Post Head Gasket Repair Job help

[mhh263]

Longer story short I replaced my head gasket on my 94 XLT. Put it all together and runs like a brand new Lexus when engine is warm but idles like a nuclear bomb when cold. Also the temp gauge flucuates from 1/4 to 3/4.

I do hear some hissing noise from the rear of the engine. I suspect I did not put enough sealant where the heads meet the block and/or my torques could be suspicious.

(The torgue wrench I used have 120 in pound increment markings with about an 1/8 inich spacing between numbers. In other words it's difficult to mark 144 in pounds between 120 and 240 inch pounds. I saw an inch pound torque wrench at Sears and thinking about dropping $80 there so I have a warm fuzzy I am torguing it correctly.)

I will be taking off the upper and lower intake manifolds to investigate and properly seal and torque the lower intake manifold.

HOWEVER, does anyone have pics exactly where I should put sealant?

 

[Reejerey]

wait... you torqued your heads down in INCH LBS? torque on everything else you had off isn't nearly as critical as head bolt torque, and if you did that in inch lbs instead of ft lbs, you torqued those bolts to approx 1/12 of what it was supposed to be.

 

[Vargas]

Fluctuating temp might suggest that there are pockets of air in the cooling system, but let's first confirm you torqued by feet and not inches.

 

[2000StreetRod]

Torque values

According to my Haynes Repair Manual engine section the torque for the 1995 and earlier OHV intake manifold bolts/nuts:
Step 1 torque to 72 in-lbs
Step 2 torque to 144 in-lbs
Step 3 torque to 192 in-lbs

The head bolts are not reuseable and torques as follows:
Step 1 torque to 44 ft-lbs
Step 2 torque to 59 ft-lbs
Step 3 tighten an additional 90 degrees

In the fuel section the torque specified for the upper intake manifold mounting bolts is 15 to 18 ft-lbs.

 

[mhh263]

Thanks 200street.

I think I might have messed up the sealant. I don't think I put enough on it. The manual says to put sealant around the water ports, but the new gasket covers that area? Is the manual wrong?

 

[Reejerey]

Still need to verify that you torqued the heads down in ft lbs not inch lbs. Almost every mechanic out there isn't gonna get a torque wrench out for the intake manifold bolts, we'll run them in with an air tool and tighten by feel. on the other hand we're all extremely **** about head bolt torque, because having uneven torque on the cylinder heads or having improper torque on the cylinder heads will cause lots of issues

 

[mhh263]

I am very confident that the head bolts are good. I have good ft pound torque wrench for that. Not so confident on the lower intake bolts but most importantly the seal.

 

[mhh263]

Post Head Gasket Job Repair Help - PROBLEM SOVLVED!!!!!!!!!!

Hose to the PCV valve was not seated all the way. That's where the hissing noise was coming from.

I remember somewhere on this site posted using starter fluid or carb cleaner and lightly spray vacuum hoses and where they get plugged into.

As my enging was running rough I sprayed some starter fluid on the vacuum tree. Reved right up and idled rough after a few seconds. I could not find a damn thing wrong with the hoses on the vacuum tree.

Then I noticed the PCV valve that was directly below the vacuum tree. The hose to PCV valve was not seated properly. Hissing gone PROBLEM SOLVED.

'94 XLT running like a Lexus driving of the lot.

Thanks so much folks

 

[Maniak]

Great news.. and thanks for the update..

I'm glad to see someone else who uses the carb cleaner spray trick. Works great..

~Mark

 

[Reejerey]

Glad you found it.