Head Gasket Replacement
cdru
10-27-2005, 09:02 AM
Well coming into work this morning I noticed some steam coming from under the hood of my 97 2.2L Cavi. I was hoping that it was just from a puddle I drove through and it being a cold morning, but alas, I had a decent stream of coolant running from the right front corner of the head. So it looks like I'm going to be doing a head gasket job this weekend.
Looking over the procedure it doesn't look too bad to get things going. Maybe 4-5 hours hopefully. Does this sound about right? Proper equipment won't be an issue. Definitely looks better then the 20+ hours for my 3400 engine in my Montana but you have 2x the work on a V6. I know about replacing the bolts, resurfacing, pressure checking, etc.
Other then the head gasket and bolts, are there any other parts and pieces that should be replaced now or are significantly easier to replace while the top half of the engine is off? When I did my van's head gasket, there were a variety of o-rings and other seals that you had very easy access to during the process and it was recommended that they get replaced. Didn't know if the 2.2L had anything similar. How about the intake and exhaust manifolds gaskets? Are they reusable if in good condition?
Looking back at a several of the threads it seems that it will be easier to leave the intake manifold attached and remove that later. How about the exhaust side of things. Is it easier to detach the exhaust manifold from the exhaust pipe, then remove the manifold? Or remove the manifold from the head, leaving it attached to the exhaust pipe? Or can a machine shop resurface the head with the exhaust manifold still attached?
Looking over the procedure it doesn't look too bad to get things going. Maybe 4-5 hours hopefully. Does this sound about right? Proper equipment won't be an issue. Definitely looks better then the 20+ hours for my 3400 engine in my Montana but you have 2x the work on a V6. I know about replacing the bolts, resurfacing, pressure checking, etc.
Other then the head gasket and bolts, are there any other parts and pieces that should be replaced now or are significantly easier to replace while the top half of the engine is off? When I did my van's head gasket, there were a variety of o-rings and other seals that you had very easy access to during the process and it was recommended that they get replaced. Didn't know if the 2.2L had anything similar. How about the intake and exhaust manifolds gaskets? Are they reusable if in good condition?
Looking back at a several of the threads it seems that it will be easier to leave the intake manifold attached and remove that later. How about the exhaust side of things. Is it easier to detach the exhaust manifold from the exhaust pipe, then remove the manifold? Or remove the manifold from the head, leaving it attached to the exhaust pipe? Or can a machine shop resurface the head with the exhaust manifold still attached?
billybix76
10-27-2005, 09:55 AM
Same problem. on my 91' 2.2L 171K miles. Car runs well and has even compression and no oil burning. the procedure seems pretty straightforward. I will use the autozone.com hints and directions. Since there is no issues with any timing belts or cam ( gotta love lifters and pushrods!) I plan on lifting the head off with both manifolds attached. i would reccomned leaving the exaust on and seperate from the manifold/head pipe connection. I would use a good penetrating oil on the head pipe to manifold bolts after warming them with a propane torch a little and be prepared to replace the head pipe packing (seal) when you separate the two as it will probably shred. I hope to only have to replace the leaking OEM head gasket (redundant, I know) with a fel-pro gasket as I only paid $500 for the car and i dont relish the idea of a head rebuild unless the head is obvoiusly warped or valves burned or bent. While the head is off I would probably clean or rebuild the TBI and change oxy sensor too.
wafrederick
10-27-2005, 10:22 AM
Take the intake and exhaust manifolds off before taking the head to the machine shop for resufacing.Remove the plugs out also.The worst part is getting to the gas lines,under the brake booster!.Blame the engineer for that.You need a special tool to release the gas line fittings
cdru
10-27-2005, 10:34 AM
Take the intake and exhaust manifolds off before taking the head to the machine shop for resufacing.Remove the plugs out also.The worst part is getting to the gas lines,under the brake booster!.Blame the engineer for that.You need a special tool to release the gas line fittingsIs said special tool readily availabe at most autopart stores? Can you describe the fitting? Does the tool look a little like this one (http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/otc7244.html)?
cdru
10-30-2005, 10:40 PM
Well the car is all back together. It took a bit longer then I had hoped but oh well. The gas lines under the brake booster was by far the hardest part.
4dr92cavi4cyl
10-31-2005, 11:37 AM
Doesn't it always take longer than expected? How's it runnin'?
cdru
10-31-2005, 02:08 PM
Yes it always takes longer then expected. I had hoped to get most of it done Friday evening, but I ran into trouble. This was the first time I had really worked under the hood since I bought it a few months ago, so I was still familiarizing myself with everything.
