head gasket job

[CAP1]

a friend of mines 2001 pontiac montana van
(Image removed from quote.)
popped a head gasket the other day, his wife drove it to the point where it almost stalled on the interstate.  he got a quote of 1200 for the job.  I told him that he could bring it over to my house and we could do it and save himself some money.  I have never worked on one like this before, I did head gaskets on my dads 89 chevy van, so I know it sucks.  There is no cowl inside the van, so maybe have to take the whole front clip off??  And then the heads themselves, probably take them to be planed downalso right? as she got it that hot.  was wondering if anyone has ever worked on one of these before.  thanks in advance.

 if it's a choice of spending $1200 or doing it yourselves.......spend the money. you'll thank me later.  1200 for that is cheap.

 that said, i think these engines used to crack cylinder walls near the mating surface.

before you do ANYTHING, check the oil. is it kinda mucky looking? like a chocolate milkshake sort of? if so, there's coolant in the oil. at that point, the bearings are toast.

 i had an 04 thunderchicken in the shop with the 3.9 v8 what a heap o junk. she drove it till it nearly stalled.......with only 39k miles. i can't make her understand that she warped or cracked a cylinder head.

[CAP1]

Ohhh geeze...just got my car out of the shop saturday...thankfully my fiance adam works at a dodge delership and a guy that is their best mechanic does side jobs on the weekend or I would have been in trouble. My intake manifold gasket and valve cover gaskets were leaking. They thought my rear main seal and oil pan gasket was leaking too but it was leaking oil from the top of my motor and dripping down making it look like my rear main and oil pan I could smell it burning on my exhaust when I would go somewhere but nothing on the ground....so when I told them I had NO oil on my garage floor where I park my car they didnt believe me....until the guy that fixed it spoke with me and listened...guess cuz im a girl the other mechanics wouldnt listen...now if my grand prix had a 350 chevy sb in it with a holley carb instead of all that fuel injection stuff I could have done it myself....but no..it has a 3.8 in it and too much stuff for me to tackle. Anyways, this Josh guy says bring it up and he will check it for me. He called it..then told the other guys next time I bring my car in and I say something about it they should listen to me cuz its my car and I drive it everyday so if something isnt right...i would know. Josh only charged me 300.00 labor and I bought the gaskets, oil and antifreeze..gaskets alone...181.00 for upper and lower intake manifold edlebrock gaskets and edlebrock valve cover gaskets. 50.60 for oil and antifreeze! I was gonna run royal purple through it but 11.00 a quart...no thank you. I put some Lucas (15.00)  in it, injector cleaner (5.00) and filled my tank (56.00)..been expensive weekend!!

 i deal with more women than men in my shop. it's almost like the wife/girlfriend/sister/mother/daughter gets to do the family's errand running anymore.
 i listen intently to anyone that tries to explain what's wrong with their car to me. if they seem like they know what they're trying to get at, but don't know how to get it into words, then i help them a bit.

 the ones i DON'T listen to, are the ones like the guy that dropped off the 97 buick park ave yesterday. he's an engineer. so he was able to diagnose his lack of brake lights to the fault of the brake light switch. he ran on to me about how he ran the 4 ways, then the turn signals, then checked the fuses for each sides brake lights, and that there was no single fuse that controls all the brake lights.
 so i asked him if i should just put in the switch, or diagnose it. you know his answer. so after replacing the switch, and getting the expected results, i called him, and asked if i should diagnose the real cause. that's tomorrow's job now. 

[CAP1]

How much does this position pay.... never been a Head Gasket. If the pay is right I'd like to seal the deal.

Please hurry as the pressure is about to kill me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l1GvDWtccI

[CAP1]

If it got hot enough to come close to stalling, the heads are certainly warped, and probably cracked. Take them and have them magnafluxed for cracks, if they're not cracked, have them milled (as little as possible to get them within 0.002" of perfectly flat), and at least have new valve stem seals put on, as they'll likely be ruined due to heat. Check the block closely for cracks. Be aware that getting it so hot it nearly quit has probably taken the tension out of the rings, so it will probably use a little oil, and be low on power.

Oh, yeah, take the radiator out and have it checked closely, excessive heat and pressure often crack the tanks.

