So Fix it

The Ford 5.4-liter engine is a V-8 engine with aluminum cylinder heads. It appears in various Ford vehicles made since 1997, such as the F-Series of pickup trucks. The 5.4-liter engine has a pair of cylinder heads, one on each side of the engine. The head gasket lies between the cylinder head and the engine block, and makes a tight seal between the two components. The procedure for replacing the cylinder head gaskets is generally the same for both gaskets.

Instructions

1

Evacuate the air-conditioning system with the appropriate evacuating equipment. This step requires a mechanic licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

2

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench to prevent the engine from starting during the head gasket replacement. Remove the covers for the cylinder head, and disconnect the intake manifold from the engine block. Detach the timing chains from their sprockets, and remove both exhaust manifolds from the engine block.

3

Remove the retaining bolts from the heater hose on the engine block with a socket wrench. Release the hose clamp by squeezing it together and sliding it down the hose. Detach the hose from the engine block. Detach any additional cables, electrical connectors and hoses that restrict your access to the cylinder head.

4

Disconnect the mounting bolts from the cylinder head with a socket wrench. Detach the cylinder head from the engine block. Remove the head gasket from the engine block and discard it. Remove any traces of the gasket from the cylinder head and engine block with a gasket scraper.

5

Turn the crankshaft clockwise by hand so that the key way on the crankshaft is in the 12 oclock position. Place the new gasket for the cylinder head over the dowel pins on the engine block. Mount the cylinder head over the dowel pins, so that the head is on top of the gasket.

6

Install new mounting bolts to the cylinder head by hand. Tighten the bolts to 30 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Tighten the mounting bolts for the cylinder head an additional 85 to 95 degrees on the second pass. Tighten the mounting bolts an additional 85 to 95 degrees on the third pass.

7

Connect the heater hose to the cylinder head, and fasten its retaining bolts with a socket wrench. Slide the hose clamp in place to secure the hose. Attach the exhaust manifolds to the engine block, and mount the timing chains to their sprockets. Connect the intake manifold to the engine block.

8

Attach the covers for the cylinder head with a socket wrench. Connect all additional electrical connectors, cables and hoses you removed to obtain access to the cylinder head.

9

Recharge the air-conditioning system with the appropriate equipment. This step requires a mechanic licensed by the EPA.

10

Fill the engine oil and coolant to their proper levels. Connect the cable for the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Start the engine and check for fluid leaks.

The 1995 Chevrolet Suburban is available with a V-8 engine, which has a cylinder head on each side. The cylinder head forms part of the combustion chamber, and contains the poppet valves and spark plugs. A cracked cylinder head can contaminate the Suburbans oil supply with coolant, giving the oil a milky appearance. The components you need to remove to install a cylinder head on a 1995 Chevrolet Suburban are different for each head. The replacement of both cylinder heads requires up to nine hours of labor.

Instructions

1

Remove the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Drain the coolant from the radiator into a container, and store it for later use. Disconnect the intake manifold and exhaust manifolds from the vehicle.

2

Disconnect the attaching bolt from the air pipe on the right cylinder head with a socket wrench, and detach the pipe. Remove the mounting bolts from the air compressor on the right cylinder head, and push the compressor aside. Remove the fuel line and spark plug wire from the right cylinder head. Detach the ground wire from the right side cylinder head.

3

Disconnect the mounting bolt from the main accessory bracket, and detach the bracket from the left cylinder head. Push the bracket aside to obtain access to the left cylinder head. Detach the coolant sensor wire and spark plug wires from the rear of the left cylinder head.

4

Disconnect the covers for the cylinder heads with a socket wrench, and unscrew the spark plugs from the cylinder heads. Loosen the retaining nuts for the rocker arms, and rotate the rocker arms to obtain access to the push rods. Record the position of the push rods, and remove the push rods from the cylinder heads.

