Blown Head Gasket ... what now?

[JH32]

The other morning I blew the head gasket on the way to work.

A mate and my brother and I have removed everything including the head, and that's where we finished last night.

I have ordered a new head gasket, intake manifold gasket, exhaust manifold gasket and a new gasket for between the intake manifold and the plenum.

Question is, what do I do now? Number 6 cylinder is full of coolant, its all mucky where the gasket used to be.

I've never ever done this before and neither have my mates, so any help would be HUGELY appreciated!!!

[JH32]

Hope this pic works:

This is the cylinders showing all the coolant in cylinder no 6

[adam 32]

jeez that brings back memories

if you havent already get the coolant out and let the cylinders dry, without taking it to an engine specialist i dont know if theres any way to tell whether or not the bores have been affected. just empty the coolant out and hope for the best i guess!

[muffas 180]

The bores will be fine. Blow the coolant out with air or soak it up with a rag. Find a scraper to scrape the remainder of the head gasket off the deck. Dont lean the scraper to one side leaving deep scratches. Then use a honing stone (the large rectangle one you use for knifes) rub the deck of the eng evenly using petrol to assist. Make sure you use the fine side as they are generally course one side and fine the other. When the deck is apsolutley spotless and you can wipe it with a white rag and it doesnt change colour from dirt then the head is ready to fit.

Michael...

[JH32]

Awesome thanks heaps for that mate!

I didn't know that, and that will help a lot!!

[Boost King]

Be sure also once back together to run thin oil for first start up, till it gets warm, drain it, new oil, run it again, tune it, drain it, then put new oil, do 500km, drain it again, then your good stuff.

Also do engine flush as well.

Will take a few hundred k'ms for all water to disappear, also, as it gets into small galleries etc etc.

Just watch for no color turning from black to cream!.

[muffas 180]

Dont stress too much about the tiny amount of water you might have left over in the sump. It will vapourise as soon as it gets hot. I definately recommend an oil change though.

Michael...

[SKYLINED]

hope u got the thick head gasket to reduce the compression?!?!?!?

[JimX]

hope u got the thick head gasket to reduce the compression?!?!?!?

Why?!?!?!?!?!?

[JH32]

Cheers guys for the help

I just got another stock Nissan head gasket

Was gonna put it all back together on Saturday after draining the sump and coolant, cleaning the block to a mirror finish

But then found that there were two studs that had snapped off in head for the exhaust manifold. so i've gotta get them removed. Also the place that tested and cleaned my head pulled the cams etc out so I have no idea how to replace them! A mate said he'd do that tomorrow for me

Hopefully get the car running again soon!

[Boost King]

Cheers guys for the help

I just got another stock Nissan head gasket

Was gonna put it all back together on Saturday after draining the sump and coolant, cleaning the block to a mirror finish

But then found that there were two studs that had snapped off in head for the exhaust manifold. so i've gotta get them removed. Also the place that tested and cleaned my head pulled the cams etc out so I have no idea how to replace them! A mate said he'd do that tomorrow for me

Hopefully get the car running again soon!

Put new bolts everywhere, will cost a measly $30 or $40 bucks but will save you damaging your engine again,. Get new head bolts, manifold bolts, exhaust housing bolts etc etc.

Go get em now!