head gasket

[DrMaxwellEdison]

hi all, have to do a head gasket in the am in the course of an hour and a half on my 90LX, just wanted to know if there are any things i can do to speed the process up to fit into that alloted time span? any tricks from people who have done this before?

[htchbck]

If its JUST the HG you're doing, and you will be able to go back in and do the rest of the gaskets in the near future then I have gotten away with removing the plastic intake piping, timing belt (just off the top cog), intake brace (if its still on there) and the exhaust manifold (take out bolts and let it drop, should be enough wiggle room by unhooking the hangers on the cat) and pop off the top rad hose. Of course you also have to remove the valve cover and rockers to actually get to the head bolts. Had a buddy of mine hold tilt the head up as high as it would go with all the intake stuff on the back still connected and I pulled the old gasket out and slid the new one in. Now if the motor overheated and blew the gasket then it may be baked on too hard to clean off without pulling the head all the way off. In his case the gasket we took off had only been on the motor for a few minutes so it came off very easily. It had been bent while on his shelf in his garage, and I cautioned him not to use it but he did anyway. He called shortly after installing it to enlist my help in replacing it with a new undamaged one on the side of the highway. Whole job too about an hour, with cars whizzing by the whole time. If its been on there a while though, or if the car overheated then you'll be pulling the whole head. Just make sure you mark everything as your taking it loose, and don't forget to hit all the external fasteners with PB first.

I guess my biggest tip would be don't break the exhaust manifold to downpipe bolts. They don't *have* to come out, just unhook the cat and unbolt the manifold, then drop it to the ground.

[DrMaxwellEdison]

didn't get it finished, the exhaust manifold wanted to be "fun" so that set us back, hoping to get the janitor to leave the door unlocked so I can go finish it this evening.... I have connections like that.... lol

[getnpsi]

I've watched everyone do the same thing on various engines but I just don't trust my luck. I also like the 5 mental HP by decarbonizing all i can, redoing intake gaskets, dremel porting etc.

If it didn't get hot go for it. On second thought id totally do a HG like that on our 1.3 what is there to lose really.

[DrMaxwellEdison]

I think I'm going to pick up a container of carb cleaner just for that mental HP..... if I can swing it....