2000 Lumina 3.1L Head Gasget (step-by-step guide)

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I just talked to my bud who owns a good size auto repair shop here Autozone/Advance AP can't get the HST 9957 PT-1, my friend aked for the 8th digit of the VIN # to get the right set from NAPA (there site list's it 100 dollars more than the HS 9957 PT-1, what is this 8th digit thing and why are the parts houses using this procedure ?

Curt

The eighth digit identifies the engine. But there was only one engine available in a 2000 Lumina.

Something is fishy on those prices, my NAPA listing shows the HST costing me $20 more (list is $36 more) than the non problem solver set.

The part number I gave you is correct.

There should be a dab of RTV in the corner where the block, head and manifold all meet. Also, RTV is used on the end rails of the engine block to lower intake in leu of a gasket. The actual seal around the coolant passages and the intake ports on the OE style gaskets is a formed in place silicone insert. There is not enough surrounding support around those silicone inserts and over time, expansion and contraction, the plastic backbone of the gasket shears apart resulting in the leak.

Those torque specs were straight off of Mitchell On Demand and referenced the TSBs GM issued on that engine and its sealing problems. Rest assured, they work just fine, I've done dozens and dozens of those engines with zero repeat failures.

The inch pound versus foot pound thing is common sense considering the size of fasteners being utilized.

Rock auto has both, The HS set at 143.89 The HST set at 169.79

NAPA shows The HS set at 234.00 The HST set at 209.00

Head Bolt set is FPG ES72892 runs about 40 bucks.

Torque Sequence per SB 02-06-01-003B Issued April 2008

Start at 44 lb. ft. Then 95 degrees additional.

Intake replacement:

Service Bulletin 03-06-01-010C Issued April 2008

dO bO aO cO

cO aO bO dO

a/b get initial torque of 62 lb. in. then c/d get initial torque of 62 lb. in. NEXT a/b get final torque of 115 lb. in. then c/d get final torque of 18 lb. ft.

May develop an oil leak if you don't torque the verticals first. Recommended that intake bolts be replaced as well.

Yea all new FelPro bolts the better gasket set "HST 9957 PT-1" is on the way from my bud. that own's the garage $170.00, the head bolts 30 bucks, intake bolts 29 bucks Autozone, they knew of the better head set but did not complain on the refund could not order from there warehouse. I must confess I work in the IT field but if one gasket set is improved or superseded by a better one is the deficiency of the latter one worthy of a valid sale ?

Still no reply from FelPro I would like this pdf download they are supposed to have for free download on the NEW torque spec's, also in the past I always do a 2nd pass re-torque over night for "newly installed part settling" especially on head repairs were just the heads were resurfaced, need a good cleaning method for the block mating surface the Acetone based cleaners wont clean all the old stains from mating surface, thinking about some fine grade emery cloth, what say you guys.

Curt

The OEM head gaskets used a different material for the gaskets. The updated ones use a stainless inner layer to keep them from shifting.

The OEM Intake gaskets use a modified nylon material as the substrate for the silicone sealing rings.

The problem with this is the way the gaskets on the newer engines are held in place. Older engines sandwiched the gaskets and had direct clamping with bolts at a 90 degree angle. Then makers got this brilliant idea on how to reduce assembly time of the engines by angling the bolts. The problem with that is that now the gaskets are compressed in shear. Add in the constant heat, expansion/contraction and lower tensile strength of the plastic and you get failed gaskets.

After-market places saw the problems and developed gaskets that cured it. BUT it took the OEM's a while to repair the problem. Also while you hear all the time about how bad they are when it comes to repairing these issues, keep in mind that for most companies if they make 1 million engines and only hear of 500 failures they consider that acceptable. Especially if the failures come after 60-70K. For instance I have owned about 15 4.3 engines. According to what you read they are terrible engines that all have bad intake gaskets. I have replaced a total of 3 sets and all of those were after 100K.

No need to re-torque the new gaskets. They are compressed properly the first time and have to have some give in order for the parts to move once in use. HOWEVER if you are putting the engine together and it is not in a heated garage then you may want to check the numbers after running the engine the first time.

Don't use abrasives if you want the bearings to last. Clean off the old crud with a scraper or a bristle disc (NOT A SCOTCH-BRITE type DISC). Then wipe it down with some cleaner and button it up.

Great reply Steve it's always so refreshing to get a response so seasoned and informative and highly experienced as you obviously are, thank you sir.

Curt

Still no reply from FelPro on my inquiries, Steve my engine is a 6 cylinder engine 3.1L, my bud just droped off the HST 9957 PT-1 head set he said the guy at the engine shop said this set also has an beefed-up head gasket as well.

Curt

Not a surprise. Federal Mogul was never real big on talking to small customers. Now if you wanted to order 500,000 sets!!!

That is the part number for the good gasket set. The T means the set is the updated Perma-Torque parts.

GM uses a set made the same way as the service part. Except it includes the bolts as well.

So will you be firing it up tonight???

Photo HST-9957-PT1 -->

Going to have to borrow some tools from my bud, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch "inch pounds torque wrench" I know there is 1 horizontal bolt at each end on the intake you have to torque with the 1/4 inch drive or use a

Curt

To cold got down to 21 degrees last night, start tomorrow, question to re-torque the heads after initial start-up will have to leave the exhaust manifold heat shields off the back head, how inportant is these heat shields ?

Curt

GM hasn't used the end gaskets for a long time. 99% of the makers use RTV. The trick is getting it correct the first time. What I do if I haven't done a particular engine in a while is to take a small piece of clay, set it on the ends and set the intake down. Gives you an idea of how much room you have so you don't use excessive RTV.

I would assume that you have heat on while your working on it? The catch with doing the work in the cold is that when the engine heats up the parts expand. That causes things to move more. What I would probably do would be to stick the heads/intake inside and let them warm up good. Take a couple of heat lamps and let them heat up the block for a while. Then throw it together quick. Should take care of the problem.

Well, they only keep the engine heat from igniting the engine bay... Seriously.

I can mod the sheilds to get to the head bolts, 4 holes wont be a problem as far as heat to the extent of causing a fire, still need the full torque spec's.

Curt

My first post had the current specs in it.

Head bolts. Torque Sequence per SB 02-06-01-003B Issued April 2008

Start at 44 lb. ft. Then 95 degrees additional. Follow the numbers from 1-8

Intake replacement:

Service Bulletin 03-06-01-010C Issued April 2008

dO bO aO cO

cO aO bO dO

a/b get initial torque of 62 lb. in. then c/d get initial torque of 62 lb. in. NEXT a/b get final torque of 115 lb. in. then c/d get final torque of 18 lb. ft.

May develop an oil leak if you don't torque the verticals first. Recommended that intake bolts be replaced as well.

NO_NO_NO!!!

These are torque to yield bolts, they do not need re-torquing nor will re-torquing them accomplish anything. To re-torque, you'd need to back each bolt off and then re-torque it. As soon as you back the head bolt off it is time to discard it. This could go on forever taken literally. Furthermore, the Fel-Pro head gaskets in that set are "PermaTorque" they do not require re-torquing regardless of the type of head bolt used.

Is this what you are looking for ?

Thank you I will put it all back together tomorrow, FelPro did send the same pdf file.

Steve said that this is the right sequence:

Head bolts. Torque Sequence per SB 02-06-01-003B Issued April 2008

Am I not looking at a v8 not a v6 3.1L ?

Assuming when you took the head off you found 8 bolts, that should answer the question for you.