Head Gasket Replacement

If you’ve got a leaking head gasket in your vehicle, head gasket replacement and doing any accompanying machine work is the best way to get your motor back in good working condition.  If that isn’t an option for your vehicle financially or otherwise, consider using BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer to stop your head gasket leak and keep your car on the road!

If you’re ready to tackle a head gasket job yourself, this video will help you step by step in getting this apart and back together!  The process should be similar for most longitudinal “V” style engines with overhead camshafts. If your engine has a pushrod style camshaft or is an “L” style motor it will simplify the process significantly as you won’t have to remove any timing components or in a straight 4 or straight 6 motor you will only have 1 head to remove.

Before you start your head gasket replacement we recommend taking lots of pictures of the motor before you take it apart to help with reassembly.  It’s also important to label electrical connectors, vacuum lines, and any other hoses and fitting. Similarly, it’s important to remember where fasteners came from so it can be helpful to draw maps, put them in labeled baggies or have a large work surface you’re sure won’t be disturbed where you can put them in order and label them.  Now you’re ready to start!!

Head Gasket Replacement:

1. Drain the coolant from the radiator and engine block
2. Remove any accessories, brackets, and manifolds attached to the heads
3. Remove the valve covers and head bolts, then remove the cylinder heads
4. Measure the block and cylinder head for flatness
5. Reinstall the cylinder heads with new gaskets
6. Reinstall accessories, brackets, and manifolds and refill the cooling system.

Measuring the Engine Block and Cylinder Heads for Flatness

In this video, you can see the head gaskets we took out of the motor are intact and not blown but there was still a leak because the cylinder heads warped due to overheating.  Most cylinder heads these days are made from aluminum which can expand significantly at higher temperatures. This can cause the cylinder head to look like a frown (not visibly, but if measured end to end you can find it warped) and where it arches on the middle cylinders it will allow coolant to flow past the gasket into the cylinder.

If your heads or block are warped, a new head gasket won’t stop the leak so make sure to measure both for flatness.  For more information on how to do that, check out this article from Engine Builder’s Magazine.

If it makes more sense for your car to use BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer, you can find it at one of your local auto parts stores like:

• AutoZone
• Advance Auto Parts
• Bennett Auto Supply
• CarQuest Auto Parts
• NAPA Auto Parts
• O’Reilly Auto Parts
• Pep Boys
• Fast Track
• Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts Specialists
• S&E Quick Lube Distributor
• DYK Automotive
• Fisher Auto Parts stores
• Auto Plus Auto Parts stores
• Hovis Auto & Truck Supply stores
• Salvo Auto Parts
• Advantage Auto Stores
• Genuine Auto Parts stores
• Bond Auto Parts stores
• Tidewater Fleet Supply
• Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts
• Any Part Auto Parts
• Consumer Auto Parts

Pictures Provided By:

head_gasket.jpg – By Malkovstock – Licensed by Getty Images – Original Link