Head gasket replacement

[JAG1]

I don't dare pull out something like those dowel rings as I was born with a natural ability to permanently lose things in places you would never find again.

[Mopar1973Man]

@JAG1 where does this bolt go? Clank.... 

[JAG1]

Yep, we were lucky on that one..... it was in the last place you'd ever think to look..... down the intake tube.

 

Another time I looked high and low to find a small bolt I dropped. Could not find it anywhere, but soon as I started up the truck to take off I heard a clank and there was a raised spot in the middle of the hood. 

Edited March 30, 2019 by JAG1

[dripley]

Changed injectors a couple months back. Decided to fire it off before hooking rhe intake back up. Fired right off but sounded odd. Got out of the cab looking at the motor and see the 2 shop towels inching down down into the manifold.

 

I bagged all my nuts and bolts this time too darn many to keep up with. 

[Mad Bomber]

You should have it o ringed since it's off. After the block head is cleaned you need to find a lone strait edge. I found one at Rockler wood. It had a strait edge in the thousandth. 

I was told that the studs can go to 140 tourque. And I did it the person is a engine builder and I trust him that was 6 years ago.

[dripley]

2 hours ago, Mad Bomber said:

You should have it o ringed since it's off. After the block head is cleaned you need to find a lone strait edge. I found one at Rockler wood. It had a strait edge in the thousandth. 

I was told that the studs can go to 140 tourque. And I did it the person is a engine builder and I trust him that was 6 years ago.

I dont think I will be doing any fire ringing. rv275's, the comp and the HX is all this truck will see for a good while. It I see the need for studs later I will just swap them in later. For now I am just going to re used the head bolts. They are all inside of Cummins specs at 5 1/8"  long. As far as flatness of the block, it better be good, pulling the engine is pretty much out of the question. Not enough time or money for that. I do appreciate the input though.

[Mopar1973Man]

8 hours ago, dripley said:

As far as flatness of the block, it better be good, pulling the engine is pretty much out of the question

 

As for me I got a fresh razor blade and scrapped all the junk off the deck of the block carefully. Using a Scotch-Brite pad to more or less buff out the rest of the deck. 

 

8 hours ago, dripley said:

For now I am just going to re used the head bolts. They are all inside of Cummins specs at 5 1/8"  long.

 

I could have gone this route as well or even with new head bolts. Knowing my game plan I opted to just get it done at that time and bite the bullet. Just don't forget about this weakness before you go upward on the Quadzilla and bigger injectors. It would really suck to do the head gasket then do it again because the bolts failed you. You're fine and safe with RV275's and Edge Comp with what you got.

 

[Blueox01]

11 hours ago, dripley said:

I dont think I will be doing any fire ringing. rv275's, the comp and the HX is all this truck will see for a good while. It I see the need for studs later I will just swap them in later. For now I am just going to re used the head bolts. They are all inside of Cummins specs at 5 1/8"  long. As far as flatness of the block, it better be good, pulling the engine is pretty much out of the question. Not enough time or money for that. I do appreciate the input though.

You'll know if you stretch a bolt while torquing them down, I think I used my head bolts 3 or 4 times, never did have a head bolt stretch, but did have a main cap bolt stretch, felt it right away.

[Guest 04Mach1]

4 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

As for me I got a fresh razor blade and scrapped all the junk off the deck of the block carefully. Using a Scotch-Brite pad to more or less buff out the rest of the deck. 

 

 

I've always used a gasket scraper to get the bulk of the junk off the deck of the block then I usually use an old trick my uncle showed me which is use a knife sharpening wet stone to polish out the deck of the block. I then use compressed air and blow around the outside circumference of the Pistons to remove gasket material and other foreign material from the cylinders. As a final step I use acetone and a lint free towel and wipe down the block deck and underside of the head to help with head gasket adhesion. 

 

You'll get a deck that resembles this using the above steps. Note that this Cat block had nearly 2 million miles at the time of the picture.

[dripley]

Some one in the thread suggest stuffing some foam in the cylinders to help keep the dirt out. I bought some poly foam, cut into a hexagon then soaked in carb cleaner. All it did was soak it and it evaporatedright out of it. I thought it might melt it. 

 

 

I was also thinking of using my random orbit sander with a scotch brite to polish the head. Same thing we polish counter tops with. The dowels are gingto get in the either way. The got to come out with out tearing them up. Would the scotch brite would damage the head? @04Mach1 @Mopar1973Man @Dieselfuture or anyone for that matter.

 

The plot thickens a bit. Go out to the wifes car to make a run for a couple things and the belt tensioner rakes a crap. So I am an auto mechanic today. It is in a Saturn. I hate sideways engines.