If you're really going to fix it, you might consider a water pump and a thermostat as well.

That thing is probably not worth spending $250 on, unless it is in pristine condition, with low miles, and they love it. That's a job I would require the entire balance up front for if I were doing it, because it isn't worth what it will cost to fix it.

 would you believe i have a custoer with one of those heaps with over 200k? and it looks like every single mile. i've told him to dump it, but he seems to think he can't afford to get something else....yet he can't afford to keep it either.

[Rash]

if it's a choice of spending $1200 or doing it yourselves.......spend the money. you'll thank me later.  1200 for that is cheap.

 that said, i think these engines used to crack cylinder walls near the mating surface.

before you do ANYTHING, check the oil. is it kinda mucky looking? like a chocolate milkshake sort of? if so, there's coolant in the oil. at that point, the bearings are toast.

 i had an 04 thunderchicken in the shop with the 3.9 v8 what a heap o junk. she drove it till it nearly stalled.......with only 39k miles. i can't make her understand that she warped or cracked a cylinder head.

Muck or your engine is making oil?  Something is wrong big.  If it has a little bit of water in the cylinder and it starts and runs.  That initial start of up will knock some flat spots on bearings.  I don't check the dip stick on my truck every time I start it, but I do my boat, if its hasn't been 12 or so hours of not starting it.

[betty]

 

I dont pretend that I know it all, but I was using logical thinking when they told me the rear main and oil pan gasket was leaking. My logical thinking said if that was the case I would have oil spots if not puddles all over my garage floor..the one guy said..ohhh no..rear mains only leak when the vehicle is running and I told him he was full of it cuz my sisters car has a rear main seal leak and it leaks all over my driveway...my fiance...mind you he works with these guys...had his truck fixed no long ago, they said rear main too just to find out it was the transmission seal and something else I cant remember...im just glad Josh is a great guy and mechanic...he will be the only one workin on my car from now on. Hopefully im done putting money into it though, im about to sell it and buy beer if it breaks again!! lol 

i deal with more women than men in my shop. it's almost like the wife/girlfriend/sister/mother/daughter gets to do the family's errand running anymore.
 i listen intently to anyone that tries to explain what's wrong with their car to me. if they seem like they know what they're trying to get at, but don't know how to get it into words, then i help them a bit.

 the ones i DON'T listen to, are the ones like the guy that dropped off the 97 buick park ave yesterday. he's an engineer. so he was able to diagnose his lack of brake lights to the fault of the brake light switch. he ran on to me about how he ran the 4 ways, then the turn signals, then checked the fuses for each sides brake lights, and that there was no single fuse that controls all the brake lights.
 so i asked him if i should just put in the switch, or diagnose it. you know his answer. so after replacing the switch, and getting the expected results, i called him, and asked if i should diagnose the real cause. that's tomorrow's job now. 

[CAP1]

Muck or your engine is making oil?  Something is wrong big.  If it has a little bit of water in the cylinder and it starts and runs.  That initial start of up will knock some flat spots on bearings.  I don't check the dip stick on my truck every time I start it, but I do my boat, if its hasn't been 12 or so hours of not starting it.

 what i meant, is that if enough antifreeze gets into the oil to make it look like muck....then the engine's done. once antifreeze has gotten to the bearings, it's only a matter of time before one lets loose. been there too many times.

[CAP1]

I dont pretend that I know it all, but I was using logical thinking when they told me the rear main and oil pan gasket was leaking. My logical thinking said if that was the case I would have oil spots if not puddles all over my garage floor..the one guy said..ohhh no..rear mains only leak when the vehicle is running and I told him he was full of it cuz my sisters car has a rear main seal leak and it leaks all over my driveway...my fiance...mind you he works with these guys...had his truck fixed no long ago, they said rear main too just to find out it was the transmission seal and something else I cant remember...im just glad Josh is a great guy and mechanic...he will be the only one workin on my car from now on. Hopefully im done putting money into it though, im about to sell it and buy beer if it breaks again!! lol 

 the guy that told you the rear main will only leak whilst it's running was right. but so are you. if it WAS the rear main, then the transmission bellhousing would have oil in it, and as soon as you shut off the engine, the oil would pool in the bottom, and leak all over your driveway. for the rear main to leak, there has to be oil pressure.

 don't sell it if it breaks!!  it's breaking again would be the puurrffect excuse for a v8 conversion!!   

