blown head gasket

dakotaflstf

Registered User
Well, I've made it. As I've heard all along, my head gaskets finally gave out. I have a 91' SC, stock, 103,000 easy miles. The local garage wants 1,500 for repair including milling heads. I need help on doing the right thing with this.

I have oil and water mixed in the bottom end, so should I go through the bottom end also to prevent corrosion?

What should I do to the heads when they're off.

Is this a good time to spend a little extra money and do some performance stuff that would still be reliable once it's back together?

Is there anyone in the Michigan area that is familiar with this engine and doing head work?
 
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Well for starters, change you oil right away and don't run the car. Antifreeze is corrosive to bearings. You hear people on hear bitching about spinning a rod bearing after blowing headgaskets because they let the muck sit in the oil pan for 6 months while they save money for the heads. Drain the oil and change the filter, put clean oil back in and crank the motor over for 20-30 seconds about 5 or 6 times. This will get clean oil up into the bearings so the antifreeze can't do any damage while it sits. At 103K miles, the car really should need a complete rebuild if its been taken care of. It comes down to how much you want to spend. The book time on HG's is 10 hours. The gasket set runs $115 and two sets of head bolts run $30. Add in $80 for wires, and $30 for plugs. I got a price today on rebuilt heads-$157 each and $20 freight to ship a set (2) to me. It sounds to me like the shop quoted you an awfully high price. My mechanic (who I trust) quoted me $400 labor and thats just about right. If you tackle the job yourself you could do the HG job for a few hundred bucks. The HG job is not hard, it is however time consuming. Just label everything well and you'll be fine.....take pictures to help with the reassembly.
 
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Would you just buy a new engine from a professional person that specializes in re-builds on this particular engine or re-build it yourself?

Where are you getting your heads done and what are you doing to them?
 
To be honest, unless you plan to spend a few thousand dollars and keep the car for a while I would just replace the HG's and leave the rest of the engine alone. Myself, and Scott Long are replacing the HGs currently and leaving the bottom end alone....mind you both our cars have over 180K miles on the original engine! Jasper rebuilt engines are like $2500 and I think you put it in or pay a shop to. The rebuilt heads I named would be bought through a local engine builder, they were out of a catalog he had.
 
what should be done to the heads, but still remain reliable?

I am planning on changing exhaust and maybe supercharger, but that's as radical as I want to get because I want a dependable verhicle.
 
Its totally up to you what you want to do to the heads. You could go cheap and just pressure check and mill them. You can do a valve job (which I opted to do with 182K miles). Porting is also an option. I have been told I could get a valve and milling job on a set of heads for $250 which I'll probably do if this holds true.
 
I don't understand changing the oil and then cranking it over again, wouldn't that put water back in the new oil?

Is it possible to get the exhaust off without access to a hoist?

I forgot to mention that the engine was making a squealing noise like a belt was frozen kind of noise before the gaskets went. Any ideas on that one?
 
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Actually, glad you caught that because I wasn't thinking. Now that I think of it the antifreeze would get back in the oil. Hmmm.....when I started the HG job on mine I parked it right in the garage and the first things I did were: drain the antifreeze and the oil. I then did as I said about replacing the filter and oil. Sorry for that wrong information. If you do not plan to move the car you could do as I did and drain the coolant first. Just pull the lower radiator hose and let it drain in a bucket/pan. My main point is to do ANYTHING to get the antifreeze tainted oil off the bearings!!! Its hard to diagnose noises over the internet but I don't think that sounds promising :rolleyes:. I removed the manifolds from the head first and then removed the bolts which hold them to the downtubes. I am unsure if the rest of the exhaust can be taken off without a lift because I have never done that. Although I would assume if you had it up on jackstands you could drop it.
 
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