MTBSully

Okay so 200 trouble free miles later my Passengers side head gasket blew out again. So i just ordered two Felpro 1074s, Felpro intake gasket set, ARP SBC head bolts and some new header gaskets. I want to do it the right way this time.

The only reason i pulled the head to begin with was to get the remains of a spark plug rethreader out of the cylinder (talk about bad luck). So last time i did NOT do the head gasket becuase of overheating. Plus, in the last 200 miles, i never let the car get above the halfway mark on the gauge. So i know my heads are fine. Why did it blow out again?

This time I will have access to a TA meter, so i am going to torque all to 22ft/lbs first round, then torque the long bolts an additional 80 degrees, and the short bolts an additional 67 degrees. Should i be good to go? Do i need to back off between passes?

Just trying to make sure i don't have to do this a third time, so Im looking for some tips. Also, I know that 1074's bump me to 10.7:1 compression. What is the benefit of this?

Thanks Guys

shoebox

If you do, you ruin the whole point of the T/A method. Do the initial torque, then the added degrees (in the proper sequence, of course and with sealant on the bolt threads). That's it.

seawolf06

Head gaskets are not reusable. That's why it had a problem before.

You will not notice such a small change in compression.

The real benefits will come from a more efficient quench, but not much.

MTBSully

i didnt reuse gaskets. I went to the dealership and bought a brand new gasket.

seawolf06

That's why I thought you didn't change the gasket.

WS6T3RROR

If you didnt have the heads milled so they're flat they were likely warped. Lt1 heads almost always have to be milled to make them flat after use. Without doing this the gaskets will not hold.

If you reused the stock head bolts that is also a mistake, they are torque to yield bolts and are good for one use. Clamping ability is greatly reduced if these were put back in.

LearJet

+1 Get them milled or you will most likely blow the next gasket too.

MTBSully

why would they be warped if the car was never overheated?

Jazsun

I remember you, you were the one who didnt want to do both headgaskets? Are you saying the new GM one which you replaced blew out or one on the other side? If you reused your headbolts on the new gasket blew out...thats your culprit cant do that with TTY bolts. Go ARP and torque them to I belive 70ftlbs using motor oil on the head of the bolts and thread sealant.. Check up on ARP's specs they are diff from factory.

LearJet

It's just standard practice, you don't reuse head bolts, and you don't reinstall aluminum cylinder heads that blew a head gasket with out getting them resurfaced. Hell if they were mine they would get resurfaced and at least a valve job and new seals. But to each his own, you already tried it once and it failed pretty quickly, you shouldn't have to wait too long to see if I was right or not this time around

WS6T3RROR

Because every set I have ever had in my hands that has been run has been warped? Every headporter on here mills the heads every time they get a set as well. The gaskets are hard on the sealing surface, so is the different expansion rates of cast iron and aluminum. So is the 10,000 heat cycles the heads have been through over the last decade. Hot spots in the head expanding more than the cold spots near them. I could do this all day.

Also forget that torque angle bs, just get out the trusty old tq wrench and go to work. Torque them down in 3 steps following the correct pattern, make sure the sealing surface of both the head and the deck is clear of any oil or residue clean enough to eat off of. Make sure you get the gaskets facing the right direction up also.

MTBSully

how much does head resurfacing usually cost? I already have ARP head bolts and it says to put motor oil under the washer of each bolt and then torque to 85ft/lbs. This sound right?

jclark311

1 Get head milled so its flat

2 Check to see if head fits block right, i had a dowel pin from the block that i had to clean up with a file so mine sat flat on the block

3 Clean top of block so its like new, no oil, or antifreeze residue, i finished with alcohol

4 Use a thread chaser, and clean all the threads in the block

5 Use a new gasket with writing facing up

6 New head bolts, with thread sealer on the threads

7 Torque in 3 steps, using 10wt motor oil on the head of the bolt, and washer
i torqued mine to 75ftlbs

Honestly, if you are going to do one, and get it milled, you may as well do both, lloyd charges 750.00 for his LE1 setup, and the heads will be right, you can buy a used cam on here cheap, and you will have a h/c lt1.

http://www.elliottsportworks.com/lt1.html

Jazsun

You dont need to always get them milled, take them to a shop and they will straight edge them and see if they are warped.

^ $750 is a **** ton of money.