arghhhh headgaskets

[xxninja]

hey guys, today is just not my day
as you can tell by my post, i blew out my passenger side head gasket
so now i gotta fix it,
well bout a year anda half ago i had freshened up my heads and installed new felpro headgaskets


so basically i am asking for some advice, i know i can do it again, i am just dreading this way 2 much.

i hear the stockers gaskets were quite messy. what about the felpros?
can ya gimme some info on what kind of headgaskets i should use on an 85 GN with no intercooler setup.

and could you please give me some advice as to the proper cleaning methods to remove the debris from the block, etc


thanx guy
argh im frustrated
i think mr budwiser and his 11 lil friends will be stopping by inna few

 

[cool 84]

Stock steel shim headgaskets work best and are the cheapest. Spray some ultra copper or use the GE sealant everyone uses and be done with headgasket problems. I use a razor blade to clean the deck surface. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get the head surface touched up. The standard Felpros pretty much suck. If you are set on using a composite gasket, use the stock 86-87 gaskets.

 

[6SENSE]

Originally posted by cool 84
.........If you are set on using a composite gasket, use the stock 86-87 gaskets.

GM86/87 or Felpro part#1000. Dont use the Felpros that they will sell you at the parts store (part# 8723PT-1, I think). They are just normal .231 gaskets.
I used the '84 steelshims with ge1200 sealant and worked fine. Unfortuneately that motor came out and I didnt really feel like messing with the steelshims and "goop" this time so I went with GM86/87 gaskets. I used GM86/87 gaskets in the past as well and have never had any issues with them. It was early on in my TR experience and went through lots of KR, etc. I had taken the motor apart after a couple years of abuse to do some upgrades and the gaskets looked perfect. There is some difference in thicknessess with these various gaskets. For exact info do a search. Steel shim are the thinnest at about .019 compressed, then the FP1000 in the .035 area, and finally the GM86/87 at .060 compressed. Again I am just guessing and going on memory (or lack of) here, so if your interested do a search. Lee Thompson supplied the info in the past. There may be some slight change in compression depending on which one is used. However, especially with the age of these vehicles and knowing that the heads have probably been resurfaced before (once or twice), I dont know how big a deal there really is with using a thicker gasket. I really do not notice any difference in gas mileage with the thinner or thicker gaskets (when your foots in it all the time its gonna drink anyway ). Definately no loss in performance (times are steadily getting better). Little lower compression may let you run a bit more boost and may be safer, IMO (could have sworn most turbo cars are set up to run lower base compression). I think Leeo likes the FP1000's, if I recall.

 

[xxninja]

ok so, just go to the buick dealership and get the headgaskets for an 86/87 turbo buick then?

they were only made out of one type of material? Steel, correct?


appreciate the help


brian



off to the garage

 

[6SENSE]

84/85 GM gaskets are the steel ones. The 86/87 ones are composite and the part# is...................25528486.

part # for 84/85 steel shim is 25524599.

 

[jadams]

i just blow the passager head gasket to . im going to use the 84 head gaskets . i dont care for the 86/87s . but that just me

 

[cool 84]

If we lived a little closer I would give you a steel shim gasket. I somehow ended up with an extra one still in the package and can't use it with the 4.1. Shipping would probably cost more than the gasket itself though.

The 1000s are good, they have held up in my dad's stageII and I'm giving them a try in my 4.1 but they are very expensive.

 

[jadams]

the only good thing about mine blow is the i seen my timing chain was missing just about all the teeth . 206XXX miles and no one ever been in the motor


jason