I think I have a head gasket that needs to be replaced. There is what looks like foam in my radiator and bubbles in the overflow tank. The antifreeze will be a little low but there is no oil in the antifreeze and no antifreeze in the oil.
What I am wanting to know is what is all needed for parts when replacing the head gaskets and what are the better types of head gaskets and head bolts to get for my car and also what size the gasket needs to be like the bore size and thickness they need to be on a stock 350 TPI engine.
I do know that I need the new head gaskets, head bolts, gasket sealer, new antifreeze, new oil and new oil filter. Is there anything else that I might need to get to replace the head gaskets. Please let me know if I have missed anything.

 

a few that come to my mind are those plus intake gaskets, header gaskets probably, i would assume valve cover gaskets also, someone corect me if I am wrong, and i am sure there is more, but those would all be on my shopping list.

 

just buy a head set and you'll get all the gaskets you need. i'd try a little trouble shooting and testing before jumping in and r&ring the head gasket when that may not be your problem.

 

What other problem do you think would be causing the bubbles in the radiator?

 

a few that come to my mind are those plus intake gaskets, header gaskets probably, i would assume valve cover gaskets also, someone corect me if I am wrong, and i am sure there is more, but those would all be on my shopping list.(if it is a head gasket that is)

 

To check the head gasket get an air fitting that screws into the spark plug holes, Start with the one you suspect might be bad (usually #8) put the fitting in the plug hole and hook air to it with both valves closed (may have to rotate the engine by hand to get on compression stroke for that cylinder) apply 50-80 psi to the cylinder and look for bubbles in the overfolw tank. Keep checking all of the cylinders until you have found the leaker or until all are done without finding a leak.

Get Felpro head gaskets, a set of good valve cover gaskets, Permatex ultra black RTV and an intake gasket set for TPI (it will have all the gaskets for the plenum, base, T/B, etc.). AND, while you have the heads off, you may as well replace the valve stem oil seals. That should do it for gaskets, remember you'll need a torque wrench.

 

combustion gas tester is a little less work than using air to look for bubbles

 

Where do you get a combustion gas tester and about how much do they run?

 

most if not all the speciality tool makers have them. mine is snap on and cost around 50 dollars. i'd guess you could find someone to test it for you for around 10 or 15. it takes next to no time or effort to do.

 

Felpro head gasket set + Felpro intake gasket set = good, but BLACK RTV?, Why don't ultra GRAY RTV?. Is't the best or not?.


Denis V.

 

only rtv i use is ultracopper. i hear ultragrey is very good, but i lke ultracopper. i've used it for head gaskets before, not with head gaskets instead of head gasket.

 

Check to see if the gasket set you buy comes w/ the TPI stuff...runner gaskets specifically. If not, FelPro and ROL sell a TPI plenum/runner/TB gasket set for like $11 or so.

As ede mentioned, troubleshooting while it's still together is the right next step before disassembly. If you open your rad cap and the contents smell like exhaust, it's a dead giveaway. Antifreeze has a distinctive smell so if there's exhaust contamination your nose will tell you. NAPA sells a kit for ~$50 if you don't trust your nose.

I don't see much value in diagnosing it down to the specific cylinder...it's not a decision point unless you're only pulling one head.

While the heads are off, you want to have a machine shop pressure test them. This will rule out them being cracked. If they pass pressure testing, have the shop check the surfaces for trueness and mill them if needed...same amount on both heads so you end up with no compression variation.

 

Permatex Ultra black used to be named "OEM Black" because that is what GM used when our cars were made. I've never had the Ultra black fail.

 

O.K., black RTV was OEM, but note that black was used with engines NEWs, with perfect surfaces in block, heads and intakes Today these engines had 15 - 20 years old (5,475 - 7,300 days = 5,475 - 7,300 starts ON/OFF = 5,475 - 7,300 heat/cold, heat/cold, heat/cold, etc.....), and too many accelerations from 0 to "n" miles/kms/hour. And factory assembly v/s an own re-assembly is not the same. For this reason, I say (my opinnion) ultra gray or similar, Permatex or Loctite.


Denis V.

 

not that gm would ever make a mistake, but i think doing something, or using black rtv, just because gm did or does may not be a good idea.

 

See the last statement in my post above. And no, my engine never leaked with the RTV that GM applied either.

 

I prefer the copper stuff.

GM also put 15" rims on my Z from the factory, doesn't make 15" rims the best thing to use.

 

I've my Loctite RTV (sorry for my english: it's GREY, no gray). It says: "meets and exceeds OEM specifications". Since it's a good USA's product, I think this is true (a lot of chinese products says the same, but....).

Denis V.

 

denis way back in the late 70s when i was spinning wrenches for a living there were lot of counterfit parts. one i remember said motorCAR and was packaged to look like motorCRAFT. along same line one place i worked arounf 1990 got thousands of cheap bolts with grade 8 markings, we trashed everything and started over instead of trying to test and sort out the good from bad. kind of goes along with you saying lot of chinese parts are marked "made in usa"

 

I have a 92 with 305 TPI. I am going to replace my head gasket soon as well. Does anyone know which ARP bolts to get?

 

I never have a problem using red rtv... its all I use