5

Remove the mounting bolts from the cylinder heads with a socket wrench, and lift the heads from the engine block. Remove the gasket from the engine block, and clean any remaining traces of gasket material from the engine block with a gasket scraper. Mount a new gasket to the engine block so that the word HEAD on the gasket faces up. Place the new cylinder head on the engine block.

6

Clean the mounting bolts for the cylinder heads with a shop cloth, and fasten them to the cylinder head by hand. Tighten the cylinder head bolts with a torque wrench in three passes. The first pass must tighten them to 25 foot-pounds, the second pass must tighten them to 45 foot-pounds and the third pass must tighten them to 65 foot-pounds.

7

Place the push rods in their original positions on the cylinder head that you recorded in step four. Move the rocker arms back into position and tighten their mounting bolts with a socket wrench. Replace the covers for the cylinder heads, and install the spark plugs.

8

Replace the components you removed in step three if you removed the left cylinder head. Replace the components you removed in step two if you removed the right cylinder head. Refill the radiator with coolant, and attach the cable to the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench.

The Sonoma compact pickup truck was introduced by General Motors to the North American market in 1982. Sonoma pickups were known for their durable and reliable engines, but they still needed to be serviced from time to time. One of the problems the Sonoma engine could face was a blown head gasket.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the negative battery cable. Drain the engine coolant. Remove the engine cooling fan assembly. Remove the power steering pump mounting bracket. Remove the power steering pump mounting bracket stud from the cylinder head.

2

Remove the lower intake manifold. Remove the exhaust manifold. Remove the spark plug wire harness and the spark plug wire support. Remove the ground wire bolt and the ground wire from the rear of the cylinder head. Make sure you secure the ground wire out of the way.

3

Remove the bolt holding the fuel pipe bracket to the rear of the cylinder head. Now you have access to the cylinder head gasket. Remove the cylinder head and gasket. Clean the engine block and the cylinder head sealing surfaces. Clean the cylinder head bolts and the engine block bolt holes.

4

Install the new cylinder head gasket. To re-install all parts follow the same procedure in reverse.

Sometimes being a trend-setter can be a curse. When they debuted, LH-chassis cars like the Intrepid and Chrysler 300M were visually cutting-edge automobiles that looked more like road-going Le Mans prototypes than commuter sedans. Time and trends may march on, but these cars remain just as good at everything they were good at when new.

Part Costs

Head gaskets themselves arent particularly expensive -- perhaps $100 for the pair at 2013 prices. Getting to them though, means tearing half the engine apart, and thats where youre spending your money in parts and labor. A full upper-end gasket set that includes the head gaskets, intake gaskets and everything else youll need to replace them will run you about $250; add another $75 at least for oil, fluids and sealants. So, call it $325 to $350 in parts.

Labor and Total Costs

Shops determine labor costs according to "book time," which is how much time a job should take for the average mechanic. Multiply that by the shops hourly rate, and youve got the labor cost for the procedure. The book time for replacing one head gasket is 7.4 to 7.9 hours, and you can expect to pay 9.4 of book time for both. Most shops currently charge $65 to $100 an hour, so labor will run you about $480 to $740 for one head gasket, and $610 to $940 for both. So, adding together parts and labor, expect to spend between $935 and $1,300 to have both head gaskets replaced.

Ford manufactured the 351 Cleveland, or 351C, engine from 1970 to 1974. It appears in various Ford vehicles during this period, especially the Mustang. The 351C engine is a V8 engine with a cylinder head for each side of the engine. The installation of the cylinder heads in a 351C engine is generally the same for all vehicles. You will need to remove different components depending on which cylinder head you are replacing.

Instructions

1

Place a drain pan under the radiator drain and open the drain cock with a socket wrench. Drain the coolant into the pan and replace the drain cock. Store the coolant for later use.

2

Disconnect the intake manifold from the engine with the carburetor still attached. Remove the muffler inlet pipes from the exhaust manifold with a socket wrench and remove the exhaust manifold. Record the position of the spark plug wires and detach them from the spark plugs. Unscrew the spark plugs from the cylinder heads.

