head gasket
JOE58
03-06-2006, 02:18 PM
My 95 Windstar, 3.6L, 170K total mil,( 90K on the second engine) needs head gaskets.Is overheating and blowing thick white smoke.
Is it difficult to change head gaskets? I have all tools.
Any good web sides for step by step instructions?
Thanks,
Joe
Is it difficult to change head gaskets? I have all tools.
Any good web sides for step by step instructions?
Thanks,
Joe
LeSabre97mint
03-06-2006, 07:01 PM
My 95 Windstar, 3.6L, 170K total mil,( 90K on the second engine) needs head gaskets.Is overheating and blowing thick white smoke.
Is it difficult to change head gaskets? I have all tools.
Any good web sides for step by step instructions?
Thanks,
Joe
Joe
I did this job on my 95 about a year ago. This isn't a hard job. The hard part is that there isn't much room.
Is this your first attempt at headgaskets? If it is, I would advise asking help from a friend that has done this before. There are things that can be over looked if you're just doing it by the book. Never_the_less I would get a manual so you have torque specs and stuff.
You will need: Gaskets, (buy from Ford) headbolts (the old ones are NOT reusable), torque wrench, space to lay out the parts as they are taken off. Try to put bolts back in where you took them out so you're not guessing as to where they go after a week or two of having the engine apart. Make sure you have something to keep the push rods in order so they can go back in the same holes.
When you get your heads off, take them to a good auto machine shop to be checked for cracks, valves sealing, and being flat and SMOOTH.
Make sure the bock surface is clean and flat.
Make sure the headgaskets go on with the correct side up. Most HG's do not requre any additional sealant.
When I did mine I also replaced the rod bearings. They were making noise on startup and were showing copper on most of all of the upper halfs. Now there isn't any noise on startup.
I know the above isn't complete. Take it under consideration to see if you want to attempt it.
Regards
Dan
Is it difficult to change head gaskets? I have all tools.
Any good web sides for step by step instructions?
Thanks,
Joe
Joe
I did this job on my 95 about a year ago. This isn't a hard job. The hard part is that there isn't much room.
Is this your first attempt at headgaskets? If it is, I would advise asking help from a friend that has done this before. There are things that can be over looked if you're just doing it by the book. Never_the_less I would get a manual so you have torque specs and stuff.
You will need: Gaskets, (buy from Ford) headbolts (the old ones are NOT reusable), torque wrench, space to lay out the parts as they are taken off. Try to put bolts back in where you took them out so you're not guessing as to where they go after a week or two of having the engine apart. Make sure you have something to keep the push rods in order so they can go back in the same holes.
When you get your heads off, take them to a good auto machine shop to be checked for cracks, valves sealing, and being flat and SMOOTH.
Make sure the bock surface is clean and flat.
Make sure the headgaskets go on with the correct side up. Most HG's do not requre any additional sealant.
When I did mine I also replaced the rod bearings. They were making noise on startup and were showing copper on most of all of the upper halfs. Now there isn't any noise on startup.
I know the above isn't complete. Take it under consideration to see if you want to attempt it.
Regards
Dan
JOE58
03-06-2006, 10:46 PM
Thanks Dan. It looks like a big job to me. I do not want to add more $$$ to this car. Maybe I can sell some parts and call junk yard to pickup what is left.
Regards,
Joe
Regards,
Joe
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2026