Please Walk Me Thru a Proper Head Gasket Job

[Blown&Injected]

UPDATE:

Engine is out and apart.
Rob, thanks for the intake gasket tip. Earl, I was feeling like...not too smart while driving when I knew it was a bad engine deal going on, but as soon as I got the head off, that was the first thing I looked at and everything looks fine.

I only found a tiny bit of what I believe is graphite from the head gasket in the oil pan. I am thinking Just the gasket and a change of fluid - like the dealer would do under warranty - would be fine.

BUT
I have taken so long to get to this point that there is a slight bit of flash rust in the a few cylinders so I am thinking I might do a hone and new rings and bearings??? Maybe a new cam???

Engine is already 40 over so I should do some measuring first??? How much will a hone take out of a cylinder?

sorry for all the questions - I just do not know when to draw the line...

 

[earlbrown]

Flash rust is pretty much just cosmetic. It'll knock off in milliseconds (or probably get removed with ATF/MMO and a rag.


Now to answer your important question of 'how much hone to get a cylinder right'.... That's a case by case with no one right answer. I made a set of pistons last week for a .040 block that got pretty scratched up. It had to go .047 to get clean and the machinist wanted .003 for a final hone. So I made a set that were .050 and everythings good to go now.

 

[Blown&Injected]

You made??? What is that about? I have made some serious stuff but a piston is pretty far out for makin' stuff.
Pardon me if I'm getting too personal but do you work for a MFR we might recognize?

About how much for a custom piston? It was long ago but I seem to recall things were looser than I would have liked when the machine shop had it last time when it went to 40 over - and I did get all the parts thru the machine shop so they had all that was needed to make it right.

Damn it - this site is like going to Costco, now you have me thinking about new rods. I mean ya can't just hang old OEM rods on a custom piston

 

[jbeier]

Head studs are gonna be a major pain with the engine in the car, especially on the passenger side. Impossible if you have AC.

 

[earlbrown]

You made??? What is that about? I have made some serious stuff but a piston is pretty far out for makin' stuff.
Pardon me if I'm getting too personal but do you work for a MFR we might recognize?

About how much for a custom piston? It was long ago but I seem to recall things were looser than I would have liked when the machine shop had it last time when it went to 40 over - and I did get all the parts thru the machine shop so they had all that was needed to make it right.

Damn it - this site is like going to Costco, now you have me thinking about new rods. I mean ya can't just hang old OEM rods on a custom piston

Probably wouldn't reconize them. Ever heard of Wayne Brooks (he's the guy that made JE Pistons and sold the company. His non-compete clause has expired)?

The generally run around $100 a hole depending on options and forgings. I run OEM rods on my slugs, but I did float the little end so I didn't have to run a press fit.