Head Gasket, Rings, & Mains?

I have a 97 Z24 with about 140,000 miles on it, which has been sitting for a little over a year, because of a bad oil leak. It’s not my only means of transportation that’s why it sat for so long. Last weekend I decided to tear it down and replace most of the gaskets but the head gasket, big mistake. I put it back together and drove it around the subdivision and blew the head gasket. Yeah I know I’m a dumbass for not replacing it while I had it tore down. So now I’ve decided to replace the head gasket, should I go ahead and replace the rings & mains also? Also is it easier to pull the engine out the top or drop it out?

if you were just going to replace the gaskets, there is no reason to replace all of the bearings in the engine. Also, do you even know how to do it w/o making a bigger mess for yourself? If it isn't broken, dont fix it...get it running and drive it. By the sounds of it, you shouldn't be tearing into it...

Well genius its like I said it has 140,000 miles on it and since I’m going to have it all apart anyway should I go the extra step. I don’t want to replace the head gasket and then the bottom blow out. I have plenty of experience working on cars and rebuilding motors, because unlike some people mommy and daddy didn’t buy my cars for me. I was looking for assistance not an ass.

wow what a jackass. I hope your engine catches on fire... Don't ask for help and then blow up when you don't get a straight answer... if you're SOOO expierenced and you're doing the HG you might as well do the whole kit and kadoodle...

If this is a 2.4L DOHC (basically a warmed-over Quad 4), and it were mine, and I wasn't inclined to just sell it and get a different vehicle, I'd pull the engine (from the top) and perform a complete rebuild. The head alone is going to require a substantial time investment. The block and rotating assembly are easy (and cheap) by comparison.

A new timing set, including tensioner, and possibly the cams and followers should be considered at that kind of mileage. If you're going to do it at all, you might as well do it right. If the vehicle isn't worth the cost and time investment of freshening the engine, you might not want to do it at all.

Oh - And let's keep the negative opinions and insults to a minimum, please.

Thanks for a straight answer Blue. The timing set has already been replaced about 20,000 miles ago so I should be set on that. I've decided to go ahead and pull the engine and do the rebuild. One more question, can I pull just the engine or do I need to pull the tranny out also?

Wow...why dont you try to be a bigger asshole. If you want to tear into that engine and fuck it all up, then go right ahead. There really is no reason to pull it all apart, but have fun doing it since you know best. I dont understand why you would have asked our opinions if you're not going to listen anyway. To tell you the truth, that engine isn't worth dirt...i dont get why you would invest the time and money to fixing it.

Also, pulling the head and changing the headgasket is a hell of a lot different than rebuilding the bottom end....the engine isn't even close to being "apart" enough to justify rebuilding....you do what you want....i hope you fuck it up too

Thanks for a straight answer Blue. The timing set has already been replaced about 20,000 miles ago so I should be set on that. I've decided to go ahead and pull the engine and do the rebuild. One more question, can I pull just the engine or do I need to pull the tranny out also?


Why dont you get a Helms manual so you dont have to annoy us w/ your stupid questions....if you cant figure out the easy stuff like how to pull the engine, you're really screwed when it gets to the rest of the rebuild....have fun jackass

I have a 97 Z24 with about 140,000 miles on it, which has been sitting for a little over a year, because of a bad oil leak. It’s not my only means of transportation that’s why it sat for so long. Last weekend I decided to tear it down and replace most of the gaskets but the head gasket, big mistake. I put it back together and drove it around the subdivision and blew the head gasket. Yeah I know I’m a dumbass for not replacing it while I had it tore down. So now I’ve decided to replace the head gasket, should I go ahead and replace the rings & mains also? Also is it easier to pull the engine out the top or drop it out?

You may not have to do either. I've put in crank kits for 96 cavaliers and all I had to do was remove the rod bearing caps,push pistons up into cylender head to get them out of the way and remove main bearing holders. If you have enough room for your harmonic balancer to clear, all you have to do is slide it out. After you remove your brace,starter, and air conditioner compressor and disconnect you exhaust pipe from your exhaust manifold and pull the oil pan you can probably see if this will work for you. But before you go through the trouble of pulling the engine,try what I just told you. In the end you will have to pull all this stuff anyway. Without doing what I just wrote, you can't even get all the bolts off the pan. Good luck dude.

2.4 dhoc Also on the bottom end is the balance shaft assembly with oil pump attached it is all a pain in the asss If I were going to do it I would pull the whole thing out at once tranny and all taken pictures and marking everthing I I tore down to the head and relized that hell there just wasn't much left after that and with that batard out it is alot easier to work on you need floor jacks engine lift jack stands and lots of time with gas at or going to 4.00 $ a fuccccing gallon make it right 300.00 for gasket set do not buy individual sets set up to have that suck er go to a machine shop for best results .....it just ain't like an ol v-8 rings,mains,rod bearings,head for me was 700.00
anyways pull the master cylinder and might as well pull radiator all new right new motor ...drop a/c ..drop powerstering pump... drop fuel rail to the side still all connected exhaust flange alot of work ..mark everthing bag bolts and parts thousands well hundreds anyways one unit out one unit in just try changing the water pump with the motor in any ways you need to clean the hell out off everthing 2 dozen cans carb cleaner

ONE PIECE just leads to another on this motor it so intergrated this piece bolted to that piece and that onr to this one and on and on very time consuming you beter be ready to take some time as I have found out my self so I think it s time to go torque the new head job on to the rebuilt block GOOD LUCK OH get new seals for the tranny to had trouble with mine but AF friend helped out with that
HEILACOIL IS MY FRIEND 30.00 $ NEW HEAD 500.00$....THE EXPRIERANCE PRICELESS