Thanks again to all for helping out.

Few quick questions:

1- Will it be fine if I drive the car past below 1/2 or 3/4 temperature gauge for 1-2 months, while making sure everyday that required coolant level is present in the cooling system or I will toast and damage the engine?

2- Should I do leakdown test or just go ahead and replace the headgasket and call it a day?

Just for reference, I did the compression test sometime ago and here are the results:

Cylinder Dry Wet
1 200 220
2 181 220
3 180 211
4 138 154


Please help and would appreciate the help and advice.

 

The previous owner of mine drove back and forth from OR to CO several times with a bad head gasket. I did a 1300 mile after that. The only PITA was waiting for the engine to cool down to add water at gas stations. Since you're not getting coolant in the oil or vice versa, as long as you keep an eye on the gauge it should be all right.

#4 cylinder has a problem. A leakdown test will give a good indication of what that problem is. It may not be just the HG. It would be helpful to know if you've got a burned valve so when you have the head off it can be replaced.

 

Honestly, all of you guys are AWESOME and know what you say and talk

That's a very valid point, to verify other things by doing leakdown test before I pull everything out.

Alright keep tuned for other posts and issues I am going to post back with the results

Thanks again to everyone.

 

Guys, thanks very much for all of your help and patience.

So I did a leakdown test and compression test after driving the car for nearly 1 hr.

Here are the results:

Compression #1=195, #2=190, #3=185, #4=155

Leakdown #1= 16%, #2=15%, #3=20%, #4=35% leaking between #3 and #4.

I decided to pull the head and do the HG, because I am/was getting sick and tired of this random overheating.

Now couple of questions, I have and I am attaching the pictures for these things.


Questions:

1-How should I pull the head-bolts off? They seem to be a PITA, I tried using impact didn't work, breaker bar--no luck. Then finally used a big cheater pipe and was able to break the lower bolts while upper ones, still they don't budge, Any special trick for it and are they the same size as lower ones(14)?

2-Do I have to remove the Alternator and engine mounts to remove the Head?

3-What's the name of the sensor/switch and how will it come out on the left side of block and back side of upper radiator hose entrance?

4-How will I be able to slide/remove the Timing belt off of camshaft?

Please help and advice would really appreciate all the input.

 

Do you have a factory service manual? It has step-by-step instructions to remove the cylinder head.

Tilt the end of the camshaft (opposite the gear) up. The timing belt will slip off.

 

Thanks again for helping out a noob, really appreciate it.

Yes, I just looked again and now understand what you are saying, belt can be removed by sliding, but while installing would it be hard to put the belt back on since I will not be touching belt tensioner?

How about the head bolts?One of the head bolt is kind of having stripped head what can be done to remove the bolt?

Thank you again for helping out.

 

Reverse the process when putting the cam back in: tilt the back of the cam up, put the belt on, and tilt the cam back down.

I'm surprised that you're having problems with head bolts. They should only be tightened to ~72 ft/lbs, so getting them loose should be pretty easy. You're using a six point, 1/2 inch drive socket?

The FSM says to loosen them 1/3 turn at a time in a certain sequence to keep from warping the head.

 

Got it for the T/B.

Thanks again, really appreciate it!

I am having a REAL HARD time cracking those bolts, I have cracked '5' so far by using a '4' feet long cheater pipe on a 1/2 breaker bar.

One of the BIGGEST and DUMB thing I have ever done in my life, that I was using '12pt' instead of 6

Question: If I strip the head for one of the bolt, how easy/difficult would it be to remove the bolt? Can I try using an Air impact with 6pt instead of a breaker bar?

For the remaining ones, I am definitely going to use '6pt'. Thanks for the tip!

Stay tuned while I sort this out

Thanks again for all the help.

 

I am able to crack 8/10, while '2' are still stuck and proving to be a PITA for me :thud:

Please have a look on the attached pictures both are from the right side of the head(Upper and lower):cry:

Please advise, how should I crack them?

 

Any cheap recommendation to get just '4' cylinder headbolts?