My D.I.Y. Head job

Check your pistons...

Well hit up Harbor Freight tonight on the way home from work grabbed a 25" breaker bar and impact sockets for the heads. But it looks like the weather isn't going to be nice for the weekend. For cleaning the numerous parts I got Gunk gel engine de-greaser is that safe to use on it. Discosux are there any special steps to clean the lifters? What do I look for when I check my pistons.

On a side note a guy at work that usually busts my balls for have a terrible truck Stood up for my truck and land rovers(I owe him a beer and i wont make fun of his man boobs) when a jeeper went off bashing all other 4x4 for not being able to do what his jeep on 33's could do.

jveen wrote:

Well hit up Harbor Freight tonight on the way home from work grabbed a 25" breaker bar and impact sockets for the heads. But it looks like the weather isn't going to be nice for the weekend. For cleaning the numerous parts I got Gunk gel engine de-greaser is that safe to use on it. Discosux are there any special steps to clean the lifters? What do I look for when I check my pistons.

On a side note a guy at work that usually busts my balls for have a terrible truck Stood up for my truck and land rovers(I owe him a beer and i wont make fun of his man boobs) when a jeeper went off bashing all other 4x4 for not being able to do what his jeep on 33's could do.

I maybe went a little overboard in cleaning the lifters. I just thought I may as well since I was in there and everything had a black coating where there was oil. The lifters come apart, it is easy but a little time consuming. I was waiting for my heads so I had the time. If you like I can send you something on how to do it. I may even be able to be talked into running up there for a few hours.

I recommend dropping the pan and cleaning it while you're down. Of course I was also in a garage so...

If you have a D2 you want to look for a slipped liner as well. Google it for some pictures. I believe the slip is very minor and you need to look closely to see it - not sure. As for the pistons, just look at them. The burnt piston was quite obvious as you can see. The Gunk you got will be fine for cleaning. I just found that Purple Power works really well on aluminum. I just let the stuff soak over night - you can see on the rocker arms as only one end was in the solution.

Remember to put the lifters and push rods back in the same place with the push rods in the same direction. It is not super critical for the push rods but you can wipe a cam out if the lifters get mixed up. Not likely, but possible.

Use a plastic scraper to clean your mating surfaces. Less tendency to scrape the surface. Then some cleaner and Scotchbrite works good for a final clean.

I'm "Kase" by the way. Dave Kase - glutton for punishment and abuse.

I knew you were Dave but couldn't think of your last name And I know the Dave from Pitt was posting so I didnt want any confusion thanks for the tips

jveen wrote:

I knew you were Dave but couldn't think of your last name And I know the Dave from Pitt was posting so I didnt want any confusion thanks for the tips

Cool. Wish I could remember your name...

I didn't get to wheel with you. I'd forget Brett's name if it wasn't tattoo'd on my ass (backwards so I can read it in the mirror)

Kase wtf happened to your piston?

Jake wrote:

Kase wtf happened to your piston?

I believe it was driving it 200 miles with a blown head gasket. It must have been sucking air. That is an old pic - when I bought the truck.

DiscoSux wrote:

jveen wrote:

The Will Tillary route I want the heads off before I place my order so he isn't waiting on my cores. I dont want to piss a parts guy off. I just a little mad about the missing bolts I can take the piss poor repaint they had done. I guess someone in Allentown was a baller on a budget. all in all it was easy I was thinking it would be hard as hell to get that off i guess all the fun is lower on the block

How much does he charge and why wouldn't just get the heads done yourself? I had mine done locally and knew exactly what was done. I have a rudimentary block tester if you want to use it. With a D2 I would want to...

I got my pig going tonight. Last night I started in and found coolant under the truck. I followed it and found it dripping off the trans. I looked above and did not see anything - uh oh, ANOTHER head gasket?! I thought for sure the back of the RH head was pissing out the back, my heart sank. Then I found a seeping heater core line and was elated! A simple clamp change and I was golden.

btw, I found that I had unplugged the fuel pump while rerouting my tail light wires - cool. She fired right up!

Hmmm... wonder if thats what could be wrong with mine? Just expected HG, will have to look for that hose, maybe I'll get lucky.

DocFodge wrote:

Hmmm... wonder if thats what could be wrong with mine? Just expected HG, will have to look for that hose, maybe I'll get lucky.

The supply and return hoses are above the right head at the firewall Doc. There is also a connection or two over the intake. Good Luck!

Didn't get anything done this weekend cause of the weather. I guess there is always next weekend.

jveen wrote:

Didn't get anything done this weekend cause of the weather. I guess there is always next weekend.

Rent a storage garage like Jake! You can work on it at your leisure without weather considerations. Most places won't allow you to work on anything there but maybe you can find one that will allow it. Or just get in there and knock it out before any one notices...

DiscoSux wrote:

DocFodge wrote:

Hmmm... wonder if thats what could be wrong with mine? Just expected HG, will have to look for that hose, maybe I'll get lucky.

The supply and return hoses are above the right head at the firewall Doc. There is also a connection or two over the intake. Good Luck!

Thanks Dave. Going to check it out this weekend. Wonder if I could be so lucky.... I would think if the HG took a crap I would have had some other symptom. It all pissed out when I parked and turned the car off. No overheating, no burning smell (actually, very minor but may have been coming from it dripping down). Seems like every ounce of fluid drained out which might make sense if the hose(s) busted or came loose. Would the check engine light come,on if the HG blew? Are there any other things that happen exclusive of the gasket blowing?

It depends on where and how the hg fails. Mine merely leaked coolant externally. Others have leaked coolant into the oil, while other let combustion gasses into the coolant. My unscientific theory points at the head bolts. Next time i have to deal with it, im using studs, you get better clamping force, can tighten to a specific torque, not the double 90 degree turns that the stretch bolts use.

