94 G AM 2.3 Head gasket replacement?

racook2 · #1 01-22-2006, 10:48 AM

I'm in the process of changing the head gasket on a 94 Grand Am with the 2.3 liter Quad 4 engine SOHC(engine code 3). I have the inake off, the exhaust manifold, the fuel rail, and all the other misc. top end parts... I still have on the power steering pulley and hoses, and the cam cover on the front of the engine...

QUESTION... Do I have to lift the motor to take the cam cover off of the front of the engine (right side if the car). I have removed the motor mount, and have the engine supported from below, but as I try to take off the bolts (3) that hold the engine mount attactching plate off, there is not enough room, they back into the body!

Has anyone done this before or have some insight here? is there a way to get this gasket changed without pulling the motor? Do I need to take off the crankshaft pulley here too?

any help will save me here...thank you.

MT-2500 · #2 01-22-2006, 11:02 AM

Every one I look at something says to me pull the engine. But that may be your choice.
You sure picked a hard one to replace the head gasket on and you are going to need some good repair info and help.

I would suggest you get a factory service manual or a good All data DIY repair info online sub. 24.95$ a year.
Link below.
http://www.alldata.com/products/diy/index.html
Also be sure to get the head checked out at the machine shop when you have it off and always replace the head bolts.
Good luck
MT

jeter1955 · #3 01-22-2006, 08:10 PM

Im doing this same job right now on a 95 2.3 liter DOHC. Im pretty much at the same step as you. With the motor mount off you can put a 2x4 on top of a jack and carefully raise the oil pan which will raise the motor until you have enough clearance to get a socket in there. Mine are pretty much all seized on there and they require tremendous amount of force to take off. i still cant figure out how to get the cam off but if you have some suggestions you can post them here

racook2 · #4 01-23-2006, 11:30 PM

yea I'm going to try and move the engine around a little with the jack and a pry bar and see If I can't get those bolts out... they only have another thread turn to go,I just know it!!! I have had some cool off time now, so it's time to take another stab at it...

gmack221 · #5 01-24-2006, 08:14 AM

If you put a jack under the lower passanger side mount (dog bone style) you can jack up there, and use a rachet strap on the drivers side of the motor to the radiator support to move the motor forward or back. I have a DOHC and did everything with the motor in the car. Using an end wrench on those 3 bolts makes it easier! By the way, don't jack on the oil pan, its not made to support the weight of the motor, if you do you may make your job harder then it needs to be.

After you get the top motor mount off you will need to remove the belt, then crank pulley, then timing chain cover, then the timing chain, then timing chain cover, then the power steering pump, then pull the bolts for the cam housing. Now I recomend you pull the whole cam housing (where it mounts to the head), use a soft faced hammer to lightly tap the housing while lifting up until the seal with the gasket is broken, pull off and flip over imediatly so you don't lose any of the lifters. (If you have questions on this area the haynes manual is a good reference)

Remember to change the water pump and thermostat while your in there, get a good thermostat from either a dealer or the best one napa has, don't put cheap stuff in, or you will be doing it again.

jeter1955 · #6 01-24-2006, 10:32 AM

Is there any way i can do this without taking that motor mount plate off that is directly bolted to the engine with 3 bolts. I have been spraying PB blast for days on them and even heating.. i managed to get one off.. but the others wont budge.. also.. when taking the camshaft out.. how do i know where to line them back up so the timing isnt scrwed up.. any help would be greatly apprecaiated

gmack221 · #7 01-24-2006, 11:48 AM

Taking the mounting plate off, don't heat the bolts, heat makes them expand and it will not help you get them out, for heat to help you'd have to heat what they screw into. Try putting the box end of a wrench on it, then put a pipe over the other end (or box end of another wrench) to get leverage.

Yes that plate has to come off, no other options, you have to get to the timing chain cover under that plate. If you have to tap the wrench with a hammer to get the bolt broke loose.

As for the cam, keep all three pieces together when you take it off (it will be alot easier). When I say 3 pieces im refering to the cam cover, cam, & cam housing. All 3 pieces are held on to the head by 10 or 12 bolts that take a 13mm socket (8mm bolt diameter) they are long bolts that thread into the head from the top of the cam housing. the reason I say keep them all together is so you don't have to mess with putting the cam back in, & putting the lifters back in (they should stay in the cam housing).