3

Detach the drive belt from the air compressor if your vehicle is so equipped. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the compressor with a socket wrench and push the compressor out of your way. Remove the drive belt for the power steering pump. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the pump and move the pump out of your way. Perform this step only if you are removing the left cylinder head.

4

Disconnect the alternator, ignition coil and air inlet duct with a socket wrench. Detach the hose from the air manifold on the right cylinder head. Perform this step only if you are removing the right cylinder head.

5

Remove the electrical wires from the rear of the cylinder heads. Loosen the retaining nuts for the rocker arms with a socket wrench and turn the rocker arms to access the push rods. Record the position of the push rods and remove them from the engine block.

6

Record the positions of the mounting bolts on the cylinder block. Disconnect the mounting bolts with a socket wrench and pull the cylinder heads from the engine block. Remove the cylinder head gaskets from the engine block and discard them.

7

Clean the mounting surfaces for the cylinder head gasket with a gasket scraper and shop rag. Mount the new cylinder head gaskets over the dowels on the engine block and mount new gaskets on the muffler inlet pipes. Place the cylinder heads onto the dowels on the engine block.

8

Coat the heads of the cylinder head mounting bolts with water-resistant sealer and place them in the original holes you recorded in Step 6. Tighten the mounting bolts on the first pass to 50 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Tighten them 60 foot-pounds on the second pass, then tighten them to between 95 and 100 foot-pounds on the third pass.

9

Test the push rods for straightness by rolling them across a flat surface and replace any bent push rods. Soak the push rods in engine oil solvent and clean them with compressed air. Install the push rods according to the notes you made in Step five.

10

Rotate the rocker arms into position and replace the covers for the rocker arms. Tighten the retaining bolts for the rocker arm covers to between three and five foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

11

Install the exhaust manifold to the engine block and tighten its retaining nuts to between 18 and 24 foot-pounds. Install the intake manifold to the engine block with a socket wrench. Connect the components you removed in Step three if you installed the left cylinder head. Connect the components you removed in Step four if you installed the right cylinder head. Adjust the tension on the drive belts that you removed.

12

Attach the electrical wire to the rear of the cylinder heads. Screw the spark plugs into their bores on the engine block with a socket wrench. Connect the electrical wiring for the spark plugs according to the notes you made in Step two. Fill the radiator with the coolant you drained. Start the engine and check for fluid leaks.

A head gasket is set between the engine block and the cylinder heads, maintaining compression within the combustion chamber and stopping the coolant from leaking into the engine cylinders. This part needs to be replaced if you see white colored smoke coming out of your tailpipe. This is caused when coolant blows by the gasket and burns in the cylinders during combustion. If you need to replace your head gasket, you should know the steps to proper installation.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal and drain out your cooling system. Be certain the coolant does not enter the cylinders during head gasket replacement.

2

Jack up the front end of your car and place it on jack stands.

3

Remove cylinders head bolts and lift the head off the engine. Remove the old head gasket and clean the area where the new gasket will be placed.

4

Inspect the head before you install the new gasket. Place the new gasket on the exact same head where the old gasket was housed.

5

Push the corners of the gasket in firmly. Pay special attention to where the cam journals go to be certain the gasket fits around all of the components. If you cannot obtain a tight seal use a room temperature vulcanant, or RTV, on each corner of the cam journals.

When a head gasket fails, coolant begins to leak into the crankcase and mixes with the engine oil. This mixture creates a milky-like substance that will coat anything and everything it touches. Coolant will ruin the crankshaft and connecting rod bearings, and the milky remnants of the mixture will clog oil passages, causing precisely oiled components to fail. In most cases, a blown head gasket can be prevented if the driver knows what leads to head gasket failure.

Overheating

Overheating is the No. 1 cause of head gasket failure. When the engine overheats, the engine head and block will expand and can crush the head gasket, creating an immediate leak. Even if the engine doesnt get hot enough to warp the cylinder head, excessive operation at high temperatures can cause the material on the gasket to become brittle and crack, creating a number of leaks.

