97 Etc N* Head Gasket Project

[clarkz71]

Originally Posted by clarkz71

You could use a longer bolt, but the installer isn't expensive
and is much easier to use.

Originally Posted by zonie77

Instead of the balancer installer we used a long bolt the right size. That took it in enough for the original bolt to finish it. Use washers and grease of course.

I thought I said that?

[zonie77]

Originally Posted by clarkz71

I thought I said that?

You probably did. I knew I heard it somewhere! Memory is the ...mmm,,mmm,uhhh,17th thing to go!

[clarkz71]

. Merry Christmas

[Cadillacboy]

You got a great job !

[tateos]

clarkz71:

What I did to lock the crankshaft in order to get the bolt OFF was never mentioned on these forums, so I am glad you brought it up. What I did was to put a bolt in the flywheel (ring gear is probably the correct term for an engine with an automatic trans, actually). I put the bolt in through the hole in the back of the block where the starter goes. The bolt I used was one which holds the torque struts (dog bones) to the engine. It may not be as elegant as the tool from OTC, but it seems to work.

I am able to push the balancer on enough by hand to engage the threads of the bolt. I don't mind really buying the tool - it is short money - but I may try to use the bolt first.

The tool I DO mind buying, but will have to, I guess, is the tool for installing the revised rear main seal - $297.00 for a 1 minute use:

http://www.etoolcart.com/index.asp?P...OD&ProdID=2005

Everything I read says it MUST be used. If anyone has that rear main seal tool or a NORMS kit they would like to sell or rent me, please let me know.

RM

[97Concours1]

Rear main seal installation: I made an installer out of a short section of PVC tubing. Had to machine it on a lathe though. I did go to the dealer to take some dimensions off their tool. If I had it to do over, I would just load the block up in a truck and go to the dealer. Then see if they would let me use the tool for 15 min. in the parking lot.

Block drilling and taping: I used Norm's also. I bought my own drills and taps, and just bought the inserts from Norm. I made a drill guide to get the holes straight. If I did one again, I would rent a Magnetic Base Drill and bolt a steel plate on the block deck to set it on. I would also buy Norm's 17/32 drill, because he regrinds the cutting rake angle so it doesn't "grab". All this may not be necessary because there are no drill jigs in Norm's kit. I just wanted to make sure the holes were perpendicular to the block deck. I read once about the head bolts not threading in straight after installing the inserts.

[tateos]

I got the left head off this weekend - not too hard. Getting the timing chain and gears off the cam is pretty straightforward - just follow the manual. I did run into one minor issue - I didn't seem to have an open end wrench that would fit the hex on the cam to hold it steady while unbolting the gears - neither inch nor metric wrenches seemed to be correct. I ended up slightly enlarging a old oddball 15/16" open end wrench I had using a bench grinder.

Once the head came off, I had the same problem as it seems everybody else has had with the alignment dowels. I inserted a bolt and gripped the exterior of the dowels with vice grips and twisted them and also pried up with a small pry bar. I buggered up the exterior of the dowels pretty good, but I ground them smooth and I think they will be OK, although I will buy new ones if they are available (anyone know the part #?).

I covered the entire deck, including the timing chan cavity, with clear package sealing tape, and then cut out the tape from each cylinder head bolt hole with an Xacto knife. I must say this worked really well at completely sealing off the engine from all the metal and trash generated by the drilling and tapping operation. Overall, I am very pleased with Norm's kit. The only tricky part is starting the hole straight. I had a helper that held the supplied tap block to be sure I was square to the head. I would start and drill maybe around 1/8" and then stop and recheck with the tap block to be sure I was going square and make any needed adjustments. I checked again at maybe around 1/4", just to be sure, but I was always OK at that point. From that point to the bottom of the hole, about 3" deep, there was smooth sailing. It was easy to tell the bad holes by the type of trash thrown off by the drilling operation. The end of the drill bit is ground to prevent going too deep, so the very center of the hole is left untouched. It was apparent by the shape of the untouched aluminum that all off the holes had been drilled straight and square. I used a little flexible head mini flashlight to see inside each hole, and it worked great

Once the hole is drilled out, the next step is to use the tap block and a supplied tap with a tapered end, then repeat the process with a bottoming tap with a square end. Pretty standard stuff here - no challenges or surprises. The supplied tap oil is designed specifically for aluminum and works very well. I am leaving the final steps of cleaning and degreasing the inserts and holes and installation of the inserts with the supllied Loktite until the re-assembly stage, so I won't have to worry about keeping the holes clean.

[AlBundy]

Great info. I'm sure it will help all. Thanks.

[tateos]

I got the coolant crossover off today, and the left head is now all drilled and tapped - all 10 holes, even though only maybe 3 were bad - I just need to do a final cleening and apply the Loktite and insert the inserts, which I plan to do last before re-installing the heads.