Its a GM setting the timing on the DOHC is simple, set #1 at top dead center (seems like there's a mark on the block to line up the crank key to), then for the cams take an 8mm bolt and thread it thru the cam gear into the hole in the cam housing. (haynes manual does a great job of explaining this, go to autozone and look at a book even if you don't buy it)

racook2 · #8 01-24-2006, 12:26 PM

As far as getting those bolts loose, I always just put the wrench on the bolt then slide this 4 foot piece of steel pipe I have over the wrench... A pinky finger push loosens any bolt with that kind of lever!!! Can you find anything along those lines around your garage??

jeter1955 · #9 01-24-2006, 08:08 PM

thanks for all the useful info. I will continue work on this on friday. If you have any other helpful suggestions or short cuts i would gladly appreciate it. I am also putting on a new water pump and new timing chain only because i would kick myself in the ass if this ever happened again. and for the long steel pole i might have to go to lowes and buy one. I do have one about 2 feet long but it wont fit over a box wrench. only over a ratchet or something. thank you generously for you time. and please. if you have any more info dont be afraid to tell me.. thanks

Riqand · #10 01-25-2006, 01:08 AM

feel kinda sorry for u bro i just had to do a complete rebuild on a Quad Four DOHC in our class last semester i will tell u that is one heck of a mean engine had to take apart an even harder to get back together look forward to at least one headache trying to get the cams back on with the chain and timing plate an such theres about 6 things going on at once that u have to have lined up perfect to get everything spinning freely Goodluck! keep ur tylenol handy

racook2 · #11 01-26-2006, 10:05 PM

OK I've got mine tore down!!! I did get the head off with the engine in the car...Now I get to put it back together!!! I can't believe I didn't do this, but I marked everything but the CAM and where the pin on the end should be in relation to the crank, the cam housing, and to which cylinders should be at TDC? I looked through the manual a bit but didn't find anything for the SINGLE over head Cam engine? any one know on this one?

gmack221 · #12 01-27-2006, 07:31 AM

Its a given that #1 cylinder should be at top dead center when setting the timing. As for the cam I'm guessing they do it the same way as the DOHC, if you look at your timing chain housing (aluminum) there should be 4 holes around the cam that hold the housing to the cam housing, then there will be one hole that doesn't go all the way thru the timing chain housing, once you get the gear back on the cam shaft you thread a bolt thru the hole in the gear into the hole in the timing chain housing. Now put your timing chain on, remove the bolt & spin the motor over a couple of times to verify this holes still line up, if they do your timing is set. Its a GM the timing is always easy to set! unlike the ford z-tech I just got done working on.

MT-2500 · #13 01-27-2006, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racook2

OK I've got mine tore down!!! I did get the head off with the engine in the car...Now I get to put it back together!!! I can't believe I didn't do this, but I marked everything but the CAM and where the pin on the end should be in relation to the crank, the cam housing, and to which cylinders should be at TDC? I looked through the manual a bit but didn't find anything for the SINGLE over head Cam engine? any one know on this one?

Racook2
Be real careful there.

You need to ge a good service manual for it that shows the correct way to time it.
If you do not get it timed right and spin the engine over or try to start you may bend the valves.

MT

jeter1955 · #14 01-27-2006, 11:07 PM

how did you get your crankshaft pulley off... I cant even get the nut in the center of the pulley off.. Any tricks of tips, i used an impact gun and even lowerd the car down on a wrench and it still didnt budge.. I used a crowbar to ensure the pulley wouldnt turn with the nut.

gmack221 · #15 01-28-2006, 09:57 AM

It should be a bolt that threads into the crank, don't use a prybar to hold the crank, a good impact should remove it with no problems, make sure you have the air turned up high enough. Its a standard thread (righty tighty, lefty losey). You may need to borrow a better impact, or hit a ratchet with a hammer to break it free, shouldn't be that tight, and make sure your spark plugs are in to give some resistance.

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