Cylinder head gasket replacement job

[Andrew Koetz]

I will be changing the thermostat first to see if the temp gauge drops, as it's pegged at 260 after about 10-15 minutes driving. This would be my first rodeo changing the head gaskets. I have no garage as I will be doing this in my driveway & my truck is my DD currently as I have no backup vehicle. If I do a headgasket changeout I will be doing it when I have a few days off from work.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Cool story bro.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[fast 99]

Was it diagnosed? Just because it was 260 doesn't automatically mean a bad head gasket. Could have other issues such as clogged radiator, cracked head, not full of coolant, incorrect gauge reading, ect.

 

[75gmck25]

I’m not sure if it’s one of the tools you can borrow from the parts store, but there is a tester that looks for exhaust gas in the antifreeze. If you find exhaust there, that is a sure sign of a blown head gasket.

 

[rusted nuts]

I will be changing the thermostat first to see if the temp gauge drops, as it's pegged at 260 after about 10-15 minutes driving. This would be my first rodeo changing the head gaskets. I have no garage as I will be doing this in my driveway & my truck is my DD currently as I have no backup vehicle. If I do a headgasket changeout I will be doing it when I have a few days off from work.

I would be damn sure the head gaskets were bad before I replaced them

 

[Ricko1966]

You should have more symptoms than just running hot. Is it using coolant,blowing white smoke,milkshake looking oil,a miss,pressurizing the cooling system. Hot temp gauge,but cold heater. I've never seen a bad head gasket that got hot but had no other symptom.

 

[fast 99]

A quick and dirty test I use is loading the engine with a radiator pressure gauge attached. Only works with automatics. Pump the gauge up to about 5 lbs. Power brake the engine 1/4 throttle or so for 10-15 seconds. Pressure will increase a little may be a couple pounds, that's normal. However, if the pressure spikes 5-10 lbs or more a deeper diagnosis is justified.

 

[Ricko1966]

Most people don't have a pressure tester. Same test clamp a rubber glove around the radiator filler cap with rubber band,same see if the glove blows up. There are a bunch of backyard tests. First check the accuracy of your gauge,then look for more symptoms. Then it's time to start actual diagnosis.

 

[GTX63]

I will be changing the thermostat first to see if the temp gauge drops, as it's pegged at 260 after about 10-15 minutes driving. This would be my first rodeo changing the head gaskets. I have no garage as I will be doing this in my driveway & my truck is my DD currently as I have no backup vehicle. If I do a headgasket changeout I will be doing it when I have a few days off from work.

Follow a list of trouble shooters to confirm you have a bad head gasket. Lots of simple problems were missed with complicated repairs.
If you are certain it is a gasket, O Reillys sells several versions of Head Gasket In A Can (what I call it) that you can pour in the radiator for a guy who needs to get his truck back on the road pronto.

 

[Andrew Koetz]

Thanks; I will have to do that. Lucky for me I only work 10 minutes from home; city street driving, no highway.

 

[Andrew Koetz]

I just added another quart f 10w30 to the truck the other day & no "chocolate milk" oil. It is due for a change here in about a week. I have noticed the radiator a little bit on the low side after a few days of driving. Is it possible the coolant could be getting burned right away & not reaching the crankcase if there is a head gasket problem?????

 

[Andrew Koetz]

I am thinking on putting a ground between the temp gauge and the firewall to see if that makes the gauge settle down. I did install a new temp sender a couple months ago; the same time I swapped the temp gauge

 

[Travlr]

I will be changing the thermostat first to see if the temp gauge drops, as it's pegged at 260 after about 10-15 minutes driving. This would be my first rodeo changing the head gaskets. I have no garage as I will be doing this in my driveway & my truck is my DD currently as I have no backup vehicle. If I do a headgasket changeout I will be doing it when I have a few days off from work.

Whatever you do don't use those 3M discs to clean the surfaces. They will put bearing eating material in the oil galley and it's likely you will lose the bottom end if it gets down in the bottom end.

 

[Ricko1966]

I just added another quart f 10w30 to the truck the other day & no "chocolate milk" oil. It is due for a change here in about a week. I have noticed the radiator a little bit on the low side after a few days of driving. Is it possible the coolant could be getting burned right away & not reaching the crankcase if there is a head gasket problem?????

A head gasket doesn't always cause milkshake,doesn't necessarily always cause overheating either. It depends on where it is blown. Do you have any other symptoms other than a high temp gauge. Personally I think your gauge isn't working right. I'd expect the thing to have boiled over several times by now if you really are at 260 all the time. Losing coolant can be a leaking head gasket,check the level repeatedly,make sure you are losing coolant.

 

[Rusty Nail]

*lookin at you temp sender*

Why were you messin with the temp sender dude? Does the truck drive funny? Is it overheating?