Temporary Headgasket fix...

[NateS]

Well, many of you know that my head gasket sprung a leak. I am currently getting a head and getting parts to port and fully build the head. However, I want to try and replace my current headgasket with like a 40 dollar head gasket from advanced auto. This will only be on for like 3 months but, I can't deal with not being able to race my car anymore so I want a fix for those 3 months. Any tips or suggestions? Don't worry I'm not getting a super cheapo but, I'm not getting a copper gasket or anything. A buddy of mine(also has a dsm) has had good results with I think he said Feltech head gaskets so I am going to pick one up. This will also let me figure out if the head is cracked or warped depending on if it still overheats and what not. This will also give me practice with the head and all for when my head is complete the build and I have to swap it.

[NateS]

I just got home from advanced auto parts. I got a Fel-Pro head gasket. I said feltech but, it is a fel-pro. The buddy who recommended it has rebuilt 2 motors already and he said it is a good head gasket but, I shouldn't boost the crap out of it.

[blk_srt]

It will handle around 20psi. Felpro makes good gaskets.

[NateS]

So 20psi with ARP head studs or with stock head studs? Think I will be okay running 19psi of boost on it at the track?

[Killa]

Originally Posted by pr_ricer

It will handle around 20psi. Felpro makes good gaskets.

True most of my gasket in my talon, is felpro.

[blk_srt]

20psi on arps. You should never resure the stock ones, they are torque to yeild bolts and will never have the right torque again

[kjewer1]

I would always run ARPs, there are no benefits to sticking with the stock bolts that stretch when torqued, stretch when running high cylinder pressure, and are not reusable (even if they are "in spec" for length, IMO).

I'm not sure how good the felpro gasket is, but the stock composite gasket always worked very well for me, and I ran them right up until the end on the 2g. I'd still be running them, but the EVO uses a metal MLS HG stock. I'm sure the felpro will hold long enough for you though, but remember that timing is far more critical than boost as far as the HG goes.

[blk_srt]

By the way what happened to the gsx?

[Mikelb]

The fel-pro is a good gasket (as everyone else has said)... it's in my '91 TSI daliy... and i'm boostin' 17...

[NateS]

Okay, sounds good. Yes I do have arps and I was not planning on replacing them, I am told they are good to reuse cause they are just so damn awesome lol. Remember though, that this head gasket only had to last me like 3 months while my other head is getting built then the titan headgasket is going on. I was running 24psi race and 19psi normally but, I guess I can hold back to just 19psi for the 3 months lol.

[NateS]

Okay, round 1 is done. I got the head off and the gasket off. The head is sitting about 8 inches above my block and the intake manifold is still on it. I plan on just lifting the head to clean it and replace the gasket. BUT, two things worry me.

First off, when removing the nuts for the head studs, two of the studs came out instead of the nut. I am kinda nervous about this because I know oil and or coolant got down into the hole. I know I will have to clean this out but, I am not sure how and I am not sure how I am going to get the nuts off the studs then put the studs back into the block.

Second, I slid my timing belt off of the cam gears and it came off fairly easy. However once I got it off I tried to slide it back on to see how hard it would be and damn is it hard. I know you can loosen the tension on the belt and slide it back on then tighten it but, I do not have a tool to do it. A few of my friends said that I should be able to slide it back on with a little effort though.

Third, I thought I had everything zeroed out but, I deffinatly didn't. When I slid my timing belt off both cam gears spun a little bit. I am 99.9% possitive they both spun the same amount but, I am going to check this tommarow.

Well tommarow is round 2. Wish me luck and if you have spotted anything that I have done horribly wrong or that will possibly fuck my car up real bad please be kind and let me know. Haha thanks.

[gthompson97]

The timing belt shouldn't be able to "slide off" or "slide on" easily, otherwise it could come off while running. When you took it off, the tensioner automatically tried to tension up the belt and now it's tensioned to the max, that's why you can't slide it back on. If you don't know how to do a T-Belt job, let me know and I can get you directions off of Mitchell On Demand, otherwise its in the VFAQ. I'm not sure what to do about your studs, but maybe try putting them back in with some lock tite and then try removing the nut after letting it dry for awhile, that's what we did on my buddies sprint car rear-end studs.

Oh yeah, and slap your friends because they are idiots for telling you the t-belt should slide back on easily.

[kjewer1]

You can still get the belt back on without special tools. Remove the hydraulic autotensioner and compress it very slowly in a vice, and stick the grenade pin in. If you don't have 30 grenade pins lying around like I do, a small drill bit works. Line everything up, install the belt, install the tensioner, double check the marks, and pull the grenade pin/drill bit. Tension is now exactly what it was before. Wether it's right or wrong, it's the same

The cam gears jumped because of the spring pressure pushing against the cams. Perfectly normal. When putting the belt back on, get some friends to put wrenches on the cam gears and hold them line up for you while you put the belt on and zip tie it to the gears. Then run the belt around the oil pump sprocket (phase the rear bshaft if you still have them, with the mark at 12 oclock let go of the pulley. If it rotates toward the mark it's good. If it rotates away from the mark, turn it one full turn and do the test again, and it will rotate toward the mark this time. Pure fuckin magic). Then run it around the crank making sure it is at the timing marks, then around the tensioner pulley (make sure you do not loosen that 14mm bolt in the center of the tensioner pulley, or you will be doing a full retension).

The nut should come right off the stud once it's out. Read the page on my site about ARP head studs if you haven't already.

[NateS]

Thanks everyone, I am about to head out to the garage so I will be sure to let you know how it goes.

[ez1286]

I used a tiny allen key for the tensioner, it might slide out easier than a drill bit. I also used three allen keys to tension the tensioner pulley, I put one in each hole on the tensioner and used a third (larger one) to spin the pulley byputting it between the two others and prying.