[betty]

the guy that told you the rear main will only leak whilst it's running was right. but so are you. if it WAS the rear main, then the transmission bellhousing would have oil in it, and as soon as you shut off the engine, the oil would pool in the bottom, and leak all over your driveway. for the rear main to leak, there has to be oil pressure.

 don't sell it if it breaks!!  it's breaking again would be the puurrffect excuse for a v8 conversion!!   

Not in a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT silly!! Now, my fiance has a 1995 GMC Jimmy andis tje 2nd owner if it. It has a 4.3 liter 4X4...only has 160,000 miles on it. I told him if that ever went out we are gonna "small block it". Needless to say ive done plenty of those and its not hard. Even put a 454 bb in a 1991 GMC Sonoma 2 WD, 350 turbo trans with a B&M shift kit in it, had a B&M slap shifter in it and spanked a GTO in Saginaw...I miss that truck...stupid tree fell on it. It ws a sleeper though, I loved taking it to get the oil changed. The looks on them guys faces when they pulled the hood pins was priceless!!

[rpm]

Iirc the s.o.p. for a head gasket r&r on a  6.0 PS is to remove the cab to gain access to the head bolts. 

You are correct, Sir.

[CAP1]

Not in a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT silly!! Now, my fiance has a 1995 GMC Jimmy andis tje 2nd owner if it. It has a 4.3 liter 4X4...only has 160,000 miles on it. I told him if that ever went out we are gonna "small block it". Needless to say ive done plenty of those and its not hard. Even put a 454 bb in a 1991 GMC Sonoma 2 WD, 350 turbo trans with a B&M shift kit in it, had a B&M slap shifter in it and spanked a GTO in Saginaw...I miss that truck...stupid tree fell on it. It ws a sleeper though, I loved taking it to get the oil changed. The looks on them guys faces when they pulled the hood pins was priceless!!

 you mean one of the holden gto's? they're easy to beat. not as fast as people think they are.  i almost got a s-10 4x4 from a customer that i was gonna drop a 350 in. she decided that since her son blew up the engine, that he could put a new one in it.....himself.

[betty]

you mean one of the holden gto's? they're easy to beat. not as fast as people think they are.  i almost got a s-10 4x4 from a customer that i was gonna drop a 350 in. she decided that since her son blew up the engine, that he could put a new one in it.....himself.

No...u have to understand..this guy was at a stop light, reving his engine...car was rockin from it..so, I shifted down to first gear,i reve my motor but not as obvious as him. Once the light turned grean I was watchin my rpms...i didnt want to redline and that slap shifter was awesome...when I would manually shift it squeeled the tires, I passed him like he was sittin still. All I did was smile and wave..btw it was an old gto..not sure the year, it was a convertable..nice car though. Just not fast as my truck 

[CAP1]

No...u have to understand..this guy was at a stop light, reving his engine...car was rockin from it..so, I shifted down to first gear,i reve my motor but not as obvious as him. Once the light turned grean I was watchin my rpms...i didnt want to redline and that slap shifter was awesome...when I would manually shift it squeeled the tires, I passed him like he was sittin still. All I did was smile and wave..btw it was an old gto..not sure the year, it was a convertable..nice car though. Just not fast as my truck 

 i like those old pontiacs. my grasnd father had a 67 lemans.

[morfiend]

  Homer,  from the sounds of it it would be cheaper to just swap out the engine with a good used 1.

   Thats providing the owners really cant afford to just dump the car for a new one.



   Many dealers will offer X amount for any car on trade,push,pull or towed in just to sell the inventory.

  The 1200 dollars that the job would cost should get you a good used and maybe even a remaned motor.That to me would be an easier job than trying to fix the boat anchor thats in it now!



   YMMV.


   

[Dimebag]

a reman with a 3 year unlimited mile parts and labor warranty with nationwide coverage (you break down in alaska and you're covered) is $1850 shipped I believe. 

send me a pm if you'd like me to check for you tomorrow