, Paul
Head Gaskets - Job Hours
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 628
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Head Gaskets - Job Hours
Ok guys - need opinions on how long it would take a reasonably handy newb to change head gaskets on a 1992 LT-1. I have successfully tackled replacement of timing cover gaskets including crank hub removal.
I have the FSM - I'm thinking to allow a whole day (plus a couple of 6 packs) for careful disassembly and the same again for careful reassembly.
Also - would I need any special tools? ..and what kind of gaskets are recommended for a supercharged motor?
Thanks!
Andy.
I have the FSM - I'm thinking to allow a whole day (plus a couple of 6 packs) for careful disassembly and the same again for careful reassembly.
Also - would I need any special tools? ..and what kind of gaskets are recommended for a supercharged motor?
Thanks!
Andy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Assuming a beer a bolt, you'll need a couple of cases. Took me 2 months, but my Vette isn't a daily driver, and being an L98, I had a couple of other parts to take off. Don't sweat it, it is just turning wrenches (except when you put it back together - and then torquing bolts to the correct value and in the right sequence becomes really important).
PS - I don't drink, so that's probably why it took so long.
PS - I don't drink, so that's probably why it took so long.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,978
Likes: 2
From: San Antonio Texas
... with checking the head surface. Something was not right or you wouldn't have gasket problems. Bolts should be ok if they haven't been reused too many times; and torque them properly, for sure. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 2
From: Kathleen FL
I've done a head swap so many times on Chevy V8 cars that it would take about a day. Geez, how hard can it be to follow directions in a FSM? You do them enough and you become more efficient. It would eventually become second nature. I'd say its 12 hours for me on a stock TPI motor and 8-9 hours on a car with an LT1. Most books call for 18-22 hours, but that's so you can pay your mechanic to eat his meals, take a smoke, drink, etc....
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,641
Likes: 13
From: Slidell Louisiana
I've done LT1 head swaps a few times it is easily done over a weekend. Since the LT1 intake is dry if you remove the knock sensors iot empty the coolant you won't get coolant in the bores like during a normal SBC head gasket change
I find installing the "steam pipe" "coolant cross over tube" "whatever you want to call the tubing connecting the rear of the heads cooling system" is the biggest PITA of the entire project.
Mike
Last edited by aboatguy; Aug 25, 2007 at 01:59 PM.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh NC
I'm a newb currently doing it to my 91 L98. I only get weekends to do the job but the car is not my daily driver.
So far it's taken me two weekends to get to the heads. That's putting in about 5-6 hours a day. I'm taking my time. This also includes removing the radiator, hoses, and water pump. I'm cleaning and replacing all that too.
It's not hard at all, just a lot of unbolting. Lessons learned so far:
1) If it's going to take you a long time (many weekends) to tear apart and put back together, get baggies to put bolts/parts in and label them so you know where they go back. Get masking tape and label all hoses/wires that stay in the car so you know where to re-connect them. A digital camera and some pics help too.
2) No one told me I'd need a special wrench to get the distributor out. $5 at Autozone for the wrench is well worth it.
3) Get some WD-40 or JB to spray on exhaust manifold bolts. Allow time to soak and they come off like magic.
4) If you are working in your garage, put a big tarp under your car. It is a messy job (coolant and oil). Get a big flat container to place under the engine to catch all the spillage.
5) Try to clean the motor first before working on it. I didn't and now I'm trying my darndest to keep filth out of the internals.
So far it's taken me two weekends to get to the heads. That's putting in about 5-6 hours a day. I'm taking my time. This also includes removing the radiator, hoses, and water pump. I'm cleaning and replacing all that too.
It's not hard at all, just a lot of unbolting. Lessons learned so far:
1) If it's going to take you a long time (many weekends) to tear apart and put back together, get baggies to put bolts/parts in and label them so you know where they go back. Get masking tape and label all hoses/wires that stay in the car so you know where to re-connect them. A digital camera and some pics help too.
2) No one told me I'd need a special wrench to get the distributor out. $5 at Autozone for the wrench is well worth it.
3) Get some WD-40 or JB to spray on exhaust manifold bolts. Allow time to soak and they come off like magic.
4) If you are working in your garage, put a big tarp under your car. It is a messy job (coolant and oil). Get a big flat container to place under the engine to catch all the spillage.
5) Try to clean the motor first before working on it. I didn't and now I'm trying my darndest to keep filth out of the internals.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,858
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria CA
For a first timer, it can take quite a while. It really will depend on how many hours you work at it on each sitting, tools, and what else you decide to do "while it's appart" as you go along.
I can do my car in two days because I've done it more than once before.
I can do my car in two days because I've done it more than once before.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 2
From: Kathleen FL
One of my "while its apart" regimes is to clean up all the carbon caking and build up on the pistons and heads. Takes a little bit of elbow grease, but its worth its weight in gold. Every time I did that, it seemed like the engine would be able to run on low octane gas once again. 
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh NC
One of my "while its apart" regimes is to clean up all the carbon caking and build up on the pistons and heads. Takes a little bit of elbow grease, but its worth its weight in gold. Every time I did that, it seemed like the engine would be able to run on low octane gas once again.
Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 2
From: Kathleen FL
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,641
Likes: 13
From: Slidell Louisiana
The couple of stock LT1s I've pulled the heads on did not have a carbon build up on the pistons and the combustion chambers looked pretty clean too.
Pics of my original heads without cleaning of combustion chambers
From what I've read removing the intake on a L98 is a PITA.
I know from experience removing the intake on an LT1 takes less than an hour.
Removing coolant crossover and the exhaust manifolds is are the most difficult parts of this project. (Unless you're one of the guys that can't change plugs on an LT1 ****no offense intended, do a search some guys can't change the spark plugs on their LT1s and removing/installing plugs is part of this procedure.)
I can remove and install the engine in one day during a weekend others can't (that's by myself with the exception of a family member pumping the jack on the engine hoist during the actual install/removal).
These cars are pretty simple to work on if you think outside the box (for example when changing plugs I do some from the top and others from below or a combination of both)
Mike
Pics of my original heads without cleaning of combustion chambers
From what I've read removing the intake on a L98 is a PITA.
I know from experience removing the intake on an LT1 takes less than an hour.
Removing coolant crossover and the exhaust manifolds is are the most difficult parts of this project. (Unless you're one of the guys that can't change plugs on an LT1 ****no offense intended, do a search some guys can't change the spark plugs on their LT1s and removing/installing plugs is part of this procedure.)
I can remove and install the engine in one day during a weekend others can't (that's by myself with the exception of a family member pumping the jack on the engine hoist during the actual install/removal).
These cars are pretty simple to work on if you think outside the box (for example when changing plugs I do some from the top and others from below or a combination of both)
Mike
Last edited by aboatguy; Aug 26, 2007 at 11:50 AM.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
It doesn't matter how many times head bolts have been used. It only takes one use for them to go bad. If you are on a budget and/or have lots of time to spare you can take a micrometer to the head bolts. A stretched head bolt will be thinner than the rest. Also I run a tap through the threaded holes in the block to clean out the gunk so I can get accurate torque readings when installing them. A die can be used on the bolts to clean them as well.
