camaro1185

iTrader: (2)

This winter the engine will be coming out. It runs excellent (85K Miles), no head gasket leaks feels like its got lots of power (dyno’ed low though) but it leaks oil from ever gasket and puffs blue smoke at start up and on occasion when I take off.

I am wondering how far should I go with replacing parts while the engine in out.

Heads:
Since no head gasket leaks, should I even bother getting them magnafluxed (checked for cracks) and decked.

Since they will be stripped to replace the seals, should I replace the valve springs?

Oil Pump:
I always have great oil pressure – 40-45PSI at cold idle and around 30ish at warm idle. When accelerating it goes up (obviously). In fact when on a very cold day it will max out the gauge and on an occasion go past. I run Mobil conventional 10W-40.


Lastly, what bolts should be replaced? Head bolts, intake bolts etc

Bowtie316

iTrader: (1)

Heads:
Since no head gasket leaks, should I even bother getting them magnafluxed (checked for cracks) and decked. I wouldn't bother unless you know it has been hot or if you want to upgrade.

Since they will be stripped to replace the seals, should I replace the valve springs?It certainly wouldn't be a bad idea to have them checked, age and use can cause them to loos pressure, although the TPI might not rev out enough for you to ever notice valve float.

Oil Pump:
I always have great oil pressure – 40-45PSI at cold idle and around 30ish at warm idle. When accelerating it goes up (obviously). In fact when on a very cold day it will max out the gauge and on an occasion go past. I run Mobil conventional 10W-40.Oil pressure is more of an indicator of rod/main bearing clearance than oil pump condition. Unless you have run trash through the pump, I wouldn't bother.


Lastly, what bolts should be replaced? Head bolts, intake bolts etcI personally wouldn't bother replacing these bolts either, unless you're going with a power adder.

camaro1185

iTrader: (2)

I guess I should have stated its a Iroc camaro. They tend to run hot, and mine does run hot...never in the red but up into the 230ish range when in stop and go traffic in a 100+ degree day with the ac on. With no ac, it runs 180 degrees. So it runs warm at times but nothing past what the factory designed it for.

Bowtie316

iTrader: (1)

If you plan to pull the heads then by all means have them checked out. I assumed you were going to replace seals with the heads still installed. But..... if you're not burning anti-freeze I wouldn't bother.

camaro1185

iTrader: (2)

Thats the million dollar question I guess. I don't seem to have any coolant leaks and no milky oil, however the level in the overflow drops about every 1500-2000 miles where I top it off to the cold line.

Bowtie316

iTrader: (1)

Well its about a $200 dollar question because thats about all it would cost for head gaskets and magna flux job.

Why not 6.0 now? If you're pulling the L98, then you'll already be doing about 3/4 the work.

camaro1185

iTrader: (2)

According to the machine shop. its 450. That includes stripping the heads, magna fluxing them, cleaning them, decking them, lapping the valves, and re assembly with the new springs, seals, locks and retainers. All in all its about a 700 dollar job to fresh up the heads.....when I spell it out it almost doesn't seem worth it for a 200 HP motor.

As for the 6.0L, I'm getting married, trying to do this on a budget.

Bowtie316

iTrader: (1)

I don't see any reason to have any of that head work done. You can get new cheap aluminum heads for about that much. The most I would do is a compression test and leak down test, if that shows no issue I would replace valve seals with heads installed and even engine in car for that matter. What gaskets are leaking? If you don't have rear main and or oil pan gasket leaking I wouldn't pull the motor at all.

rick90gta

my suggestion is go the simple route. iron head l98's rarely have head gasket problems. you can buy a valve spring checker and check your springs while you do your valve seals. if your rear main seal isn't leaking i'd even leave the engine in the car. valve covers and intake valley seals are what usually leaks, sometimes the front crank seal and sometimes the oil filter adapter.
the only real reason i can see for yanking the heads is if the valve seals have been leaking a long time and have gunked up the valves. if you do take them off, maybe you should shop around on your machine shop. i do cylinder heads all the time at work and a cleaning, magnafluxing and spring check usually runs about 60-75 bucks a head for me. you really won't need valves unless you have something drastic going on

camaro1185

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the info guys, i will keep it in mind for when I do pull the motor.

After much thought and talking to a few different people I think I have decided to hold off on pulling the motor for a couple reasons, 1st in the past couple years I have lost all interest in wrenching on the car. I think if I was pulling it to put in a high performance motor that would be different but to pull it and re seal my 180HP motor seems pointless. 2nd is spending money on this motor is pointless to me again to put back in a 180hp boat anchor. 3. I think I know exactly where the leaks are coming from, the drip of oil on the bottom of oil filter makes me think its either the oil pressure sensor or the oil cooler above the filter. I can also be the RMS but that will be replaced again when I do the clutch.

As for doing the headers (dont know if i mentioned it, that was another consecration to pull the motor easier header install), i haven't decided if I will do those. I have been wrenching on them since throughout the winter, and have removed all but the last couple bolts on by the firewall. Frankly I don't see how it is possible to do it with an AC box in there. I have made tools bent tool etc and still cant get to the bolt.

As I said I am really loosing interest in wrenching on the car, I just don't enjoy it anymore. I'm going to get it up and running again and just drive it, its fate will be determined at a later date.