Blown head gasket symptoms with intact gasket? PICS!

[94Jo]

So i just got done tearing into the navajo for a blown head gasket. Blowing smoke like a train, overheating, using coolant all the symptoms you would expect. As i got to taking the heads off, I noticed it had Fel-pro gaskets and they were in great shape. Does this mean someone recently replaced the head gaskets but not the heads? Im getting the heads checked tomorrow. Do i still need a new gasket set?

 

[BlakeOfDoom]

looks like you have a nice crack in the head, When i pulled the heads on my navajo the gasket was great but the valves had rust on them.......sure enough when they were magnafluxed there were some very minute cracks......

 

[BlakeOfDoom]

and as long as your replacing the heads, buy a new gasket set, don't chance using an old one and having it blow out on you, head replacement is messy, not fun and requires a good amount of time...... besides, old gaskets that have already been curshed won't seat or torque down right.

 

[Maniak]

Don't forget new head bolts.. those are TTY (torque to yield bolts).. Its anoying, but thats how they are.. use once, then throw away.

~Mark

 

[94Jo]

The machine shop said they will magnaflux, check the valves and do any milling involved if they are warped. Just so im sure, does a machine shop FIX cracks or just find them, once a head is cracked, am i forced to buy a new one? TIA

 

[doonze]

Believe it or not, these cracks are often too small to see, hince the need for a head shop to test. Think hairline cracks...and no, often they can't be fixed. I wouldn't trust a fixed one anyway. New heads is the way to go! And that does mean NEW heads, not just new to you heads. junk yard heads are a big no no, about 80% chance the new heads will be cracked also, from other's experences on here at least.

Mostly the heads seem to be the reason they make it to the junk yard to begin with. The tranny's are a bigger problem, but people fix those for some reason and send it in for scrap if the heads give.

And often it's cheaper to fix heads then have someone rebuild the tranny...

Makes no sense.... but there ya go!

 

[Robrt32]

and yes you need new gaskets.. once the gasket is tightened once, chances are it wont reseal.. Ive had to take a head right back off before right after torquing it and I went back with new gaskets..

 

[94Jo]

Oh god, where is the cheapest place to get new heads? This whole time i was under the impression that the "milling" work to be done by the machine shop would thereby make the heads usable again, this was not in the budget, ugh. This truck looks so great and the transmission was just rebuilt so it would KILL me to let it go, but im not sure i can afford new heads right now, help me out and find me the best price!!

 

[BlakeOfDoom]

I got some new heads from a auto dismantling yard, 200 bucks for the set. they were used, but the machine shop checked them out and they did not have cracks. brand new they are about $350 each. the only thing that milling does is ensure that heads will seat right and snuggle up to the gasket. The only heads I know of that can be repaired if they are cracked is aluminum ones, but even those have limits where they can't be welded.

 

[94Jo]

So if i get these checked, and only the drivers side is bad (it looked the worst when pulling them) can i get away with only buying 1 head? it feels kind of wrong to only do half of the engine when there are clearly two of everything that can be replaced.

 

[doonze]

So if i get these checked, and only the drivers side is bad (it looked the worst when pulling them) can i get away with only buying 1 head? it feels kind of wrong to only do half of the engine when there are clearly two of everything that can be replaced.

yes, you only need to replace a bad head. To tell the truth it seems wrong, but isn't. It won,t unbalance anything. It wouldn't be like using two different kinds of pistons. With the heads you can take all the harware out of the old heads and put in in the new ones. A head is just a holder for valves and mini explosions!

 

[94Jo]

Well thats good i suppose, man i really didnt want to go head hunting for this thing, seems like tis really gonna cost me before its all said and done. If anyone knows where to get heads in or around Louisville, Ky, LET ME KNOW!