Preignition

Preignition puts serious strain on the head gasket and is commonly associated with an overheating engine. Preignition occurs when hot spots develop within the combustion chamber, which become a source for ignition. When this happens, combustion will occur before the spark plug actually fires. The force created by the premature combustion puts undo stress on the head gasket and over time will cause it to fail.

Detonation

Detonation, also known as spark knock, is essentially improper combustion. When this happens, multiple flames are created inside the combustion chamber instead of one, causing a sudden spike in pressure within the combustion chamber. This extra pressure causes excessive stress to the head gasket as well as the pistons, valves and piston-connecting rods and is accompanied by a pinging noise during acceleration. Detonation is commonly caused by fuel with a low octane rating, a problem within the exhaust gas recirculation system and over-advanced spark timing.

Improper Cylinder Head Installation

If major engine work was recently performed and the cylinder head had to be removed, it is possible the mechanic doing the work failed to torque the head bolts properly or failed to torque the head bolts in the proper sequence during installation. Head gaskets require a certain amount of pressure to be maintained between the cylinder head and the engine block to load and keep a good and tight permanent seal.

Preventative Measures

Always keep an eye on the temperature gauge. Any time overheating begins to occur, shut the engine down, and diagnose and repair the problem. If you notice spark knock or pinging while driving, increase the octane rating of your fuel and check the exhaust gas recirculation system for faults. On older cars, adjust your air-to-fuel ratio accordingly. It is also very important to keep up on the maintenance of the engine ignition system; if your vehicle uses a distributor system, replace the cap and rotor according to the manufacturers maintenance schedule and always replace your plugs and wires every 15,000 miles or so for optimal performance.

A head gasket seals an engine as well as the pathways of oil and coolant within the engine. An intake manifold gasket seals the cylinder heads and the intake manifold together. Information on these parts can be beneficial as they can both experience leaks leading to other problems if left unchecked.

Manifold Gasket Leak

A leak in the intake manifold gasket can lead to coolant running down the sides of a vehicles engine. Some vehicles have become well known for springing leaks in their intake manifold gaskets. These vehicles, however, are usually equipped with plastic manifold gaskets which tend to fail sooner than other gaskets.

Head Gasket Leak

A head gasket can leak either coolant or compression. Coolant leaks in a head gasket will be discovered fairly quickly due to the fact that an engine will run hot as a result. Although compression leaks cause engines to lose a lot of their power, they will not prohibit you from continuing to drive the vehicle.

Considerations

Some motors are prone to coolant leaks in their intake manifold gaskets. There are also some vehicles which have motors prone to head gasket failure. Review consumer guides and other forums to determine if a particular vehicle is subject to head gasket failure more often than others.

General Motors manufactured a four-cylinder 2.2-liter engine known simply as the 2.2 engine from 1990 to 1997. This engine appears in many GM vehicles from this period, such as the Chevrolet Cavalier. The cylinder head in this 2.2-liter engine is part of the combustion chamber and sits on top of the engine block. The removal procedure for the cylinder head is generally similar for all vehicles with the 2.2-liter engine.

Instructions

1

Open the filler cap on the fuel tank to relieve the pressure in the fuel tank. Start the engine and disconnect the fuel pump fuse in the fuse box. Allow the engine to idle until it stalls and crank the engine for at least three seconds to ensure the fuel system is empty. Replace the fuel pump fuse in the fuse box.

2

Remove the negative battery cable with a socket wrench to prevent the accidental discharge of fuel during the cylinder head removal. Disconnect the air cleaner assembly from the engine and detach the vacuum lines to access the cylinder head.

3

Detach the electrical connectors from the engine to obtain access to the cylinder head. This typically includes the electrical connectors for the fuel injector, canister purge solenoid, manifold absolute pressure sensor, throttle position sensor, oxygen sensor and engine coolant temperature sensor.

4

Disconnect the cables from the accelerator control bracket and remove the accelerator control bracket from the engine with a socket wrench. Raise the vehicle with a floor jack and support it on jack stands.

