258 head gasket

I'm pretty sure my head gasket needs replaced. The one headbolt outside the valve cover on the driver's side closest to the fire wall had coolant coming out. It was loose so I retorqued it (not sure if those bolts are retorquable or not). The jeep is new to me and I never noticed any milky stuff around the oil cap but today I did. Wasn't much at all...just slightly (not sure if that's normal for an older engine). I also noticed an oil leak around the same headbolt. Now I just replaced the valve cover gasket and it's difficult to tell if that's the problem or not. Seems like there may be oil leaking from between the head and block. But again, the motor has so much grime and oil it's tought to tell. The coolant looks good. I haven't driven it at all since I retorqued the headbolt so we'll see what happens. Question is...how difficult is it to change a head gasket. Someone said there are no timing issues to fool with. I've never dealt with anything but overhead cams, so how do the rods and lifters work as far as taking this head off? Anything I'm going to have to purchase besides the gasket and headbolts? Any tips would be great! Thanks! Allen

83 CJ7
Reply to
<ABanks5
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Take it off, clean it up, add new gasket, torque it down to the proper torque and the proper sequence. Clean up means scraping with a wood chisel to get all the rust and crud off.

Before you do that, I'd suggest a GOOD cleaning of the back of the engine. Spray on some engine cleaner, then head to the self service car wash and clean it up in back and underneath. The valve covers always leak, you need to make sure you have that taken care of before you tackle the head. I have the plastic valve covers, a full tube of Permatex Black RTV on squeaky clean surfaces will cure the leak.

If you do pull the head, c> I'm pretty sure my head gasket needs replaced. The one headbolt outside the

Reply to
Roy J

A wood chisel??????

Please use the proper tool for that job. A good gasket scraper with the proper edge ground on it is only $10 at the local parts store. There is much less chance of damaging the head sealing surface this way.

Chris

Reply to
c

c did pass the time by typing:

Indeed.

Always use a scraper that is softer than the metal your working against. I've got a good set of brass scrapers and a plastic scraper that works for softer aluminum and plastic valve covers.

Reply to
DougW

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

Roy J did pass the time by typing:

That depends.

Although Cast Iron is called Hardened Iron, good wood chisels are usually made from high carbon steel. Anyhoo... The only way to tell is to know the Rockwell hardness value of the material your using.

Remember, files are steel too.

Reply to
DougW

Reply to
Roy J

Reply to
L.W.(ßill)

On or about Thu, 27 Nov 2003, snipped-for-privacy@columbus.rr.com of snipped-for-privacy@columbus.r...:

Are you running the Jeep daily? If not you can get that white stuff in the oil from condensation, too.

Either way, do yourself a favor and wash the engine down. If you don't pull the head you'll be able to see where the oil is coming from, if you do pull it you'll be much, much less frustrated while doing it.

Quick answer: Get a Chilton's manual, follow the instructions. Longer answer: It isn't a Real Big Deal. Tag all the hose ends, pull them off and get them out of your way. Drain the coolant. The cam in the 258 is located down in the right side of the block, right where the fuel pump is located, so there's no timing issues for you to worry about. Lifters ride on the cam, push rods poke up through galleries in the block and the head and connect with rockers. The rockers are mounted in bridged pairs, be careful to not bend the bridge when you are backing the bolts off. Rack the push rods and bridges on pieces of cardboard you can return them to their original poistions. The head weighs, um, something like 70 pounds, so depending on your reach and upper body strength lifting the head off might be the hardest part.

Reassembly is easy: You call for a flatbed, throw all the pieces on and have it hauled off to a shop (grin).

Reply to
Lee Ayrton

From my recent experience, the 258 uses a steel shim type head gasket from the factory. If it has been off prior, then it may have a composition head gasket which is harder to clean off than the steel shim type. I recommend to take the head in to a local machine shop for hot tanking rather than scraping the gasket surface, and get it checked for straightness and cracks. If it passes those tests, have them perform a valve job, or at a minimum-replace the valve stem seals. On reassembly, you need to clean out the block head bolt holes and use sealer on the two end bolts on the drivers side as these holes enter the coolant passages. It may sound like a major job what with the tear-down, all those vacuum lines and electrical connectors, but it is a relatively easy job for most back-yard type repair persons. Do get a buddy to help lift the head assembly off and aid in the replacement of same. Greg

Reply to
gbray

AH! Did you say two end bolts...as in one being the last bolt near the firewall outside the valve cover ?!?!? Mine was loose and leaking coolant and I wasn't sure if that was a sign my head gasket was giving way or just that bolt went through the water jacket! Allen

Reply to
<ABanks5

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