The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Blown head gasket

I'm wondering how hard it is to pull the top off my 228 to replace the head gasket? In my manual it doesn't look too bad, but can a guy with limited engine experience (me) do it without ending up with a ton of parts in my lap? How heavy is the top?

GMC53,

The head is heavy. Pulling all the stuff off and removing the head is not technical, and it's fun to see the inside of the engine.

Putting it back together would require a torque wrench and the ability to adjust the valves.

You indicate you have the manual, so it can be your guide. Doing this chore will give you tons of confidence and bragging rights.

You have this site to fall back on when you get to a path you're not sure of!

Stuart

with a good manual you should be able to handle it, take your time,keep everything in order, pushrods etc. i'm not sure what head weighs but they are heavy. if you have a friend help you lift it off and set it back on makes it easier.

Thanks for the info. I'm also wondering if driving the truck with a leaky head gasket and one spark plug not firing will damage the engine. I want to drive it up to a garage about 2 miles away.

It would probably go 200 miles if you wanted it too...this is tough old iron. Just make sure you have some water in it.


Stuart

Take pics of every thing you remove...........then just reverse.

The hardest part I found was putting the exhaust/intake manifold back on. The head is heavy and as someone mentioned keep the pushrods in order so they go back in the same spot.
You will probably have to scrape off bits of head gasket and try not to let any of the debris fall into the cylinders. I also ran a tap thru the head bolt holes just to clean them up. After its all together and running I would give it an oil change, won't hurt and its cheap insurance.
Bill

Wow your first heavy engine job. Do I here a big Grunt from the gallery. This is a right of passage, you are moving from tinker man to machanic. Go for it man, jump in with both feet and don't worry about those things that may go sprong and fly across the shop. The braggen rights alone are enough to make your freinds jelous.
Try this, go (when your wife ain't lookin) and get a large muffen pan from the kitchen. When you remove a bolt put it in the pan, put all the bolts for the part you remove in the same hole. Remember the order you use to fill the pan and when you put it back together reverse the order.
Scrape all gasket material from the surfaces you wish to reseal. While the head is off take it to a machine shop to have it checked for cracks, burned valves and flat surfaces. They can also remove broken bolts and surface your exhaust manifold.
When it runs again you'll be pumped. You can tell your frends when they ask "What ya been doing lately?" Your answer will be "I yanked the head off my truck and gave it a new gasket, checked and adjusted the valves (or ground the valves), tuned her up and changed the oil." "What about you?" Your freind will be impressed.

Hey GMC53,
How'd the gasket replacement go? I've got a 228 that I just rebuilt (actually I rebuilt it a year ago, just haven't fired it off yet). Hopefully, if you've chosen to tackle it, all went well. If you have, you know that head is heavy, probably 60+ pounds, especially when you're in there at weird angles and bent over the fenders, etc. Heck, it was heavy just for me with the motor on a stand. Very awkward.

If you haven't done it yet, I'd also urge you to just jump right in. It's a lot of fun. When you take off the valve cover, you'll notice the rocker arm assembly. That all has to come off. Then you can get to all the head bolts. When you put the rocker assembly back in, just make sure you get the push rods seated correctly into the rocker arms and the lifters. Not difficult, but a detail that you need to pay attention to. Then adjust the valves according to the manual, put her all back together and, voila, you're done. Also, a local guy here advised me to use the copper-type head gasket along with "copper-coat" gasket sealer, which is made specifically for those types of gaskets.

Keep us posted.

3 Girls' Dad,

Are you suppose to re-torque the head bolts after several hours of use, or do the new style gaskets not require this procedure?


Stuart

No re-torque is required with the copper gasket. But it is with the regular fiber-type gasket. That was one big point I completely forgot about. Thanks Stuart.