Northstar Timing Chain Re-Install & Head Gasket Re-install Feedback........ - Page 2

97BlueDeville · #16 (**permalink**) 04-04-05, 05:13 PM

NORTHSTAR RUNNING AGAIN...

NO COOLANT PROBLEMS!!!

YAAA....

But at what cost.. My Back is absolutely KILLING ME... I'm 6'7" anyway so it makes it that much harder.. This job is not for the timid.... Motor is running very well, after initial startup the motor did clack for a while due to lack of oil in the valve train.. Yes I primed the motor for a while.. BBob that you again for all your Help.... Got the motor done last night at 2AM.. My heart skipped a beat a few times last night as I was putting her back together. Forgot to bolt in 1 13mm bolt that goes on the water pump assembly, took forever to find it not to mention very hard to get to with the wire harness in the way.. Once that was done the engine held coolant very well.. No leaks.. Oil no Leaks.. However I am running 5w30 motor oil and I need to step back up to 10w30 or 15w40 like I have been running.. Since the motor does have 150k on it does burn a little oil. Also my low oil pressure idiot light flashes a little when I'm sitting at a light.. I'm not surprised, with these miles and running thin oil I'm sure the oil pressure is low at idle or drive sitting at a light.. I'll just use thinker oil.. All in all I would rather go though childbirth before doing this job again. But the motor is running strong and does not blow coolant over the emergency evac hose from the tank.. Woo Hoo..

Clint

COOL.. Are you sure you didn't take pics of my gasket.. Mine are almost identicle to yours.. In poor shape!!!

haymaker · #17 (**permalink**) 04-04-05, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CooL

haymaker, the engine have got hot several times, most time I have stop the car and cool it down, the temp was over 240F sometimes, last time it went hot it was over 250F,maybe for 3 - 5 minutes. The computer told that I should shut off the engine. The engine is still in parts, I'm wating for some gaskets to arrive. I could not notice that any bolts was loose, I have to use the same amount of pressure on every bolt. Do you think I need to do the Time-sert job, even with bolts(I buy new) and threads in condition like mine?

Cool, if the overheating engine goes into limp-home mode you know it. The chimes and alarms go off, then the engine starts running on 4 cylinders rather than the full 8, doesn’t make much power and shakes like a paint mixer. The consensus on the forum is if the old head bolts come out the time-serts go in. Given the age of the engine, the fact the engine has overheated, the head gasket has blown, the difficulty and amount of time needed to replace the head gaskets IMHO the time-serts should be installed.

haymaker · #18 (**permalink**) 04-04-05, 06:07 PM

Clint, glad you got her done. I agree it is a pain in the back along with a few other parts of the body. Sorry I didn’t read your thread earlier, as I do have pictures of my timing chains, sprockets and timing marks set at TDC. I would have posted them but by the time I saw your thread bbob already had you taken care of. My engine was out in the open so before removing the cylinder heads from the block I aligned all the timing marks then drilled and bolted a piece of angle-iron from the flexplate to the back of the engine’s lower bell-housing bolts. This locked the crankshaft and lower timing gears in place, then at reassembly I only need to be concerned with aligning the marks on the camshaft sprockets. The crankshaft being locked in place was also very helpful during the tightening of the harmonic balancer’s retaining bolt. Good luck.

zonie77 · #19 (**permalink**) 04-04-05, 11:42 PM

97 & Haymaker, I'm curious, did you pull the engine out the top or drop the cradle?

haymaker · #20 (**permalink**) 04-05-05, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zonie77

97 & Haymaker, I'm curious, did you pull the engine out the top or drop the cradle?

I pulled my out the top.

97BlueDeville · #21 (**permalink**) 04-05-05, 12:29 AM

Dropped the engine and Trans Together...

Clint

97BlueDeville · #22 (**permalink**) 04-09-05, 10:11 PM

TTT..

6 Days after the install and the car is running fine.. Still need to change the oil to a little thicker stuff. Thank you Timesert and Bbob and others.. It's good to have a running car again.. Now to finish my weekend gas hog, spinning sideways at 70mph SS!!

Clint

Pdip · #23 (**permalink**) 05-20-05, 08:50 PM

i am in the middle of the same thing but did not pull the engine the back came out in 10 hrs check out my gasket.

cbellpeanut · #24 (**permalink**) 05-21-05, 12:36 AM

hey did u use locktite?if so what type and how much

Pdip · #25 (**permalink**) 05-25-05, 08:46 PM

The new head bolts have stuff on them should i use locktie? i am also doing timeserts.

**Ranger** · #26 (**permalink**) 05-25-05, 10:00 PM

No. That stuff is similar to locktite. Just use them as they come.

Pdip · #27 (**permalink**) 05-27-05, 12:17 AM

Ranger thanks

zonie77 · #28 (**permalink**) 05-27-05, 02:20 AM

You don't use loctite on the head bolts, only on the timesert inserts when you install them. Just leave the factory sealant on the new bolts.

Pdip · #29 (**permalink**) 06-02-05, 09:37 PM

Thanks for the help my 82,000 mile 99 sts is on the road again and doing just fine. One thing I think is worth adding, a bad surge tank cap will also show false boiling for $6.00 its worth replacing.

Pdip · #30 (**permalink**) 04-03-06, 08:00 PM

105,000 miles and 9 months runs great. I have not touched a thing and the engin runs lik a champ. Timeserts