Im gonna pop these on next week - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

madness410 · 07-25-2008, 11:33 PM

once i get back from vacation on wednesday me and my gearhead buddies are going to rip apart my motor to pop these on:

so yeah i hear its quite a bit of a job...but easy if you know what you are doing..luckily my friends have a better idea than i do, theyve done hundreds of them.

give me some input on installing these...maybe there is something they dont know. rule of thumb things to look for, best / easiest way to install these, what to stay really clear of etc. etc.

if you check my previous posts i have a problem with my car overheating..while we are in there we are going to check the water jackets make sure nothings clogged, anything else to check while everything is out?

if you cant contribute....at least wish me luck

Tru2Chevy · 07-26-2008, 10:27 AM

Have you actually blown a headgasket, or are you just swapping them because it's overheating and you want to try to fix it?

- Justin

Jersyboyy · 07-27-2008, 06:22 PM

I blew my headgaskets and cracked a head from over heating. I have all the parts minus new heads to finish the build myself hope all goes well for us both.

Good luck
Btw what headgaskets are those?

crainholio · 07-28-2008, 08:32 AM

You'll want to have the heads inspected by a machine shop and milled if needed...if they're not flat, new gaskets won't fix the problem.

madness410 · 07-30-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

Have you actually blown a headgasket, or are you just swapping them because it's overheating and you want to try to fix it?

- Justin

well it smokes from the exhaust...cant really think of anything else it could be. plus i want to get in there and check out the water jackets make sure nothing is clogged.

madness410 · 07-30-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jersyboyy

I blew my headgaskets and cracked a head from over heating. I have all the parts minus new heads to finish the build myself hope all goes well for us both.

Good luck
Btw what headgaskets are those?

yeah good luck on your build also. they are ROLS.

madness410 · 07-30-2008, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crainholio

You'll want to have the heads inspected by a machine shop and milled if needed...if they're not flat, new gaskets won't fix the problem.

im pretty sure they were milled before they were put on...less than 500 miles ago. but i think ill do that just to be on the safe side.

IROCdan330 · 07-30-2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madness410

well it smokes from the exhaust...cant really think of anything else it could be. plus i want to get in there and check out the water jackets make sure nothing is clogged.

this question may come off as dumb but what color is the smoke?? i would only be going after a head gasket if it was white/thick, and smelled like coolant.

madness410 · 07-31-2008, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IROCdan330

this question may come off as dumb but what color is the smoke?? i would only be going after a head gasket if it was white/thick, and smelled like coolant.

you guessed it. it is white and smoke and smells like...well...a coolant / butt mixture.

Jersyboyy · 08-14-2008, 01:46 AM

Hey ever swap those gaskets out? Howd things go?

madness410 · 08-14-2008, 09:23 AM

hahah i havent gotten around to it. my girlfriend is leaving for college today and i kind of wanted to spend time with her. but i will if not this weekend then early next week. i picked up free carpet swatches so i can put those under there so i can work on it in my driveway and not have my buddy tow it to his place...which is what i was waiting for also in the first place.

i know youve swapped yours out jerseyboyy...what header gaskets did you use? did you order them from jegs or something or go straight to autozone? mine leak now and i dont want them to in the future...

WildBillyT · 08-14-2008, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madness410

im pretty sure they were milled before they were put on...less than 500 miles ago. but i think ill do that just to be on the safe side.

I'd make sure it was coolant you were burning. And if your heads are milled, how much? I seem to remember there being a possibility of intake sealing issues with milled heads.

crainholio · 08-14-2008, 04:17 PM

If it was coolant, be sure to replace the O2 sensor while you're in there. The silicates in coolant kill O2 sensors quickly, and your computer will throw the air:fuel mix off as a result.

Jersyboyy · 08-14-2008, 04:29 PM

I was planning on going straight to advance but when I go their they dont stock nor do they have the headgasket I needed(.40 bored) in their system. They have it available online and they ship to your door but its cheaper to just order from summit.
I ordered these gaskets and im still waiting for them

I wanted the mls ones josh and justin were telling me about but their on the exspensive side.

As for header gaskets Im going to be reusing the ones i had on before my motor overheated. Their fel pro as well and work great, i believe their constructed of steel not some cheap paper ones.

Im hoping to be putting this together early next week as well.

Goodluck

Mark B · 09-26-2008, 11:33 AM

I would replace the header gaskets. Even though they are steel, they have already been compressed where the head & header meets. Therefore they wont seal as well.

Make sure you use new cylinder head bolts.

If your valvesprings are weak, this would be an excellent time to replace them.

WildBillyT · 09-26-2008, 11:51 AM

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...4&autoview=sku

That HG looks like it's for a 350 that's .100 over...

NJ Torque · 09-26-2008, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...4&autoview=sku

That HG looks like it's for a 350 that's .100 over...

Yep... which I wouldnt recommend at all!

NJSPEEDER · 09-27-2008, 02:44 PM

Head gaskets aren't that hard, they just take a while. hell, Justin has been "working" on a bad one in a 305 for 5 years now. lol

Tru2Chevy · 09-28-2008, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJSPEEDER

Head gaskets aren't that hard, they just take a while. hell, Justin has been "working" on a bad one in a 305 for 5 years now. lol

Lol.....yea. Something like that....

- Justin

rscamaro73 · 09-29-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madness410

you guessed it. it is white and smoke and smells like...well...a coolant / butt mixture.

Does it run like a$$ ??

(joke referring to your smell)

I had this happen and didn't take care of it. Next thing I know my motor kunks out on me and my oil looks like chocolate milk. I'd make sure yours hasn't gotten that far.

BTW - I'd drive 20 miles and need to add 4 gallons of water to my Olds 455....behind me looked like a James Bond smoke screen, even at 60+mph....lol.

Teds89IROC · 09-30-2008, 09:29 PM

I did the head gaskets on the iroc a few years back, just take your time, take pictures, and label bolts and wires etc etc and you'll be fine.

madness410 · 10-01-2008, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rscamaro73

Does it run like a$$ ??

(joke referring to your smell)

I had this happen and didn't take care of it. Next thing I know my motor kunks out on me and my oil looks like chocolate milk. I'd make sure yours hasn't gotten that far.

BTW - I'd drive 20 miles and need to add 4 gallons of water to my Olds 455....behind me looked like a James Bond smoke screen, even at 60+mph....lol.

yoooo that suuuucks man hahah. cops dont get u for that? i fixed the problem everything works fine now. still overheats, probly a faulty radiator or the carb