DocFodge wrote:

Seems like every ounce of fluid drained out which might make sense if the hose(s) busted or came loose. Would the check engine light come,on if the HG blew? Are there any other things that happen exclusive of the gasket blowing?

Doc - normally a blown head gasket will not empty out all the fluid. As a matter of fact, I have never heard of that happening. Brian is right in that a head gasket can "blow" in several ways. It depends which of the three "fluids" (cylinder air, coolant, oil) connect when she goes.

Your symptoms sound like a hose or maybe a freeze-out plug. Either of those would be an easy fix.

First, check your oil and coolant and see if they are mixed with the other. Then I would fill it with water and start it. Watch the temp and then see where it is pissing from. I am fairly sure it will be something other than the head gasket. By blown head gasket leaked about 4 gallons of fluid over 200 miles - none of it in liquid form. Again, head gaskets can blow in different places but pissing all the coolant is usually not one of them.

I'd have to agree, it sounds like most likely a hose on the bottom of the engine.

When my head gasket went, I would have to fill the coolant reservoir every 1-2 weeks.

couldn't find any hoses underneath the engine. both coolant inlet and outlet hoses are side by side on the top of the engine compartment (passenger side). they are dry as a bone. the more i research the more i think that if the valley pan gasket failed I could get a fair amount of discharge. But i'm telling you, it was at least a gallon or more that came POURING out. I'm going to fill it up and run it this weekend to see if I can see where its pissing fluid from. i did double check the oil - it is as clean as new oil should be (I had just changed it). throttle body heater gasket looked good. its very 'wet' looking on the passenger side rear of the engine.

my truck leaked alot when my water pump went I had to add coolant every couple days

DocFodge wrote:

couldn't find any hoses underneath the engine. both coolant inlet and outlet hoses are side by side on the top of the engine compartment (passenger side). they are dry as a bone. the more i research the more i think that if the valley pan gasket failed I could get a fair amount of discharge. But i'm telling you, it was at least a gallon or more that came POURING out. I'm going to fill it up and run it this weekend to see if I can see where its pissing fluid from. i did double check the oil - it is as clean as new oil should be (I had just changed it). throttle body heater gasket looked good. its very 'wet' looking on the passenger side rear of the engine.

Doc - did you check the freeze out plugs in the block? Once you put water in it, hopefully it will be obvious.

DiscoSux wrote:

DocFodge wrote:

couldn't find any hoses underneath the engine. both coolant inlet and outlet hoses are side by side on the top of the engine compartment (passenger side). they are dry as a bone. the more i research the more i think that if the valley pan gasket failed I could get a fair amount of discharge. But i'm telling you, it was at least a gallon or more that came POURING out. I'm going to fill it up and run it this weekend to see if I can see where its pissing fluid from. i did double check the oil - it is as clean as new oil should be (I had just changed it). throttle body heater gasket looked good. its very 'wet' looking on the passenger side rear of the engine.

Doc - did you check the freeze out plugs in the block? Once you put water in it, hopefully it will be obvious.

Good call Kase - freeze plugs or heater core. You should pick up some coolant tracer dye - that will tell you where it's coming from.

if you use tracer dye, just remember that you need to get dexcool compatible tracer dye if you still have the dexcool in there. Autozone sells it.

Jake wrote:

DiscoSux wrote:

DocFodge wrote:

couldn't find any hoses underneath the engine. both coolant inlet and outlet hoses are side by side on the top of the engine compartment (passenger side). they are dry as a bone. the more i research the more i think that if the valley pan gasket failed I could get a fair amount of discharge. But i'm telling you, it was at least a gallon or more that came POURING out. I'm going to fill it up and run it this weekend to see if I can see where its pissing fluid from. i did double check the oil - it is as clean as new oil should be (I had just changed it). throttle body heater gasket looked good. its very 'wet' looking on the passenger side rear of the engine.

Doc - did you check the freeze out plugs in the block? Once you put water in it, hopefully it will be obvious.

Good call Kase - freeze plugs or heater core. You should pick up some coolant tracer dye - that will tell you where it's coming from.

If its spraying out by the gallon, die will not be needed me thinks! Heater Core would puke on the carpet...

DiscoSux wrote:

Jake wrote:

DiscoSux wrote:

DocFodge wrote:

couldn't find any hoses underneath the engine. both coolant inlet and outlet hoses are side by side on the top of the engine compartment (passenger side). they are dry as a bone. the more i research the more i think that if the valley pan gasket failed I could get a fair amount of discharge. But i'm telling you, it was at least a gallon or more that came POURING out. I'm going to fill it up and run it this weekend to see if I can see where its pissing fluid from. i did double check the oil - it is as clean as new oil should be (I had just changed it). throttle body heater gasket looked good. its very 'wet' looking on the passenger side rear of the engine.

Doc - did you check the freeze out plugs in the block? Once you put water in it, hopefully it will be obvious.

Good call Kase - freeze plugs or heater core. You should pick up some coolant tracer dye - that will tell you where it's coming from.

If its spraying out by the gallon, die will not be needed me thinks! Heater Core would puke on the carpet...

Yea but if everything is still wet and he cant see where it's coming from...

Jake wrote:

Yea but if everything is still wet and he cant see where it's coming from...

Couldn't hurt, I have only used a die once - for oil. Putting die in Land Rover fluids is just asking to have a gay rainbow painted on your driveway...

DiscoSux wrote:

Jake wrote:

Yea but if everything is still wet and he cant see where it's coming from...

Couldn't hurt, I have only used a die once - for oil. Putting die in Land Rover fluids is just asking to have a gay rainbow painted on your driveway...

Im surprised you dont do it all the time then