Edited March 31, 2019 by dripley

[Guest 04Mach1]

Scotch Brite will accomplish the job but there is a good chance that abrasive material will be deposited into the oil channels of the block. The Scotch Brite is not very robust and will fall apart leaving abrasive material in the engine. I wouldn't worry about putting stuff in the cylinders since compressed air makes for short work to clean them out. I like using the wet stone because it's hard enough that it won't leave massive deposits of itself in and on the engine.

[dripley]

1 hour ago, 04Mach1 said:

Scotch Brite will accomplish the job but there is a good chance that abrasive material will be deposited into the oil channels of the block. The Scotch Brite is not very robust and will fall apart leaving abrasive material in the engine. I wouldn't worry about putting stuff in the cylinders since compressed air makes for short work to clean them out. I like using the wet stone because it's hard enough that it won't leave massive deposits of itself in and on the engine.

Do you know how to pull the 2 dowels out of the block? The two for the head gasket and head.

[Guest 04Mach1]

30 minutes ago, dripley said:

Do you know how to pull the 2 dowels out of the block? The two for the head gasket and head.

I've always just used the smooth teeth of vise grips and carefully wiggled them out. I have had some stubborn dowel pins though that I've destroyed getting out so I had to replace them with new.

[JAG1]

Can't you stuff foam into the oil channels and then shop vac the dirt and foam out later after cleaning? I prefer a shop vac prior to the compressed air just to get as much out of the way as possible first.

[Dieselfuture]

If you're going to do anything to clean block other than razor blade, use a stone like mentioned, just be careful not to over do it and round off corners or take too much off between cylinders. I tried a stone too, I soaked it in oil before using it. Wider stone helps to keep it level. But yes oil passages can get crap in them. Scotch-Brite is messy, when I polished my rockers I had to spray them off with carb cleaner and blow-dry with air. Them tiny little particles were everywhere.

[Guest 04Mach1]

2 hours ago, JAG1 said:

Can't you stuff foam into the oil channels and then shop vac the dirt and foam out later after cleaning? I prefer a shop vac prior to the compressed air just to get as much out of the way as possible first.

 I'd be very careful about stuffing foreign material into the oil channels for fear of not being able to get it back out. If I was to plug off oil channels I would use plastic shipping caps, like the ones you would find on the tips of fuel injector nozzles. Compressed air works the best for getting the debris sitting on top of the rings between the Pistons and cylinders. I'm not sure a shop vac would have enough suction to accomplish the same results.

1 hour ago, Dieselfuture said:

If you're going to do anything to clean block other than razor blade, use a stone like mentioned, just be careful not to over do it and round off corners or take too much off between cylinders. I tried a stone too, I soaked it in oil before using it. Wider stone helps to keep it level. But yes oil passages can get crap in them. Scotch-Brite is messy, when I polished my rockers I had to spray them off with carb cleaner and blow-dry with air. Them tiny little particles were everywhere.

Agree... My stone is about 7 inches wide and 12 inches long. Mine is a 800 grit. I usaully use circular motion when using on a block deck. 

[dripley]

Again I appreciate the info. I understand the concept of keeping it flat. I'll get out tomorrow and see what kind of stone is out there. 

 

That will be easier now since the wife's car is fixed. What a pain. 3 measley bolts. 1 was easy. The other 2 in a space I could barely get  couple fingers in. All working by feel since the fingers blocked seeing them.

[JAG1]

13 hours ago, 04Mach1 said:

 I'd be very careful about stuffing foreign material into the oil channels for fear of not being able to get it back out. If I was to plug off oil channels I would use plastic shipping caps, like the ones you would find on the tips of fuel injector nozzles. Compressed air works the best for getting the debris sitting on top of the rings between the Pistons and cylinders. I'm not sure a shop vac would have enough suction to accomplish the same results.

 

I was sayin use the shop vac first or even while stoning the head then use compressed air. Not in place of the use of canned air boss.

 

Use of the shop vac first eliminates some of the dust that might otherwise get blown into places you don't want.

Ive been known to tape small tubing to the end of a vac hose to get down in small areas. It works very well for snaking around turns or bends.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2019 by JAG1

[dripley]

Good news. The head is not cracked and holds pressure. Hope to have it back tomorrow pm.

@pepsi71ocean no go on the porting. They dont do that there. Did not have time to seek out a performanc shop to do the porting. I'll just have to stay stock.

[Mad Bomber]

On 3/31/2019 at 6:39 PM, dripley said:

Again I appreciate the info. I understand the concept of keeping it flat. I'll get out tomorrow and see what kind of stone is out there. 

 

That will be easier now since the wife's car is fixed. What a pain. 3 measley bolts. 1 was easy. The other 2 in a space I could barely get  couple fingers in. All working by feel since the fingers blocked seeing them.

That also happenedto me when the truck was down my wife's car had total brake failure. Brakes went to the floor and lost all fluid. I lost a seal and was all of the sudden.