94 Blazer Gasket Issues

[yesimsteve]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Yoiu can leave the air cond freon lines/hoses on the air cond compresser.
Just unbolt compresser from its mounting bracket and lay it over to the side.
Sometimes you can use a little wire to tie it or hold it over out of the road.
MT

sweet! thanks for the quick response!

[yesimsteve]

It looks like i need to remove the pulley part in order for the bolts to come out.. but I dont see how to remove it??? am i missing something obvious??

[MT-2500]

They are a tight fit.
Most of the time you can grind a little off of one side of the bolt head and slip it by the pulley.
Loosen all 3 bolts and just flaten on side of the bolt shoulder down to the flat side of the head of the bolt. and move the compresser around a little and they will come out. It works for me 99 out of a 100 times.
Another thing I do is take the fan shroud and fan blade off. That way you can sit on the rad and stick your feet down there or go all of the way in and stand up on the floor right in front of the engine and work away without having to bend over the fenders or hood. Sure saves my old back.
Good Luck
MT

[Gabe25]

Originally Posted by yesimsteve

It looks like i need to remove the pulley part in order for the bolts to come out.. but I dont see how to remove it??? am i missing something obvious??

Those bolts can be a problem. MT got the right idea. Alot a wiggling and a lot of swearing and there you got it. Hang in there.........

[yesimsteve]

Originally Posted by Gabe25

Those bolts can be a problem. MT got the right idea. Alot a wiggling and a lot of swearing and there you got it. Hang in there.........

I got those bolts out using MT's advice! Thanks!

Now Im trying to remove the fan and there is 1 bolt on the fan that WILL NOT come loose.. ive been working on it for like 2 hours! Its the last bolt holding the fan in.. all of the other bolts came out easily! Is it normal for one of the bolts to be so tight? almost welded.

Its tuff because you gotta hold the fan pulley while using a combination wrench.. any tricks to get this off?

[Gabe25]

Originally Posted by yesimsteve

I got those bolts out using MT's advice! Thanks!

Now Im trying to remove the fan and there is 1 bolt on the fan that WILL NOT come loose.. ive been working on it for like 2 hours! Its the last bolt holding the fan in.. all of the other bolts came out easily! Is it normal for one of the bolts to be so tight? almost welded.

Its tuff because you gotta hold the fan pulley while using a combination wrench.. any tricks to get this off?

Try using some penetrating oil on the stuck bolt first. Put 2 bolts back in the fan and tighten them down half way. Use a long breaker screwdriver and place it between the bolts so you can lock the fan from moving. Then with your open end, Try placing a pipe over the back side. I use a ¾ EMT Conduit on my box wrenches, when I need to get more leverage. This will give you more leverage in cracking that bolt free.

[yesimsteve]

Originally Posted by Gabe25

Try using some penetrating oil on the stuck bolt first. Put 2 bolts back in the fan and tighten them down half way. Use a long breaker screwdriver and place it between the bolts so you can lock the fan from moving. Then with your open end, Try placing a pipe over the back side. I use a ¾ EMT Conduit on my box wrenches, when I need to get more leverage. This will give you more leverage in cracking that bolt free.

Yeah my friend came over with Kroil Oil.. wow that stuff works good! We then just took a pipe wrench to the O2 sensor I was having so much trouble with. Man that thing was on there!

[yesimsteve]

When i put my head bolts back in is there some kind of oil/sealer i should be applying to my bolts? what about the other intake bolts?

[MT-2500]

You might consider using new head bolts.
The last set of new head bolts I got already had some kind of sealer on them.
Teflon bolt thread sealer works good on intake bolts.
MT

[yesimsteve]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

You might consider using new head bolts.
The last set of new head bolts I got already had some kind of sealer on them.
Teflon bolt thread sealer works good on intake bolts.
MT

yes i have new headbolts on my list of things to buy. thanks

[hi-tech]

You should lube the threads of the head bolts to get a true torque reading. If you have some with a subtance already on them, you should be good. I usually buff the old ones clean, and apply assembly lube to the threads. Sealing them is generally not an issue.

[yesimsteve]

So i removed my first lower head bolt.. clean coolant came out.. does that mean anything? should it be dirty if the gasket was bad?

[Gabe25]

Originally Posted by yesimsteve

So i removed my first lower head bolt.. clean coolant came out.. does that mean anything? should it be dirty if the gasket was bad?

That is normal. Check to see your head gasket if there is any breakage between the cylinders. You would see its wet or discolored from the rest of the gasket.

[herkyhawki]

Originally Posted by hi-tech

You should lube the threads of the head bolts to get a true torque reading. If you have some with a subtance already on them, you should be good. I usually buff the old ones clean, and apply assembly lube to the threads. Sealing them is generally not an issue.

Definitly use sealant and do not use assembly lube on these head bolts. They thread through into coolant passages as you can see. They will leak if you follow hitechs recommendations.
Read the manual!!! that way you are not trusting your engine to a bunch (me included) of annonamous "experts".

[hi-tech]

Well, based on about 20 years of experience - Chevy Master Tech - ASE Master, Engine Rebuilder for Ford, Chevy and Pontiac - and NEVER sealing head bolts on a smallblock, and NEVER had one come back leaking, I would say I was pretty accurate. Other engines? Yes, they need sealant. Some engine, never reuse the head bolts. But that does not apply to smallblocks. Just that simple.

To say that it will leak without sealant is pretty far fetched.

I will say that I have seen ONE, in 20 years, spring a coolant leak around a head bolt. Wasn't my job (meaning is wasn't in my stall) and I don't recall what the deal was with that one. Never been an issue.