I think I have about talked myself into attempting this project.
Where can I find the best reference material? Does anybody have any tips?? Like do I use the same head bolts or get new ones. I'm trying to stay on a tight budget, but are there any must do things?? I will send the heads to a shop to get checked for flatness and cracks.

Thanks,

 

Good idea about taking the heads to a shop. Maybe get them pocket ported, since you'll be saving a lot of money on doing the head gasket yourself.

Get lots of Ziploc bags with the label area to write on. Take lots of pictures at the different steps so you know how to put it back together.

Keep the bolts.

There's lots of tips in the archives if you search for 'blown head gasket'.

 

Zipploc bags are great. It take a little more time to tear apart, but it saves a $hitload time and headaches when you put it back together.

Remember when your done to warm up the motor (160*)Then retorque the heads and adj. the rockers again.

 

If you are going to keep the car I would pop for new head bolts, $50 for ARP from summit. Cheap insurance against another failure.

nick

 

DONT FORGET TEFLON PASTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


All your bolts have a paste on them, if you reuse them this seal will be gone, buy some teflon paste, put it about 2-3 threads up from the bottom and then torque them in place. Also heads dont just get torqued down, follow the specific pattern and the lb for your heads.

I believe stock are 65lb's

 

Drain both the radiator and block before removing the head bolts.

Assuming this is a TBI/LO3 engine, toss the heads. Don't bother with pocket porting for sure, swirl-ports just don't respond to performance mods. Get TPI non-swirl port or aftermarket heads. I know you said "budget", but if a performance increase is desired, it won't come with those heads.

Since you didn't actually say anything about performance, can we conclude you just want to fix some observed problem? If so, then having them checked over, new gaskets, and using the cleaned up and coated original head bolts are just fine. If something is wrong with one or both of the heads, see if the shop can come up with a couple of the non-swirl heads, rather than spending any money fixing the swirls.

Reference material? Haynes manual, or factory shop manual.

 

Definately get new head bolts and DON'T FORGET to make sure the dowel pins are reinstalled if you remove them.....not like I forgot to do that or anything...

 

i usually put #2 permatex on the head bolts and then torque them down and im done