97 Etc N* Head Gasket Project - Page 11

Rafterd · #**151** (**permalink**) 02-20-08, 11:35 PM

Am thinking about this also. I have a full shop with hoist and all pnuematic tools. I too am 51 years young so why not. Loved the thread. The cliff hanger on the noise has me on edge!!! One question, on torquing the headbolts, you torque the bolts in sequence to 30nm, then turn 60 degrees three times for a total of 180 degrees or 1/2 turn??? Is this correct? I read thr FSM and thats the way I understand it. No torque on the finished tightened bolt??

Bill

**Ranger** · #**152** (**permalink**) 02-20-08, 11:59 PM

Yup, they now use torque angle. Much more accurate ........so I am told.

tateos · #**153** (**permalink**) 02-21-08, 02:46 PM

I did 22 ft lbs then 60/60/60 on the left head - that was in the FSM. Then I read that it was supposed to be 30 ft lbs and 60/60/60 and a different tightening sequence, so that is what I did on the right head. I left the left head as-is - hopefully the slight difference in tightening and the different sequence will not cause any problems

mechanix · #**154** (**permalink**) 02-21-08, 09:48 PM

For what it's worth Richard, I made my living for 17 years as a professional mechanic. And my '97 DeVille is the most difficult automobile I've ever had to work on! I've taken the engine out both ways...top AND bottom...and I prefer the top...it's a lot less work. If you haven't already ordered your time-sert kit, do it now. There's no way the threads in the block will hold the head bolt torque. That is why your head gasket failed. My kit cost around $500, I think. Good luck!
Mechanix

tateos · #**155** (**permalink**) 02-22-08, 12:46 PM

I received the new crankshaft bolt and oil cooler line yesterday. The bolt went on really easily - it wasn't hard AT ALL to tighten to 37 ft lbs plus 120 degrees. It was so easy that I thought I did it wrong and loosened it and then re-tightened it. I don't understand why the original bolt was so damn hard to get off - I guess maybe 10 years explains it?

Anyway, the bolt is on, the power steering pump and AC compressor are bolted up, the oil cooler lines are installed on the block, the PS lines are attached. Tonight, I bolt up the alternator, install the drive belt, install the new heater hoses on the car (easier to do with the engine out - they were fine, but a few years old, so why gamble?), and hook up the engine hoist to the body to get ready to slide the engine back under the car and install it tomorrow.

1starrider · #**156** (**permalink**) 02-22-08, 03:20 PM

well i could not figer how the heck to get the old head bolts out they would not turn at all but after looking at it for about an hour i decided why not use my map gas hand held tank and heat/warm up the block where the bolts are at
and sure enoff the bolts came right out with out any thread pull.
has any one tryed this? when i get ready to re torque the heads down what is the torque patern and lbs/degrees

thanks alot

tateos · #**157** (**permalink**) 02-22-08, 05:01 PM

Use a 1/2 breaker bar and a lot of force and the head bolts will break loose. The stripped holes will turn easily

1starrider · #**158** (**permalink**) 02-23-08, 03:08 AM

hope to be ready monday to re torque the heads down what is the torque paterrn and lbs/degrees
frt of head 3 small bolts then the 10 big bolts how is the torque patern like this
10/9/6/5/1/2/3/4/7/8 with 1 & 2 in the middle working out ?

thanks for all info

Rafterd · #**159** (**permalink**) 02-23-08, 06:29 PM

You always start with the middle upper then lower. Then one right upper then one left lower. Then the next right lower then left upper and so on till you reach both ends. Always work from inside out. 30 ft/lbs then 60/60/60 degrese on each. Good luck.

Bill

1starrider · #**160** (**permalink**) 02-24-08, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rafterd

You always start with the middle upper then lower. Then one right upper then one left lower. Then the next right lower then left upper and so on till you reach both ends. Always work from inside out. 30 ft/lbs then 60/60/60 degrese on each. Good luck.

Bill

thank you this is what i was looking for

tateos · #**161** (**permalink**) 02-24-08, 10:18 AM

Well, the cradle with everything on is back in the car and bolted up. I did end up bolting up the cradle and then having to drop it again to pass something up from below - this happened a few times. The hardest part was getting the steering column coupling back on the steering rack - it must have taken an hour or two to get it on! I think maybe the problem was I had the cradle hanging down in the back for easier access and that made the angles of the rack and the coupling different enough that they would not connect. I was finally successful once I jacked up the rear of the cradle close to all the way to the body - even then it was still hard to do (that boot gets in the way!), but the coupling finally dropped in place. The struts are re-installed loosely and today I plan to bolt up the wheels and put the front end on the dolly and roll the front end of the car back in until the car is straight in the garage (remember, I had the car diagonally in my two car garage so I would have room in front for the hoist to lift the body). It will be nice to have the other side of the garage back!

krechtr - update please - is the Deville ready for sale yet?

1starrider · #**162** (**permalink**) 02-24-08, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1starrider

thank you this is what i was looking for

well i got the bad news

i thouth that the threads in the block were ok but tryed to torque down the the left head & got to bolt #3 and could not even get 30 ft/lbs .stripped out....

orders a thread kit from ebay NORTHSTAR ENGINE NS300L HEAD BOLT THREAD INSERT KIT 349.00

what do you all think the shop labor would be on this complete head gasket job would be ?

thanks is advance

tateos · #**163** (**permalink**) 02-25-08, 04:45 PM

1starrider:

Labor has got to around 20 hours, just to replace the head gaskets.

My Eldo does now have the wheels bolted back up and is back straight in the garage. I did dent the right front fender pushing the car back in place - I guess I don't know my own strength! The fender popped in when I was pushing the car and I was able to pretty much pop it out from the back, but I did crack the paint a little and left a smallish dent.

I was planning to have a garage evacuate and re-charge my AC, but I bought a pneumatic powered vacuum pump at Harbor Freight yesterday and will try to do it myself. Does anyone have any experience with one of these Harbor Freight units? I mean - do these things work - it was only $17

BigJon · #**164** (**permalink**) 02-25-08, 05:02 PM

thats cool got any more pictures? of the job... i got my new air compressor and hoist yesterday :-) cant wait to start

jeffrsmith · #**165** (**permalink**) 02-25-08, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tateos

1starrider:

I was planning to have a garage evacuate and re-charge my AC, but I bought a pneumatic powered vacuum pump at Harbor Freight yesterday and will try to do it myself. Does anyone have any experience with one of these Harbor Freight units? I mean - do these things work - it was only $17

I have one of these. It works great, used it to pull a vacuum on my 92 Lebaron Vert, and my 90 LeSabre (it does use a lot of air, hope your compressor can handle it). I purchased a A/C gauge manifold (also Harbor Freight) for about $20 from ebay so that I could make sure the vacuum held - another good toy for the garage.