I knew I was going to have a little trouble with the fuel lines from one of the above posts. I went out and bought the little tool to release the connections. I measured the one line and it was close to 3/8, so I just got the 3/8" tool (it also fit a few other sizes). Apparently though there are multiple 3/8" sizes and I got the Ford/Chrysler 3/8" when I needed the GM 3/8". I also didn't notice that there was a smaller fuel line that wasn't 3/8", rather 5/16". I figured this all out around 9:05 Friday evening. All the autopart stores closed at 9:00. Oh well, called it a night.
Saturday first thing I ran down to AutoZone and picked up some plastic collar type removal tools, this time getting the "GM" sized ones and it included a 5/16" size as well. I popped on the smaller size and had it off within a few minutes. The larger size though wouldn't budge at all. The fitting would go in and it felt like it would release, it just wouldn't come apart. Both me and my dad kicked and screamed at it for about an hour. I was convinced the collar wasn't thick enough to push the catches out of the way, so I went back to Autozone and picked up the metal version. It was the right size, but it was cast/molded poorly so it didn't fit real well. We ended up putting a crescent wrench on each side of the fitting and used a pair of channel lock pliers to "encourage" them together.
After I got that apart, pulled the head bolts and it almost fell off. I didn't realize that there was a strut that went from the PS pump to the underside of the manifold. I disconnected that and lifted off the head and both manifolds as one piece.
I cleaned both surfaces up and checked to make sure all the surfaces were flat and they were (or at least as well as I could tell). Only time will tell if I made an ok decision not to have the heads resurfaced. I just needed the vehicle back to gether and the earliest I could have gotten the head in to be resurfaced was today.
The gasket was the culprit. The right front most water passage had cracked to the outside. I don't have a picture of it, but I remember seeing on here in this forum of the exact same problem.
Overall it appears to be running as good if not better as before. I noticed the idle is about 200RPMs higher. It was at about 650 before, now it seems to be around 850RPM. I drove it to work and to lunch today and no signs of any leaks. I'll check the oil and coolant levels when I get home to make sure things aren't mixing but I think things are good.
One thing that I did learn is that tThe oil filter is a heck of a lot easier to remove when the head and intake manifold is gone. It's a lot to take off just to do an oil change, but a lot less messy. :)
I knew I was going to have a little trouble with the fuel lines from one of the above posts. I went out and bought the little tool to release the connections. I measured the one line and it was close to 3/8, so I just got the 3/8" tool (it also fit a few other sizes). Apparently though there are multiple 3/8" sizes and I got the Ford/Chrysler 3/8" when I needed the GM 3/8". I also didn't notice that there was a smaller fuel line that wasn't 3/8", rather 5/16". I figured this all out around 9:05 Friday evening. All the autopart stores closed at 9:00. Oh well, called it a night.
Saturday first thing I ran down to AutoZone and picked up some plastic collar type removal tools, this time getting the "GM" sized ones and it included a 5/16" size as well. I popped on the smaller size and had it off within a few minutes. The larger size though wouldn't budge at all. The fitting would go in and it felt like it would release, it just wouldn't come apart. Both me and my dad kicked and screamed at it for about an hour. I was convinced the collar wasn't thick enough to push the catches out of the way, so I went back to Autozone and picked up the metal version. It was the right size, but it was cast/molded poorly so it didn't fit real well. We ended up putting a crescent wrench on each side of the fitting and used a pair of channel lock pliers to "encourage" them together.
After I got that apart, pulled the head bolts and it almost fell off. I didn't realize that there was a strut that went from the PS pump to the underside of the manifold. I disconnected that and lifted off the head and both manifolds as one piece.
I cleaned both surfaces up and checked to make sure all the surfaces were flat and they were (or at least as well as I could tell). Only time will tell if I made an ok decision not to have the heads resurfaced. I just needed the vehicle back to gether and the earliest I could have gotten the head in to be resurfaced was today.
The gasket was the culprit. The right front most water passage had cracked to the outside. I don't have a picture of it, but I remember seeing on here in this forum of the exact same problem.
Overall it appears to be running as good if not better as before. I noticed the idle is about 200RPMs higher. It was at about 650 before, now it seems to be around 850RPM. I drove it to work and to lunch today and no signs of any leaks. I'll check the oil and coolant levels when I get home to make sure things aren't mixing but I think things are good.
One thing that I did learn is that tThe oil filter is a heck of a lot easier to remove when the head and intake manifold is gone. It's a lot to take off just to do an oil change, but a lot less messy. :)
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2026