That coolant crossover must be near impossible to do in the car. Oh yeah - I also had to take off the metal coolant lines boted onto the right/rear cylinder head. That was actually where I got hung up early on when I was trying to remove the engine out the top. I said it before and I'll keep saying it - Zonie and others were right - it is best to just drop the complete cradle assembly. I really tip my hat to anyone that successfully removes and repairs and replaces the engine through the top. The cradle acts as an engine stand - so much so that I don't think I will use one on this project. I do need to remove the engine and replace the rear main seal and oil pan gasket, but I think I can do that by using the engine hoist and then lowering it and gently resting the front of the block on carpeting. I don't think it will be too, too heavy - just the block and crank and rods and pistons at that point - maybe ~300pounds?

On a separate note, I don't know if I mentioned this earlier on, but I had a problem getting the steering column shaft to disengage from the inout shaft on the steering rack. The u-joint ended up being disengaged from the steering shaft and came out with the rack and the rest of the cradle. The u-joint just slides ionto the steering shaft and is held in place by a tiny set screw with a TORX T-10 head. Anyway, I had to remove the boot off the engine side of the firewall to gain access and the u-joint was easy to re-attach. The point of all this is that figured out my mistake; I had the problem because I loosened but did not REMOVE the pinch bolt on the u-joint where it connect to the input shaft on the steering rack. There is a groove in the input shaft on the steering rack that prevents the u-joint from disengaging unless you completely REMOVE the pinch bolt. I expect that info is somewhere in the manual, but I guess I missed it. Learn from my mistake!

I found the head gasket leak area, BTW. It seems like it gave way between the first 2 cylinders on the left bank - #1 and #3, I think? I will take some pictures of the gasket and if they come out good, I will post them and you be the judge. The cylinders have no ridge at all; I have read the same from others, but I was skeptical. It is amazing that an engine with around 100K on it would have no perceptable wear in the cylinders.

I was wondering if I should take the heads to a machine shop and have them cleaned up and have new valve stem seals put in. The car always ran great and had plenty of power, but I wonder if I am being penny wise and pound foolish to re-install these heads. Has anyone done the above and if so, what did it cost?

Happy New Year all!

[Ranger]

I was wondering if I should take the heads to a machine shop and have them cleaned up and have new valve stem seals put in. The car always ran great and had plenty of power, but I wonder if I am being penny wise and pound foolish to re-install these heads.

I have never done this so I do not speak from experience, but I don't ever recall anyone saying that they needed to touch the heads. See what others with experience have to say.

[zonie77]

Tateos, I keep telling people to drop the cradle and it is really hard for some of them to realize that it's the easiest way to do it...scariest too! It's really scary the first time. One of the old timers on the board pretty much talked me into iot and I'm glad he did.

I'm glad you're progressing on it. Lonnnnnnngggggggggggggg project but you'll feel good when it's done.

A couple of times people had threads strip that looked good. Some one had the 20th bolt strip on the last tightening sequence. It didn't happen often but it makes it wise to insert all 20.

I have not had the heads redone on any I did. If it was running well before you started they should be OK for another 100K.

[JC316]

I changed the head on my 98 due to a factory defect, but otherwise, it was fine. I wouldn't worry about it myself, unless to got hot enough to possibly warp them, then I would have them machined. The harmonic ballancer bolt was a PAIN, I had to get a 23" breaker bar to get it loose.

[submariner409]

Don't forget that the preload on that harmonic balancer is critical to driving the oil pump. FSM torque.

[tateos]

2-3 cylinder head bolts were pretty loose, but even many of the ones that "snapped" when loosened (if you have done this, you know what I mean) had wet, aluminum colored threads, kind of like they had antiseize compound on them. Of course, we all know it is not antiseize - it is the aluminum threads in the block coming out with the bolts. I think the left bank was the one that actually let go and caused the overheating, but I could see that many more holes on the right bank were in bad condition - just ready to go. I think this tells me that it IS the gasket that goes first, and THEN LATER the aluminum threads in the block. If that is the case, I guess EVENTUALLY, the new gaskets will also leak, except this time they will leak into holes with steel inserts in them. I wonder what that will mean 5-10 years down the road? A new block, I guess. Oh well, I have owned the car since brand new, but I don't plan to keep the car forever.

I took off the right cylinder head with the exhaust manifold still attached - it seemed a lot easier that way.

Another bit of advice - put a 1/2" to 3/8" drive adapter (I used a impact version from Harbor Freight that worked without breaking) on the 3/8" drive hex drive used to remove the head bolts, and then a 1/2" extension - maybe around 6" and then a 1/2" breaker bar. This will make it easier to break the cylinder head bolts loose, and using a 1/2" rather than 3/8" drive extension means that it will twist less and will require less effort on your part. Once the bolts were broken free, I used an impact wrench to back them out, since they are hard to turn - not sure if that is because of the factory applied thread sealant on the bolts or if it is due to the corrosion and aluminum block thread deterioration.

Next weekend, I will drill and tap the right bank. Just 10 holes, but I think it will take about 3 hours or so, based on the left bank. It is not really that hard to do, but it's important it be done right. If I ever made a mistake, for example drilled or tapped a hole crooked, I think the block would be trash, so I prefer to take it slow.

Thanks everyone, as always, for your interest, advice, and friendship.

Richard Moore

[Ranger]

I think this tells me that it IS the gasket that goes first

My gut tells me that it is the threads that go first. Never had these kind of problems with good 'ol cast iron blocks (the way God intended). Just my $0.02 of coarse.