How many hours should pay for head gasket replacement?

[gauge_half_inch]

Ok let's start from the top, the rocker assembly does not need to be touched on the b3/b6. The distributer doesn't even need to be touched. Basically set it at TDC(line up the notch in the crank pulley with the long line next to the "T" on the scale on bottom cover). Remove the upper cover and water pump pulley, there are 2 lines on the face of the cam gear, one should line up with the line at the top edge of the valve cover (hidden by plastic cover) and the second should line up with the exhaust side of the head(front) at the valve cover/head sealing surface. If its not, rotate the crank over 1 full turn and it should line up. Loosen the tensioner bolt inside the pulley, use a pry bar or large screw driver push the pulley back and tighten down the bolt loosely. Slide the belt off the cam gear. Drain the coolant and oil before proceding. Disconnect the heater hose from the intake. There is a brace from the block to the bottom of the intake, remove that (or atleast the intake side. Disconnect the wireing harness from the main connector, be sure to remove fan switch in the t-stat housing connector, and the temp gauge sensor in the front of the head next to the manifold, and the ground aswell. Remove the upper radiator hose. Disconnect the IAC connector, IIRC. It's been a while since I worked on a b3, the b6 I have has a different IAC style. Remove the coil wire to the distributer. Unbolt the downpipe from the manifold, and the O2 sensor connector. Remove the valve cover. Using a breaker bar and never an impact, using reversed from torque sequence slowly in stages, not all the way out at once(don't forget the washers). Grab a buddy to help, lift off the head. Set it upside down over some towels, inspect the surface for any scratches deep enough to catch your finger nail. Same for the block. Using a fresh razor blade, scrape off the old gasket material. Be patient, it can me tough. Once it is all clean, wipe down both surfaces with a lint free rag with brake cleaner to remove all oils. Use a light coat of copper gasket spray on the block, be sure when you place the new gasket on the block all the holes line up. It should kinda stick down with the copper spray. Grab your buddy again and VERY gently place the head back on, you should feel it slip onto the dowel tubes. Inspect and clean all the head bolts. Dip them in fresh clean oil before installing them. Thread them in with the socket on the extension all the way down, then use the torque wrench following the specs and sequence exactly. Wrap it up in reverse. Good luck.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Movin -- I'll check the PCV valve.

Gauge-1/2" -- Sounds pretty straightforward. So I shouldn't even need a timing light, since I'm not going to touch the distributor.

Thanks.

[bravekozak]

Midas started out as a muffler shop. They got the "Midas touch of gold" by diversifying into other car repairs. You have the option of saying yes or no. I am a master at saying "no". I know of many better garages for head gasket replacement. There are also a lot of better muffler shops than Midas.

[link5186]

Gauge and I tore through that job pretty quick. Before you go on with the head gasket though, make sure it's not the distributor o-ring leaking. They dry out and can also make a mess of the back side.

Sent from the bathroom via crapatalk.

[link5186]

Tip: mark the dizzy position with a marker before removing it if needed.


Sent from the bathroom via crapatalk.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Link5186: The leak is definitely on the front, toward the driver side. It was determined by washing down the engine compartment, adding dye to the oil, and driving about 50 miles.

My guess is that the gasket has simply dried out after 20 years. I had to replace the valve cover gasket last fall. The engine has consumed zero oil over the last 16,000 miles, all driven since last ssummer. I've only owned the car for its lasat 24,000 miles.

I've got nothing to do this weekend, so will probably tackle this. I may need to do some long-haul trips with this car, and would rather the leak not get larger at an inconvenient time or place.

Local repair shops all quote me about $1200, obviously since I apparently have a "stupid" sign on my forehead. The all look up the book time for head gasket, timing belt, and water pump, and ADD them, then add $200 for a "head gasket kit," ad nauseum. When I mention that all three can be done in a single operation, or that the manifolds don't need to be removed from the head, they shuffle me to the door. If I mention that I have all the necessary parts and receipts under the seat, they say "We don't use 'street' parts." What a racket!

[windy1]

Link5186: The leak is definitely on the front, toward the driver side. It was determined by washing down the engine compartment, adding dye to the oil, and driving about 50 miles.

My guess is that the gasket has simply dried out after 20 years. I had to replace the valve cover gasket last fall. The engine has consumed zero oil over the last 16,000 miles, all driven since last ssummer. I've only owned the car for its lasat 24,000 miles.

I've got nothing to do this weekend, so will probably tackle this. I may need to do some long-haul trips with this car, and would rather the leak not get larger at an inconvenient time or place.

Local repair shops all quote me about $1200, obviously since I apparently have a "stupid" sign on my forehead. The all look up the book time for head gasket, timing belt, and water pump, and ADD them, then add $200 for a "head gasket kit," ad nauseum. When I mention that all three can be done in a single operation, or that the manifolds don't need to be removed from the head, they shuffle me to the door. If I mention that I have all the necessary parts and receipts under the seat, they say "We don't use 'street' parts." What a racket!

shop labor in mass. to replace a head gasket ,is 4 to 6 hrs.I always replace water pump/crank seal/timing belt,and tensioner while im in there.Id get new head bolts,too.

[gauge_half_inch]

New bolts are only needed if the old ones are rusty or stretched.

[windy1]

Head gasket

:nono:

New bolts are only needed if the old ones are rusty or stretched.

Theres also metal fatigue,on the head bolts especially over 100,000 miles.
Dont take any chances,replace them. You ll sleep better.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Windy1 --

I was thinking about crankshaft seals, but I want to minimize risk right now, and certainly not do anything like install a seal crooked using primitive tools, and create a new problem. That can always be done when I get the car back to where I'm better equipped to work on it and/or my wallet is thicker.

I'm surprised you mention replacing the tensioner ... I've never heard of doing that before. Are you thinking about wear on its bearing at only 124K? Isn't it a "sealed for life" bearing? Or are you thinking about its spring? Remember, this is a Seattle car -- absolutely no rust anywhere.

[gauge_half_inch]

The tensioner is about $60 for that little pulley and spring. If it spins free, leave it. It's not the engine is an interference engine, or it take 3 hours to get back down to it.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Mystified

Well, so I got all set up to tear into my engine and was ready to open the coolant drain, when I got to looking at the area on the front of the block where Midas had pointed out oil leaking from the head gasket.

I DON'T SEE ANY OIL! The exterior of the clutch housing and gearbox are also very clean, as is the bottom of the oil pan and the firewall.

All I see is a yellow streak (see photo) where Midas claimed the dyed oil was leaking from the head gasket.

Could/would Midas have tried to trick me into a nearly $1,000 repair that I didn't need? All it could have taken was to deposit an ounce or so of oil (or something that looked like oil) there, and do it again (with the yellow dye they claimed to have installed) when I came back after the 60-mile "leak test with dye in oil."

Or, was the new oil Midas put in when they did the oil change (which started all this) thicker than what I'd been using? If that were the case, it shouldn't have leaked after I paid them $50 to wash the engine down when they added the dye.

I've driven 1,410 miles since Midas changed the oil. If I had a leak worthy of being fixed, there should be some serious evidence of such, right?

I'm mystified.

[gauge_half_inch]

Well that is definately oil dye. Can you get a clear pic about 3"s up and to the right strait on. Basically behind the crossover pipe? Also try to take one just in from of the t-stat housing under the distributer.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

It's hard to get the camera down in there and focusing properly, but I'll try in the next few days.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Where's the leak?

Gauge-1/2" -- I removed the engine fan+radiator to get some photos. See attached.

In the first shot, you can see the yellow dye on what I guess is an engine block to gearbox brace.