question about head gaskets/bolts
question about head gaskets/bolts i'm gonna have to pull the head(s) because i'm fairly certain i have at least one blown head gasket. however, there may be some damage to the valvetrain as well. i'll inspect the parts once the head(s) are off, but if i can't see any signs of damage to anything else, i want to be able to just bolt it all back up and test it to see if the gasket(s) are the cause of the ticking in my engine.
if i bolt everything back up with the new head gasket and start it up for less than a minute, just to see if the ticking is still there, and it turns out that there is still a problem, would i be fine with re-using the gasket(s)/bolts since they would not have really been fully heat cycled, or do i need to get new ones again?
the head gaskets are $45 each and the head bolt sets are $24 each, and in the grand scheme of things, either $69 or $138 (depending on whether i have to replace one or both sides twice) is not much, but i'd rather not have to add that expense twice if i don't have to. that seems like a pretty expensive test just to find out whether or not the gasket(s) are the only cause of the ticking.
if i bolt everything back up with the new head gasket and start it up for less than a minute, just to see if the ticking is still there, and it turns out that there is still a problem, would i be fine with re-using the gasket(s)/bolts since they would not have really been fully heat cycled, or do i need to get new ones again?
the head gaskets are $45 each and the head bolt sets are $24 each, and in the grand scheme of things, either $69 or $138 (depending on whether i have to replace one or both sides twice) is not much, but i'd rather not have to add that expense twice if i don't have to. that seems like a pretty expensive test just to find out whether or not the gasket(s) are the only cause of the ticking.
Well the head bolts are tty (torque to yield) so once you torque them down and they stretch that's what is providing the clamping force is the stretch of the bolt.
So once you take them off they lose that stretch clamping force because all the tension is gone! So that's a no go on reusing!
As far as head gaskets, I can't see that as the problem of you ticking, I bet you have a turned lifter or collapsed one, bent pushrod, or a broken rocker...
My 114,000 stock engine broke a rocker and the pushrod bent like an L shape and made tapping ever so slightly
It's the risk you take with tty bolts, that's why a lot of people immediately upgrade to ARP head bolts for $120 because they are reusable
As far as your head gaskets, as long as they don't heat cycle and the built in seal hasn't melted then I guess you can reuse... You could always keep a can of copper permatex spray handy and do a light coat to both side upon re installation of the gaskets
So once you take them off they lose that stretch clamping force because all the tension is gone! So that's a no go on reusing!
As far as head gaskets, I can't see that as the problem of you ticking, I bet you have a turned lifter or collapsed one, bent pushrod, or a broken rocker...
My 114,000 stock engine broke a rocker and the pushrod bent like an L shape and made tapping ever so slightly
It's the risk you take with tty bolts, that's why a lot of people immediately upgrade to ARP head bolts for $120 because they are reusable
As far as your head gaskets, as long as they don't heat cycle and the built in seal hasn't melted then I guess you can reuse... You could always keep a can of copper permatex spray handy and do a light coat to both side upon re installation of the gaskets
Last edited by Burken01; May 2, 2013 at 10:52 AM.
i've already got the valve covers off and at this point, i'm pretty certain i've got a busted head gasket...now i just need to find out if there's anything else messed up in there....
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that will be happening this weekend, though....i'll be providing updates as i have them.
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