all the way across.

Hope to have the heads down to the shop in the morning if they are open.

John

The head may be warped, but this is no indicator of it. The clamping force on the gasket is the same, top and bottom. This is also no indicator the gasket didn't "seal". If it didn't seal, you should see some obvious passage of fluid/gas across the gasket.

[Robyn]

Have those heads pressure tested to make sure they are not leaking internally.

Davisons there in Mac can do it.

Missy

[jhornsby3]

Just dropped the heads off at the local shop. Worst place to deal with. Every employee at this crapa store is angry and knows better than you, reguardless. Anyways enough on the worst napa store to deal with in western Oregon. Surfacing and pressure testing is what I am having them do. Thanks Robyn.

Yeah I'm old enough! I think I might vacation out east sometime soon.:eek::D


John

[JohnC]

Yeah I'm old enough! I think I might vacation out east sometime soon.:eek::D


If you can take the ribbing, let me know. We've got extra bedrooms...

[jhornsby3]

John, I take my 28 foot bedroom everywhere I go that is away from home. As for the ribbing, I can take it. And I can give it too.:D There'd be no other reason to go east but the ribbing war.

John

[jhornsby3]

Got the heads back and they took .003 off. Tested good. I now have the heads back on and most of the top end back together. This sure is easy on the third go round. And things are much cleaner this time.:D I sure hope my luck continues.

John

[Robyn]

Missy sends good luck to John :D

[a5150nut]

John,

I know the feeling of doing everything 3 or 4 times to get it just right. Oh what was this part for? Ah S$1T, one more time. Trouble is, as you get older by the time you have to do it agian, you forgot how you did it the first time.. . . . . . . . . . . :eek:

Hope this time is your last!

[jhornsby3]

I hope this is the last time too. I'm afraid that if I put any more money into this other than for fuel, the wife is going to kill me. I don't think I'm in a position to forget where everything goes. It's etched in my memory for ever.:eek: Wifes B-day not a chance. The tourqe sequence of the 6.5L GM diesel? Never!

I have come to the conclusion that everytime I start a project, I'll be making at least 3 trips to town. And that is everytime I do anything around the house or vehicles.:rolleyes:

A big thanks to Robyn.

John

[jhornsby3]

Well the job is done. Got everything put back together this morning. Flushed the oil system with fresh oil a couple times and finished it up with the synthetic. She's quite a bit happier with the synthetic in her. :D

Sounds better and has better responce. Better boost too. Only found two leaks. The drivers side valve gasket has a small leak and now a fuel leak after shut down. I can tackle that fuel leak later since it's not something steady. The valve cover was easy. Put a piece of pipe on it a rapped it with the rubber hammer. Leak stopped.:D

Thanks for all the help.

John

[Robyn]

John

Glad to hear all is well. I can't take much credit for things other than moral support.

OH, don't forget the missus Bday and the aniversary is one Y'all better not forget either.

An extra trip at the last minute to get an aniversary card looks tacky :eek:

Have a great weekend and go out and blow off some black smoke from them stacks. :D

Missy

[jhornsby3]

Blew off some smoke I did. Nice to have the pick up back for sure. Wife started to freak out when I fired it up cold today and it smoked white smoke. It was only for a second or so and it was all fuel from the smell. Glow system is off and it didn't start off on all 8 cyclinders. I replaced them with the 60G's and I think I need to go back to the ones that were in it originaly. That and check the relay.


But all in all things feel better. Seems to have more power.:D

Sometimes moral suport is better than no suport at all.


John

[Robyn]

The 60G plugs should work fine.

I used those in DaHoooley and in the 94 Burb and had zero issues.

Check the plugs to make sure all of them are getting power.

Missy

[jhornsby3]

After my trip over to "visit" Robyn, I came home and looked up the parts to repair the fuel leak I now have. Showed the wife the cost to rebuild the filter manager. She tells me tonight after work to order up the Racor 215 filter with the 2 micron element. Complete filter and head was over 100 bones cheaper than just the heater. Now to find a place to put it.:eek:

Thanks again Robyn for the info. Now to go wipe the finger prints off the chrome in the bed.:D


John

[phantom309]

Now to go wipe the finger prints off the chrome in the bed.:DJohn

Sleeping with chrome in the bed is uncomfortable,..

Nick