HEAD GASKET JOB QUESTIONS

[runner406]

I got one the other day with 72000 miles on it and a blown head gasket ,two fast questions
Do you reuse the head bolts? I cant locate new ones ,and how bad it is to do this job ?

[Ford Fester]

Reuse them as long as they are not corroded and nope its not big. Unbolt your exhaust mani and unhook the wiring to your throttle body and injector harness. Remove the intake brace on the back, remove your cam and valve cover. Mark your belt and cam gear to the head and remove your cam gear. Remove your disty and drain coolant. Remove upper radiator hose and unhook coolant hose in back of head by starter. Remove valve rockers and head bolts. Gently pry head and remove. Set on bench and clean block and head with either a fine wire brush on a die grinder or scotch bright. If you think your head is warped, disassemble and bring to a napa or equal machine shop. After you have your block and parts clean, spray your block with copper sealant and install head gasket and head. Torque to spec and assemble.

[Festy46]

Use a wire wheel brush and clean the head bolts and washers so they look like new ones. Get a tap of the correct size and run it in all the head bolt holes in the block and blow out the holes with compressed air. When you reassemble the head to the block, apply a thin coating of oil to the head bolt threads and the head bolt washer so you get a good torque on the bolts. Dry dirty threads do not give good torque values.

[iceracerdude]

You need to check the head first to make sure it didn't get warped. In addition to the above info, Some guys like to spray the gasket with copper spray to help alleviate any minor imperfections on either the head or the block surfaces (but not MLS gaskets).
I personally heat cycle the finished engine a few times (maybe 200 miles total driving) then pull the VC and recheck the torque values. I have found bolts that have loosened some!

[blkfordsedan]

I always have an aluminum head surfaced anytime it is removed. They can just "skim" it, to make sure it's flat and give the optimum surface finish for the best head gasket seal. It's good insurance...nothing sucks worse than replacing a head gasket twice. That said, it does take more time & money and it's not 100% required....as long as it's clean and flat, you can get a good seal. If the gasket is blown, however, there's a good chance it's warped. Also, check the combustion chambers real good for any signs of cracking. As long as you have the head off, may as well install a new timing belt. It's also a good time to clean the head up, install new valve seals, check the spark plug threads, grind the valves, etc. if needed.

Make sure you change the oil before you fire it back up! Antifreeze in the oil will wipe out the main bearings in short order.

[denguy]

What about re-using the factory tork-to-yield head bolts?

[htchbck]

The factory bolts on the festiva are not TTY. No, you shouldn't reuse TTY bolts, but not an issue on the festiva.

[denguy]

Just curious, how do you tell that the head bolts are not TTY?

[Ford Fester]

Cause in the festiva manual it says as long as they look like a quality bolt reuse them

[Flyin4stroke]

Lol the manual is funny. I usually put the bolts tip to end and check to see if any off the threads look stretched. If they all look the same make sure there is nothing in the holes in the block like water. Bolts should be good to go.

[runner406]

Thanks guys

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