Headgasket Failure - My week in review.

Tim Groth

SCCoA Member
Well let me start off that it feels good to be back in the seat of my own car, an SC at that.

Last Tuesday on the way to work while merging into traffic, I lost my drivers side headgasket. I thought at first VDOT had did an extremly heavy job salting the roads as huge clouds of white smoke rolled out from behind me. When I noticed it was only my car "kicking up road salt" it became apparent to me it was more.

Car ran fine, before and after this one let go. Problem being the minute coolant was poured in it would instantly leak out of the side of the block. Made me first think it might have been a busted hose or freeze plug. Instead the gasket blew the side out onto my headers and instead of internal pressure like most HG failures this one poured fluid.

I think this is a good time to say tuning is the key - When my car was tuned in November the passenger side head was cracked on cylinder #2 and dripping out, so I replaced that..and well the gasket stain on the head makes me think this one was this way for a while. I am pretty sure the period of time where I had just bolt on's and no tune caused these issues. Gaskets that blew were a year old, so it's the only thing that makes sense to me.

Total time for tear down was 1 hour...had it back together in 2 hours...so for 3 hours of time the job was done. Also since the gaskets were less than 1 year old all part expenses were defected out.

Moral of the story - if you're going to add on parts be smart, get a Quarter Horse, Tune it properly and enjoy.

-Tim
 

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Usually takes me 4 hours of just cleaning everything! I guess you had it apart last year already though. As long as you dont have a warped head then you should be back in business. I give you props if you didn't forget to tighten anything. Funny, I just got my 92 running yesterday after head gaskets preventatively, its the first time I ever put one of these cars back together with the stock intercooler before!! It was a bit of chore doing it all and actually using all the supporting bolts that hold the intercooler pipes including the one down below on the lower pipe. I got it all down to a science now if I ever have to do it again.
chris
 
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I've done it enough times now that I could have it apart in 3 hours unless ~~~~ was rusted up badly but 3 hours total is fast. Good job.
 
wow so you just tossed new gaskets in and bolted it back down? Do you have ARP studs? No milling?

I've truthfully never milled any of the heads I've removed just cleaned, checked with a straight edge and re-installed. Haven't had any problems in doing so in the 10 years I've been messing with these cars and the numerous times I've worked on an SC.

Again the OE gaskets were replaced on this engine when I first picked it up from Atlanta GA I few years back. Was told at that time the HG's were blown and the prior owner had a gasketset included so I did them. Come to find out it was a leaking front cover and nothing related to the Hg's.

Problems all started when I modded the car without the supporting tuning to make the car run safely. It resulted in a cracked head and a failed gasket on the other side.

Quickness of the job happens when you remove all the ~~~~ Bolts / EGR / Toss the bracket between the power steering pump and water pump. Really make things go alot quicker...knowing the size and wrench needed for each bolt speeds things up also.

-Tim
 
Quickness of the job happens when you remove all the ~~~~ Bolts / EGR / Toss the bracket between the power steering pump and water pump. Really make things go alot quicker...knowing the size and wrench needed for each bolt speeds things up also.

-Tim
Tim would you elaborate a little, I did the 92 HG's a year ago with help and have to do the 89 now. if there's any way to trim the proceedure down I'd like to do it.
Thanks,
Chris
 
Chris I've done head gaskets 4 times in the last year and a half (all different car's). I'll help just let me know.
 
if i was around I'd roll over to Chicago and lend you a hand for an evening tearing down your top end and drinking beer. My SC is just across the pond in SW Mich.
 
Sorry for the bad luck on this timbut you live and learn. Case in point as soon as my car is back together it is going to madison oh before it is even started:D
 
Question!

Did you replace the head bolts with ARP bolts or did you "re-use" the stock headbolts. pay attention to "Re-use". did you replace any of them? i just had a head gasket failure 10 minutes ago and im eager for info.
 
Did you replace the head bolts with ARP bolts or did you "re-use" the stock headbolts. pay attention to "Re-use". did you replace any of them? i just had a head gasket failure 10 minutes ago and im eager for info.

Factory head bolts, as well as any stock replacement headbolts are single use when used properly. The correct torque sequence stretches the bolts and they don't go back once stretched. Using them again can result in less than full clamping force over time, and in some cases fracture of the bolt.
 
Factory head bolts, as well as any stock replacement headbolts are single use when used properly. The correct torque sequence stretches the bolts and they don't go back once stretched. Using them again can result in less than full clamping force over time, and in some cases fracture of the bolt.

New bolts, new gaskets...as mentioned stock bolts are torque to yield.

-Tim
 
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