I have an 86 4+3 that has blown head gaskets that i'm going to try and replace myself. What kind of problems has anyone had when doing this? What am I in for as far as replacing other parts while i'm into the motor as far as I'm going to be?? I've never done this kind of work before, by myself

Thanks,
Steve

 

Well, there's a lot that goes into it as far as "attention to detail." You want to make sure your pushrods, lifters and rockerarms all go back together in the same sequence (meaning they all go back to their original places) due to established wear patters. You'll also need to know torque values and the tightening sequence for the head bolts, and you may want to consider getting new ARP head bolts rather than using the OEM ones. Use felpro gaksets on the heads and intake (but OEM on the runners and plenum, etc). Spend $12 for "The Right Stuff" black RTV sealant for the intake manifold - it's worth the money; you don't want to re-seal the intake manifold due to a leak on down the road.... You'll also need coolant to replace what you spill, and change the oil afterwards because you WILL spill coolant into the lifter valley - which then runs down into the oil pain. Contaminated oil can ruin the bearings, so you need to change it out. Wear safety goggles whenever disconnecting the fuel lines or being under the car; or whenever you stand over the running engine.

It's really not too bad - I've done it in a parkinglot before. But there are plenty of nuances to it and the only easy way to cover everything is to get a manual and read through it as you go. The Haynes Manuals found in Autozone and such places work pretty well. You can also do a SEARCH here in the forum as this and related questions have been addressed multiple times.

Just be patient, allow twice as much time as you think it will take, and enjoy it!


EDIT: and are you SURE it's just a head gasket? The block didn't overheat did it? You may want to inspect for any cracks inbetween the cylinders or cylinder head warpage before putting it all back together.

 

Good tips by Ramanstud. Last year I did my Ram truck, took digital pictures before, pictures are priceless on build-up.

 

with the pics and info above. Like said, take each push rod-I always used masking tape to number their exact location. And hey, while you have the heads off it's an ideal time to replace the old valve seals.

 

I'm positive that the head gaskets are blown, I have coolant in my oil, and coolant POURING out of my exhaust when the car is running. Yes the car did overheat, I lost a freeze plug while driving. When I get the heads out, I'm going to have them tested, but I don't have a way to get the block out and have it tested.

 

Priceless information.

 

All of the advice in this thread is valuable and worthwhile. The only thing I would amend is the manual advice. The parts store manuals, Chilton's, Haynes, and even generic engine manuals, may be just great for this project, however if you plan to keep working on your Corvette into the future, the additional cost of the factory service manual is a great investment. Printed by Helm Inc. (www.helminc.com) for Chevrolet, there is NOTHING that will provide the help with trouble code checking, reading, and trouble shooting. It costs more to buy, but it would be cheaper to get one now, rather than to add it to your library, later.

RACE ON!!!

 

just to add my $0.02, make sure you seal the headbolts. I just built my engine and most of my headstuds are leaking. I inquired about this in another thread and was told that Permatex #2 was about the best and was recommended by several forum members. I used the ARP thread sealer and apparently it ain't worth a plug nickel.

 

I did that myself on my 87; the block was cracked. That's when I moved up to my 94.