Aosipower

I just blew my headgasket. It was O-ringed and I have ARP headstuds (12mm). I am running an II Silver Bullet at 50+psi. I want to know my best options for a new headgasket. Should I just order another firering kit and replace it like it was. Or I have heard things about the new cometic being good but I'm not sure if I could use that with my machined head (cut for O-rings) What is my best option for redoing the headgasket?? Is there any I haven't mentioned?

Also how involved is the whole process, could I do it myself? I've done everything so far except my clutch and the head job which just blew. I would also like to replace the valve springs with F1's while I am in there. How hard is adjusting/replacing the valve springs? Also do the rockers, pushrods, and studs all have to come out to get the head out. I would assume at least the rockers must come off but I am not sure. When putting in the studs, should they be lock tighted or not?

If anyone could give me a quick synopsis of what is involved in doing a head gasket that would be awesome.

Also suggestions on which gasket / process to use.

Sorry for the long post but I need to get this up and running, any personal experiences would be great!

Thanks,
-Alex

JD Dearden

why did it blow?

Aosipower

I am guessing 50+psi of boost plus increased cylinder pressures due to water meth. Also I am not sure if the shop who did it retorqued it properly. It also blew after I installed the Silver Bullet, mbe that was it. I'm no expert but I have these things contributed.

JD Dearden

I just know alot of guys like myself making 50 to 65 pounds with just head studs and have no problem, I was making 55 pounds with no headwork for 20k miles and not one stock bolt was loose when i put h-11's in

Aosipower

hmmm, I don't know. Like I said I am really no expert. Maybe the 3rd gens are more stout, or maybe the guy who installed mine did not know what he was doing. I do know that my original gasket blew with a stock turbo, so it sounds like maybe those third gens are a little tougher?

JD Dearden

well i am no expert either, but seems like you might have a bigger problem i dont think I would would just put it back together ya know if it was my truck I would take it to a "good" shop for an opinion at least

Aosipower

well that is why I am asking for opinions. Others may chime in but I don't think it is "uncommon" for a head to blow with 55psi and water meth? maybe I am wrong. Like I said i don't think the guy retorqued it, this was the biggest problem. Other than that I would just like to know the best method of redoing the headgasket. The other problem is there are no "good"/ very highly respected shops close to me that I know of, and I can't afford to trailer it a couple states away. Plus I feel like I could do it as long as I know what to expect, unless it is much harder than I expected. I was told 8 hours if you have done it before. I will just take my time.

So if anyone can inform me of how tough this is and the best way to go about it that would be great.

Thanks,
Alex

dieselman2300

Your orings/firerings (not sure on what you exactly have) should hold that boost with the water/meth no problem.
O-rings (if thats what you have) should be good to around 80+ psi.
Firerings (if thats what you have) really have no limits.

Its not a hard jod, changing the Headgasket.
You need to pull the head, which is pretty self explanitory, when you start getting into it.
MAKE sure you send the head to a machine shop and have it checked to make sure its flat. Also, get yourself a GOOD straightedge and set it on the block and check in as many places you can to see if its flat. I am doing my Headgasket right now and I wont be happy until I cant get a .002 feeler gauge under the straightedge.
When your happy with that slap everything back together and torque the studs down to 125#, warm her up and do it again. Keep doing warm up and retorques until the nuts stop moving.
You should be set then.
Oh BTW, you cant use the Cometic gasket if the head is already cut for o-rings or firerings.

stuckey200224

everything has to come off, rockers,push rods and the studs. the valve springs wont be hard to chance when the head is off. just get a service manual and a valve spring compressor read up and go for it. as far as the head gasket. i would take the head off and check it and the block to make sure its straight. its possible it was not torqued properly or not retorqued but id still check it. as far as my exp goes and what ive been told is onece you cut the head for rings your stuck using rings or getting a new head. if it were me i would sent it to a shop like haisley,eep or scheid and have it fireringed instead of oringed theres a big diff in the holding power. also theres really no way to tell what killed the gasket till you take it apart. i could have been the extra boost and water meth. but ive seen orings hold alot more. every truck has a mind of its own. my stock head gasket is holding 70psi of boost with 80,000 miles on it and i dont even have it studded and never retorqued it. hope this helps.

dieselman2300

70psi out of a 62sps?
Your drive pressures have to be through the roof.

Aosipower

Thanks for the info guys, Well he said I have o-rings but he then said that I would need a firering kit to do the "rebuild". He said that the kit comes with the gasket and the rings. What is the difference between O-rings and Firerings, I thought that maybe firerings were cut into both the head and the block and O-rings were just cut into the head. Somebody educate me. And yes either way the head SHOULD have held but I def agree that each truck has a mind of its own and thats what i meant by saying it wasnt totally "uncommon." The head was never retorqued after the first time, I think this could have been the problem.

What else needs to come off of the engine to do the head, fuel lines alternator, turbo, exhaust manifold, what else???

Any other tips/tricks would be great!

bareconst

I guess every truck must have a mind of it's own... A truck with a stock head gasket and no studs holding 70psi must be able to use "mind over matter". I've always been told the stock gasket's gone at around 50psi.

stuckey200224

o-rings push the wire ring into the metal ring that surronds the cylinder in the factory head gasket. when the head is fire ringed you cut the metal ring out of the stock head gasket and put larger rings in the head and the ring in the head does all the way down and seals to the block. that way the fire ring seals the cylinders combustion pressure and all the head gasket seals is water and oil. hope this helps if you know or can find a pic of what a stock gasket looks like haisley has a good pic of a gasket cut for fire rings on there web site.

stuckey200224

yea they probably are but it runs like a scalded dog its held for almost a year. i never figured it would hold either but as soon as the rest of parts get in im fire ringing it cause in tired of worrying.....

JD730

IMPORTANT:
There is a fuel return line at the back of the head, don't forget to unbolt it, its a banjo style fitting.

Leave the alternator on, just unbolt the upper bracket from the head.

Drain and remove hoses and other obvious things, unplug sensors etc...

Unbolt the turbo from the manifold and drop it out of the way.

Pull the fuel lines off as 2 sets of 3 lines. DO NOT take the lines out of the holders. Remove the connector tubes from the head and the injectors.

Pull the intake horn and move the grid heaters out of the way, unbolt the APPS and move that out of the way, fuel filter if its still there gets unbolted from the head.

Remove all the rocker arms and bridges from the valves. Pull the push rods, above the back 2 cylinders there are plastic plugs in the cowling, remove them and the push rods will come out though them.

Remove the nuts and studs.

Pull the head, an engine hoist is almost necessary for this.