5

Remove the exhaust pipe from the exhaust manifold. Place a clean container under the drain plug for the radiator and open the drain plug. Drain the coolant into the container and store the coolant for reuse. Lower the vehicle with the floor jack.

6

Relieve the tension on the serpentine drive belt by turning the belt tensioner counterclockwise and detach the serpentine drive belt from its pulleys. Disconnect the alternator from the engine. Remove the bracket for the power steering pump with a socket wrench and push the pump aside to gain access to the cylinder block.

7

Support the engine with engine support fixture J-28467-A. Disconnect the upper motor mount with a socket wrench and remove the bracket for the drive belt tensioner.

8

Remove the electrical wiring from the spark plugs and disconnect the evaporative emissions line under the intake manifold. Detach the outlet coolant hose from the engine. Disconnect the transmission filler tube from the intake manifold if your vehicle has automatic transmission. Detach the fuel lines from the engine and detach the valve cover from the engine.

9

Record the position of the rocker arms and push rods before removing them from the cylinder block. This will allow you to install them to the correct positions later.

10

Note the positions of the cylinder head bolts before removing them with a socket wrench. Lift the cylinder head from the cylinder block with the intake and exhaust manifolds still attached. Remove both manifolds from the cylinder head.

The New Beetle comes equipped with a variety of engines, including a 1.8-liter engine with a turbocharger. The cylinder head in a New Beetle is a platform that sits on top of the engine block and forms part of the combustion chamber. A gasket between the cylinder head and engine block ensures a tight seal between the two components. The procedure for removing the cylinder head gasket in a New Beetle requires you to put the lock carrier in the service position. The lock carrier is the front assembly that includes the front bumper, headlights and radiator support.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the front bumper from the lock carrier with a socket wrench. Remove any electrical wiring needed to move the lock carrier into the service position. Disconnect the quick-release screws from the front insulation panel. Then, remove the air guide between the air filter and lock carrier. Release the retaining clamps that attach the wiring harness to the left radiator frame.

2

Remove the No. 2 mounting bolts from the lock carrier with a socket wrench and support it with Support 3369. Remove the remaining mounting bolts from the lock carrier and pull the lock carrier out as far as it will go. Fasten 6 mm bolts to the lock carrier and fender to secure the lock carrier in place.

3

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal to ensure the engine doesnt start while you are removing the cylinder head gasket. Detach the cooling fan drive belt from its pulleys and remove the cooling fan from the engine.

4

Drain the coolant from the radiator into a container and store for later use. Disconnect the intake manifold from the engine with a socket wrench. Detach the accessory drive belts from their pulleys.

5

Remove the regulator valves for the wastegate bypass and the evaporative emissions canister from the engine with a socket wrench. Detach the mass airflow sensor from the engine.

6

Disconnect the housing for the air cleaner with a socket wrench. Detach the wiring harnesses for the engine-coolant temperature sensor and any other electrical components needed to access the cylinder head. Detach the breather line from the crankcase.

7

Remove the fuel lines and oil line from the cylinder head. Disconnect the heat shield and turbocharger from the exhaust manifold with a socket wrench. Detach the coolant hose from the rear of the cylinder head.

8

Detach the upper cover for the timing belt with a socket wrench. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to align the timing mark on the crankshaft with the top dead center mark on the crankcase. Loosen the Torx bolt on the timing belt tensioner with a T45 Torx wrench and push the tensioner down to relieve the tension on the timing belt.

9

Remove the timing belt from the gear of the camshaft, and remove the Torx bolt from the timing belt tensioner with the T45 Torx wrench. Rotate the bracket for the timing belt tensioner forward to access the valve cover and then remove the valve cover with a socket wrench.

10

Disconnect the mounting bolts for the cylinder head with a socket wrench. Lift the cylinder head from the engine block and remove the gasket from the engine block. Clean the remaining traces of gasket material from the cylinder head and engine block with a gasket scraper. Clean the bolt holes on the cylinder head with a shop cloth and blow them dry with compressed air.