85 K5 305 Head Gasket

1985' 305 CUI SB TH700R4 NP208 (1)58,000 Miles (odometer doesn't go that high, so I don't really know) True Dual Exhaust

Symptoms: White goey crap in crank case breather White goey crap in oil filler spout White smoke POURS out of driver's side tail pipe on cold start ups (light smoke from passenger) First time just happened tonight; after a cold start the temp shot up to 260 before it fell like a rock to 210, and maybe made it's way down to 200....

My Take: So I know the gasket is toast. An air bubble finaly formed under my T-Stat. I'm living on borrowed time....

How hard is it to change the head gasket. What other gaskets should I get along with it. What else should I do while I am in there. Does anyone have some good sites (pictures would be awesome) on how to change the head gasket? I plan to look but I never seem to have luck looking for (FREE) procedural pages.

If anyone is willing to type out a down-n-dirty head gasket R&R I'd give you a big KJ congrat and thanks!

Also should I go with AC-Delco (I'm guessing yes) or has someone else had more luck (longer lasting) experiences with someone else's make?

~KJ the G-Monkey Clown Colledge Drop Out~

Reply to
Lonely G-Monkey
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Before you go tearing down this engine not really knowing what you're doing, here's a few other things to check:

First and foremost: run a compression check. The symptoms you list aren't all head gasket related.

The "white gooey crap" can actually come from condensation. The "White smoke" (could actually be light bluish-grey?) *only on cold startups* leads me to think valve seals. Temp gauge readings - thermostat starting to go south.

Again, see above.

*If* you determine that it really is your problem, it's not difficult. As for materials to purchase, get the Fel-Pro "Head gasket set". It comes with head gaskets, valve stem seals, intake gaskets, exhaust gaskets, valve cover gaskets, carb base gasket, thermostat gasket and distributor mounting gasket. Use new head bolts, and go to your local parts store and request a printout of the head bolt torque specs (if the O'reilley's or napa or advance can't/won't do it for you, go to autozone). While you've got them off, HAVE THEM REBUILT. Find a good machine shop, and have them re-seat the valves, check for clearance around the valve stems, and replace all the seals. Make sure you get all the gasket surfaces clean and oil-free before you put anything back together. Also, make sure *nothing* falls down inside the engine at any point. While you're cleaning gasket surfaces, lay towels down in the lifter valley. Use shop rags stuffed in orifices to keep things (like sockets or bolts) from falling into them while you're working on some other part of the job.
  1. Disconnect battery. If you need music while working, use something else.
  2. Remove Air cleaner, dist cap (not the rotor), wires and plugs. Mark the direction of the rotor on the firewall (or whatever it's pointing towards). DON'T TURN THE ENGINE AFTER THIS POINT.
  3. Tag and remove all vacuum lines that attach to the intake/carb/sensors. The '85's a bitch when it comes to stuff like that - and you're SOL if your emissions label isn't readable.
  4. Remove any accessories that attach to the front of the heads (AC compressor, alternator, PS pump). Remove Carb. Remove EGR valve. Remove Distributor. Remove Air injection system. Remove Valve Covers. Unbolt Exhaust manifolds.
  5. At this point, you should have visible your bare intake and heads. Using the torque sequence for the intake, reverse it and remove the intake (to prevent warping). You might want to consider upgrading that intake at this point and throwing an Edelbrock Performer back on in it's place.
  6. Find a couple of old egg cartons. Label them 1-8 E and I. (As in 1i,
1e, 2i, 2e, 3i, 3e, etc...use these to store your rocker arms in while you've got everything apart.) Use another piece of cardboard with holes punched in it to store your pushrods (shoe box with lid works great for this - the pushrods don't fall all the way through). Check your cam (this far into the engine, it's not much more difficult to replace it as well. If you need to, ask for advice.)
  1. Now you're ready to pull the head bolts (again, reverse the torque sequence) and remove the heads. You'll need a 5/8" swivel head socket to do this one (it just makes things easier).
  2. Clean everything immactuatley. An angle die grinder with 3M scotchbrite pads works wonders for this.
  3. "Installation is the opposite of removal." (Don'tcha just love Haynes and Chilton when they say that???). USE YOUR TORQUE SPECS!!!

Fel-Pro. Fel-Pro. Fel-Pro.

Any questions?

Reply to
Jeremy Chavers

"Jeremy Chavers" wrote

All really good advice, Jeremy....but I think I would leave this section out...except the "clean everything immaculately". A newbie with a die grinder with the scotchbrite pads is a disaster waiting to happen.

If we are found using these pads on engine parts in our shop...it's grounds for dismissal. Too many tech's that don't have common sense have blown up engines by grinding all the crap into the engine.

Let's make him scrape by hand and use some sandpaper to clean things up. Oh....and brake cleen the hell out of everything...and then change the oil and filter before starting and after another 20 minutes of running the engine.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Good advice Ian. Sometimes I forget the real world and think that everyone understands how clean the entire engine (inside and out) really needs to be.

Scraper and sandpaper it is!

Jeremy

Reply to
Jeremy Chavers

I wasn't able to find any sites.

I'll look into getting it at auto zone. Nothing in being upgraded if I have any say in it, I just want the truck to run. Of course the white stuff is condensation - my truck is a high-way pavement pounder so it isn't from short runs I was told by a friend I should put the engine at tdc compression cyl 1?

~KJ~

Reply to
KJ

That will help to make re-assembly a bit easier by eliminating the guesswork of "where does that damn rotor need to point again?"

Reply to
Jeremy Chavers

Any good books to buy that would have how to do this spelt out? Chilton, haynes? I know this is a hornets nest but has anyone tried BOTH of these books for my truck and liked one over the other?

~KJ~

Reply to
KJ

I've actually got both, and they're both equal but different....one has stuff the other doesn't, and vice-versa...... I don't know how well they spell out head R&R tho, I never used one for that......mostly just for wiring diagrams, till I memorized them.....

Jeremy

Reply to
Jeremy Chavers

What would explain intermittent heat problems? Engine NEVER got over 210 today, and it MIGHT be 5 degrees cooler than when I was having the over heating problem.

~KJ~

Reply to
KJ

When's the last time you changed your thermostat? Radiator cap?

Reply to
Jeremy Chavers

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