Extensive engine Gasket repair...tips & lessons

[ciscokid1970]

Hello All

Well my engine finnally started leaving puddles of coolant. (it had been dripping small drops since about 40K miles).

I did not even bother doing a pressure test. I knew it was time to do all the gaskets.

First If you have the inclination to upgrade your engine: lower or upper manifold, heads, injectors... this is a good time to do it.

Well they tested my compression and to my amazement they were all close to each other and within 0.5 of spec compression...so no need for head work.

I used to repair it myself ... but now time is more expensive than money...and without power tools it could take you 30 hours. I perfer to find a trusty mechanic, hopefully with a warranty.

I highly recommend the following:
1. order a lower temp thermostat 180deg (as opposed to the stock 195) this will help keep your engine block cooler. You pay a small penalty of fuel efficiency and engine shuddering when warm at idle.

2. Buy new plugs, new plug wires, new power steering pump, new water pump, new o2 sensor.

3. Replace any gasket and hose you come in vacinity of. You will be tearing most of the engine down...this is a good time to replace semi-worn items.

Well Pep boys did the following:
Upper gasket
Lower gasket
Head gaskets
thermostat installation and gasket
New lifetime water pump and gasket
Hoses from water pump
Timing belt cover gasket
Hoses to and from heater core
installed oxygen sensor
installed spark plugs (ac delco plats)
installed plug wires (taylor 8mm spiro)
flush coolant orange stuff (50/50mix)
oil change
Pep boys total: $1187
My parts total: $60 (plugs, wires, thermostat)

Car runs great now, Hope to get at least 4 more years out of it.

[Licit]

So did you change over to the green now, or replace with a 50/50 mix of the orange dex-cool and water? I have had the gasket replace done recently but have had long term low coolant issues. Because of that I have read and learned quite a bit about the GM Dex-Cool systems. One thing is that you want almost an 80% mix of dex-cool to 20% distilled water. Tap water is alright but Car & Driver June 2002 had an article that alot of tech guys would back up about the chlorides in tap water causing corrosion in cooling areas. Also the magnesium and calcium contribute to scale and deposits, which hurt cooling efficiency.
I started following the 80/20 mix and distilled water rule myself only at about 45,000 miles(at 80,000 now). But I did make it to almost 80,000 miles before needing the gasket replacement job. Since we can't change the fact GM went to a 3 screw manifold gasket which doesn't get a very good seal and the angles on our 3400 engines(unless you're a machinist), we are left to little things to try and keep things running smoothly.

[ciscokid1970]

I am using 50% orange coolant to 50% distilled water.

I read a web article I think in automobile magazine website.

There they talked about all the different coolants. I was amazed to know that not all green coolants are the same...and factory green coolant is usually very different from aftermarket green.

One of the biggest misbeliefs is coolant/antifreeze...in reality it is only a antifreeze it is designed to lower the freezing point, thats all. The water is much better at cooling your engine.

Well aparantly the orange coolant when HOT can cause more wear on your engine gaskets but is easier on metal, which means it is easier on your water pump. So for you guys way up north you can use larger amounts of anti-freeze but they say you should never need more than 60%.

Now for us guys down south HEAT is the issue. The mechanical engineer they spoke to actually said that in real hot places you only need 30% anti-freeze...wow. Well here in dallas we get some cold days so I went with a 50/50 mix...but as I fill it later I will use 40% antifreeze. I admitt that I have noticed that my car heats up faster if I use higher percentage of anti-freeze.

The writer of the article as a little upset that the drivers do not get the honest truth. Of course, because it does not benifit mechanics, coolant manuf or car manuf for you to know how to make your car last longer.

[Dr_Kyle]

Originally posted by ciscokid1970
Of course, because it does not benifit mechanics, coolant manuf or car manuf for you to know how to make your car last longer.

I have never seen one sentence describe the business world so well. :thumbs:

[fschambe]

Coolant also raises the boil point of your fluid, and it contains rust inhibitors...