Before i try and attempt to replace my head gaskets and intake gasket.. I got some questions before i attempt it for those who have done it before:

1. Is it as easy as some people make it sound?
2. What are some tips or helpful advice while taking the heads off?
3. What should i go over and check out while all the stuff is off?
4. Can any one give me a brief guide of steps on what to do to replace head gaskets? It would help me out alot.

 

1: Depends on your mechanical ability.
2: Drain the coolant from the block, not just the rad. Make sure all the head bolts are out. Use a pry bar or long screwdriver in the exhaust crossover and pull up to pull the head off the guide pins. take the ground strap off the back of the heads.
3: Depends why you're changing the head gasket
4: Mechanical experience and being able to read a repair manual. If in doubt, have a shop do it correctly the first time. You'll need a bunch of tools and a torque wrench.

 

First off, do you have to change it? (the head gasket that is, and why do you think so?)
It's a little involved..... how much wrenching experience do you have?
I'm just completing my second 350 build and get very frustrated at times. and i'm very meticulus with my car parts and pieces.

My 20 year old brother in-law tried to change his water pump and couldn't tell you where all of his bolts went.

My suggestion would be to get yourself a Haynes book or equivalent and do your homework.
There are alot of people out there that can say it's easy, but it all depends what your comfortable with. Maybe it's easy your 20th time, but I found that it takes time, $ and patience. But I will tell ya that it's a hell of alot cheaper to do it yourself

1) Maybe.... depends on your experience
2)a)Spray your exhaust manifolds with some sort of lubricant (to crack your bolts)
b)Mark your distributer @ TDC on #1 sparkplug so that you can put it back together (I scribe the firewall as a reference.)
c)Be prepared to buy new fluids/ hoses/ tourque wrench
3)a) Check heads for cracks visually (often not reliable) Magnaflux @ machine shop
b) does it smoke blue on start-up you may need valve seals and valve job...$$$ New heads are often cheaper than rebuilding anything
c) check piston bore for scratches

I think that it's best to start there and ask yourself if you really want to do this..... i know that i did at your age.... I just didn't realize how much $ it all costs. I have a friend do everything on the super cheap, but it can backfire sometimes. I try to do things once! Even if it costs a little more
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I guess it took me awhile to type that one up ...... I think that Stephen and I pretty much make the same point.

Sorry that it seemed redundant

 

Im pretty new to car engines.. But so far i've done all my engine work solo and haven't came across any problems yet.

I know my valve seals are shot.. It smoked heavy on start up and also smokes a bit while its running and when its rev'ed.

So i just thought about rebuilding the top end just for the hell of it and to save me problems in the future while i use it as my daily driver.

The reason i made this thread is because i see people selling their cars and stuff because of a blown head gasket but while i was checking my engine out.. It seems really really simple and straight forward.

I heard some tips aswell.. Get a cardboard box and label all of the screws and stuff.. And take pictures of EVERYTHING with a digital camera. Sounds like a piece of cake.

 

Although not always, cars with blown head gaskets usually means it needs a lot more work. Many times a blown head gasket also indicates an overheated engine which adds a lot more problems.

 

Unfortunately when you start saying my valve seals are shot, and I wanna do a top end rebuild it's gonna cost you more $ than you think.

If your gonna do valve seals, your gonna have to have the heads hot tanked and then your gonna probably do valve guides and a 3 angle job on the valves..... then the shop will tell ya that you should magnaflux the heads then shave them to have them seal good to the block.
Are your springs worn? They'll probably tell you that 25+ year old valve springs are needing to be changed. etc etc.....

All those points will lead you to the fact that it's easier to buy new heads.... and probably cheaper too.... Do your homework and the math. Go to any respectable engine machine shop in your town ( there's probably a dozen in the phone book) and tell them to give you a bottom line figure on the work realistically!!! (Cause the estimate is always cheaper than the bottom line)

Summit sells Iron Heads that have 165cc intake runners, 2.02"/1.60" valves with 67 cc chambers and spings good to .520" lift for $585.90 and that's cheaper than any rebuilt head from a shop PN SUM-152123

While your at it check out their short blocks...Blueprint Engines have 355" short blocks with flat top pistons and your choice of 2bolt or 4 bolt mains for $1299- $1499 PN MLL-BP3551 or MLL-BP3552
Of cousre you would have to add a cam kit to that but all of your other accessories would bolt right on to this new block.

Thats a new engine for $2000.oo

My 2 cents

 

sometimes you can retorque a head and save it

not talking out of my booty on this one

get some new springs and seals and attemt this first

these guys are top notch

 

I thought it was as easy as buying new gaskets.. buying new seals.. machining the heads.

How hard is it to replace the intake gasket? I assume its alittle easier.

 

An intake gasket is no problem... if you understand how your distributer works and how to put it back in right.
Just take your time and mark where everything goes. The first time I did it I taped each vacuum port and hose A-a ..... B-b ...... C-c and so on. You won't get lost that way.
Head gaskets are more involved.

 

It looks as if my intake gasket has oil seeping through it.. I dont really know much about this so what are some symptoms that a blown intake gasket can cause?

 

Leaking oil, usually front and back........
Leaking Coolant in or out of your engine......... are you losing any? Watch your Rad level. Any sweet white smoke from your tailpipe.... I've blown head gaskets before and you don't forget the smell. put a couple of drops of antifreeze on your exhaust manifold and you'll know what I mean

When your engine is cool spray it down with a engine degreaser then hose it down with water after a few minutes........ All sorts of things can accumulate ontop of the intake, maybe there's been a leaky valve cover gasket? Maybe the previous guy doesn't know how to pour

I take it you probably just bought this car.... unless you have cash to fix this thing or it's running really bad I suggest that you just enjoy it rather than looking for something wrong. Especially the big stuff...

Change your General maintenance stuff ie Cap/Rotor, Plugs and wires, Oil. Check your fluid levels regularly and have fun

and if your really hard up about learning how to do all this stuff talk a buddy into changing all of his in the name of Horse power and learn on someone elses bill............

 

I replaced the valve cover gaskets a few days ago.. That stopped the leaking oil coming out of the covers.. going to redo them again soon since i just bought some chrome valve covers.

It doesn't run bad at all.. but i know i have this smoke out of exhuast problem that really acts up.. This morning.. I started it.. Not one puff of smoke came out of the exhuast.. Ran good for awhile.. Started revving alittle and thats when the smoke came out a bit.. Turn it off.. wait for an hour.. ill start it up again and it puffs smoke out on start up.

Pretty weird stuff.. Thats when i heard that intake gaskets can cause smoke out of exhuast and i seen that my intake gasket has oil seeping through right up front

 

I would just watch your fluid levels, especially your Antifreeze level, watch your oil as well to see how fast your burning it off (All engines will burn some oil, How fast and from where is a different story)

Clean it and then watch it......... there's not much else to say.

In the meantime you have lots of $$$ to save and reading to do....

Oh, by the way.... do yourself a favor and get rubber valve cover gaskets, they last longer and I haven't seen one leak yet. Besides they're re-usable.

 

its still summer time

I wish I had your problems

torque down the head and intake gaskets and drive it like you stole it

 

Well.. I just found out that my intake gasket is indeed leaking up front.. I wiped it all down.. Started it up for a min or 2. Turned it off and let it sit for about an hour.. Came back out and saw some fresh oil leaking out of the gasket.

So looks like i have something to do now.. I wont touch the heads until i know for a fact they are blown.

 

good bloody show mate