woldson Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Felpro should be fine. Oem will be fine. Your just stocker so far. Take out a felpro at the parts store and take a look. Make sure you retorqe after heat cycle. Search for procedure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossman Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 what is the honest to God correct way to install the gasket? Getting it oriented right is a no-brainer. The only issues I know about are surface shape and preparation. I believe a freshly machined surfaces are the best. People get into trouble when they hit the head surface with a abrasive pad on a grinder. That will give you an inconsistent surface. You want it as flat as possible. There are 2 small bolt guides that protrude from the engine block surface that help guide the gasket and can actually hold it in place very well i assume. Those are there to line the gasket and head up with the block. When taking the previous gasket off, those suckers were stuck on pretty tight. So, with the block being smooth and clean, and the head as well, how hard can it be placing the head gasket on correctly and carefully making sure it is in exact position and then carefully placing the head on top and inserting bolts/torquing down accordingly and accurately? It's not hard. I don't know how you can screw it up just by assembling it. Just make sure both the head and deck are smooth and flat. You are most likely to have problems with the head than the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathhh Posted April 21, 2010 Author Share Posted April 21, 2010 (edited) Head is at the shop as of today! Plans- They will call me on/by Friday or sooner to let me know if the head is cracked at all or anything else that needs to be addressed. I don't want to get my hopes up, so i'll just keep praying that the head is in good shape and not cracked at all. Finally, some decent progress. The plan is though, valve job, resurface if needed and anything in between i suppose. I remember i had said that i don't plan on doing that because of money issues, but i solved those and now i figure that it is of more critical value to do this to the head while it is off. Updates as they come. Wish me well guys, please and thank you. Edited April 21, 2010 by Heathhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 (edited) Best of luck! Not to rain on your day, remember if the head is OK, then why the leak?.... Edited April 21, 2010 by woldson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathhh Posted April 22, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 (edited) Lets just hope it was the gasket, so that i can sleep. Actually, thats about all i can do is hope now, thanks woldson lol Does anybody have any estimate of a minor crack repair in the head? Just so i can get an idea if the head lets me down with cracks? Just throw out some good numbers, past work done and cost, anything to give me an idea. Edited April 22, 2010 by Heathhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathhh Posted April 29, 2010 Author Share Posted April 29, 2010 Great news! Guy at the shop called and let me know that the head is in great shape, and the valves are also in great shape too! He said it wouldn't be necessary to get the valves done at all they are in such good shape, something along those lines. Total paid is about 70$ to get the head cleaned, inspected, and replaced valve seals (i will be getting the head back in the near future). Very credible shop is all i have heard about them, so i was confident about sending it to them in addition to the talk with the guy. Anyways, thats the news as of now. I've given all my praise to Him! I am so happy/thankful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 Outstanding news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathhh Posted May 6, 2010 Author Share Posted May 6, 2010 Picked the head up from the shop not too long ago, today. I just need to clean up a little more on the block, and a little bit on the head still, by the intake and exhaust ports. In addition to cleaning out the block bolt holes, and the head bolt threads too. A buddy says he will help me put it together (make things go a lot faster) but so far he's ditched the appointment today (for bowling, honestly) and says Sunday possibly...As much as i want help, i'll do it myself if he doesn't come through for me. I haven't even been able to start the car up for over a month, and haven't driven it for 6 months. It's really gettin to me now Soon. Hope all goes well, continue to wish me the best guys. I need it. Anyways, here's some lovely pictures. And some glamour shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Best o luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sticky280zx Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 Also just figured id mention this, but most people dont "install" the gasket wrong, they dont follow the "procedure" correctly, like torque sequence and stats, then retorque everything after X amount of time or X amount of a heat cycle. Do a search or buy a good book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathhh Posted May 19, 2010 Author Share Posted May 19, 2010 (edited) I got a friend to help me. But with a charge. He's a good mechanic and i was just having too many problems on my own unfortunately, that i gave the car to him to "help me" put it back together. Well, he's a bit of a loner and likes to get the full extent of a check (I didn't get to help, even though that was kind of the plan) he's put it all back together for a total charge of 300$. The thing is, he told me the chain tensioner had popped out so he had to take the entire front end apart of course to correct it. That was unfortunate as i knew that would raise the cost. Right now though, he's stuck on a gasket that belongs to the coolant outlet/inlet on the left side of the engine (looking from front), just a bit down from the head. It's a 2 bolt hole gasket that's needed. The OEM Ishino head gasket set i had bought-had the gasket for that part, but the thing is, it did not fit correctly as the gasket was just a bit too big. The holes did not line up, and the gasket did not cover the surface area very well at all. I find that odd that since it is the OEM gasket set, how come that gasket didn't fit? Oh well, i ordered a Fel Pro one at AutoZone yesterday, and it looks to be the same thing just possibly it is smaller and better fitting. At least i hope so because that is pretty much the only thing that is holding me back from getting my car back running. Anyways, sad to see that it had come to additional money but i needed it done right and with the problems i was getting and lack of experience i couldn't afford to get it wrong. I just wish i was there to learn the correct way with the mechanic as i was planning. I just couldn't find time to go over there though, thats on me. So what do you guys think? Everything was taken apart, labeled and ready to be put back in place except for those minor things such as that elusive gasket as of right now. And i had all the materials ready to be installed. But outside of that, he had to correct the timing chain by taking the front end off. Combining those, do you guys feel that 300$ is the correct price to be charged? Am i lucky it cost that low? Was he just a bit too expensive? I have thought about it overnight and i feel that it is a fair price to be charged, but i was just curious of what others think of it too. Anyways, thats the point at which i currently am at. Will be picking up that gasket from AutoZone today and seeing if it is really the right size. Otherwise i suppose he may just have to make his own gasket... Just trying to be positive-it was meant to happen, although unfortunate for me it still has been a learning experience that i can put towards later in my life. I will of course continue to grow with that, and one day be able to do everything by myself even dealing with problems that occur that i wasn't so luckily able to deal with before. I'll get back on the time everything is finished. Edited May 19, 2010 by Heathhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Drain oil, drain rad, (keep an eye on color/content of fluids). Put a post it on dash to remember to refill. The engine is young, may want to replace/refresh typical stuff on a head rebuild anyhow. The bolts are doable getting the intake/exhaust off. Have a beer and have fun! WEDGE for timing chain! Mark all timing positions with cyl #1 at TDC Humm you miss the last part of my post number 6? Removing that cover may cause some leakage at the oil pan. Locktite the bolt on the harmonic balancer, or do the upgrade. Replace chain, just for good measure. Replace water pump. Replace front crank seal. Removing that cover takes some work. Mine was a POS. I did not know about that tensioner so I got the pleasure of removing that cover. Since it is off, LOOK for more possibilities of cracks that caused you initial problems! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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