Headgaskets...what Went Wrong?

[skd30]

And yes i know it was dodgey to put it back on in the first place, but it was a $25 gasket so i figured i wasnt losing much money taking that gamble lol

[Scoobzd]

The softer way is to use a flapper disc for stripping paint but we're LAZY :)

[Taz_Rx]

Its down at Better Sparess in new, there gonna skim it tomoro morning for me :-D ...$44 to get it done, bang on the money if you add gst taz_rx

 

You know what - I actually wrote $44, then rounded it back down $40 when I wrote that post! :D

 

And yes i know it was dodgey to put it back on in the first place, but it was a $25 gasket so i figured i wasnt losing much money taking that gamble lol

 

I did the same thing when I said I didn't get that head skimmed before. I only paid $23 for that gasket...... but then another $40 for oil and filter, $20 for coolant..... plus your time to fix it again! :)

But at the end of the day still under $100 hard costs. Gotta love K motors for that. Try fixing a BHG on a V6! :)

[skd30]

You know what - I actually wrote $44, then rounded it back down $40 when I wrote that post! :D

 

 

 

I did the same thing when I said I didn't get that head skimmed before. I only paid $23 for that gasket...... but then another $40 for oil and filter, $20 for coolant..... plus your time to fix it again! :)

But at the end of the day still under $100 hard costs. Gotta love K motors for that. Try fixing a BHG on a V6! :)

 

 

Well my oil wasn't milky after the first one went so i just left it. had to get coolant though. Gonna need oil, filter and coolant this time round though, its milky as.

[altezzaclub]

Then sum 320 wet n dry on a FLAT piece of glass/steel/etc pushed flat in one direction

 

This is the crucial part if you're not getting a head skimmed.

 

I have a piece of 12mm thick machined steel about 120wide by 200long and it is a godsend for all metal surfaces that are meant to be flat- thermostat housing, heads and all sorts.

 

It will leave a clean, flat even surface with some wet 'n dry paper lubed with engine oil.

[Scoobzd]

This is the crucial part if you're not getting a head skimmed.

 

I have a piece of 12mm thick machined steel about 120wide by 200long and it is a godsend for all metal surfaces that are meant to be flat- thermostat housing, heads and all sorts.

 

It will leave a clean, flat even surface with some wet 'n dry paper lubed with engine oil.

 

Yep ! :)

[Andy43]

I use a paint scraper for all my gasket cleaning chores, If the gasket is difficult to remove wet it down with WD40 wait ten minutes and should come off

[Johno]

Get the head refaced, crack tested and pressure tested. With the engine block use a block with some 240 sandpaper and thinners. Its ok to get a bit of crap down in the water and oil galerys but if you get anything in the cylinders, blow it out with a air compressor or if you don't have one then get a vacume cleaner and suck it out, you dnt want to damage your rings too.

Edited July 29, 2010 by Johno

[philbey]

I use a paint scraper for all my gasket cleaning chores, If the gasket is difficult to remove wet it down with WD40 wait ten minutes and should come off

 

Forget WD40, get the 15 buck can of gasket remover, that shit is gold!

[altezzaclub]

Its ok to get a bit of crap down in the water and oil galerys

 

Not so fast! You don't want the "sand" from sandpaper getting in the oil, it will get ground into your bearings or grind your crank for you..

 

Even in the water it might scour the water pump seals.

 

Its something that always worries me, even the little bits of gasket and shit can block an oilway and instantly kill rockers or cam bearings.

 

I haven't found a really good way of cleaning the block without worrying about where the mess goes. Usually its too oily to use compressed air or a vac successfully. Certainly they're still better than nothing.