Getting ready to do a self Head gasket Job

[caddypete]

I think your decision to go to studs instead of bolts is a good choice. I firmly believe you get a more accurate torque on a stud and your stud is already fully seated in the sert before you put any torque to it, less chance of disturbing the sert

[sprinter10]

Yea It looks like a lot of guys got the inserts to work and the reason why they would wanna do it again is just because they already have the kit and it is a lot cheaper for them then buying the stud kit. I have not read about anyone having any problems with the studs and im shure if there was its because of a bad block that was not suitable for repair anyway.

[sprinter10]

I was planning on doing the shure grip studes made by northstar performance. http://www.northstarperformance.com/sgstuds.php That way not dealing with any inserts at all and it also grabs 2 inches of material unlike the 1 inch that inserts are grabbing into. If its good enough for a 600+ performance motor should be more then good enough for a daily driver.

[BodybyFisher]

I like the stud solution also, while keeping in mind that the timesert solution was developed by GM for the NS. At one point we had a discount from Northstar Performance for the studs, not sure if its still in effect.

Here is Jakes current situation:

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/northstar-performance-technical-discussion/217407-no-cost-hg-replacement-job-hopefully.html

In that link above is reference to a customer who is very upset with their performance, this is a link to that customer

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-forum/t-217802.html

[CarlaValentine]

I just want to throw this in here in regards to the statement about hg failure being a "plague" on the Northstar. My car is a 1994 with well over 165,000 miles on it (over 25k from me alone). I bought it a little over a year ago for 500$ in good running condition. I bought it with little being known about it's past maintenance. All I REALLY knew was what was on the carfax. It was dealer maintained until 2005, then maintained through a small town shop. It has had a few comparatively minor issues, but all together I have put about 600$ into it. Parts included in that are new front coil springs, new front wheel bearings, new catalytic converter, new spark plugs and wires, new brake pads, and a new MAP sensor. In then end I have an 1,100$ car in very good condition. It has only overheated on me ONCE since I have owned it, due to a clogged cat, but I have no idea how many times it COULD have been overheated before I got it.

My point is that in my opinion, my car would be a good candidate for hg failure given the very little maintenance that WAS listed on the Carfax report, but my head gaskets are FINE!

Another thing that has been mentioned in the past is that people don't go online to brag about how well their cars run. They go online to talk about and get info on their car's problems. So of course we would see more people talking about their head gaskets failing than about how their head gaskets HAVEN'T failed, thus making it seem that the failure rate is much higher than it actually is.

*end rant*

As far as your hg repair, I also think it's a good choice to go with the stud kit. IF I ever have to do mine, I will save up the money for the studs as well. I have yet to see a case where studs have failed on a REPAIRABLE block.

[BodybyFisher]

This is an interesting article

http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/hardware/head-stud-bolts

[crich8136]

Your engine does not have a timing belt. It has chains that are good for the life of the engine. No need to change them.

If you are into the engine as far as the timing chain, there are some plastic guides on the tensioners that can wear out. You might want to check those. But I wouldn't bother with them unless I was already that far into the engine or I suspected a problem.

crich8136

[Ranger]

Those to are supposed to last near forever per the old Guru.

[KHE]

Your engine does not have a timing belt. It has chains that are good for the life of the engine. No need to change them.

If you are into the engine as far as the timing chain, there are some plastic guides on the tensioners that can wear out. You might want to check those. But I wouldn't bother with them unless I was already that far into the engine or I suspected a problem.

crich8136

The chain guides will exhibit some wear from the outside portions of the chains but it is usually very minor - no reason to replace the guides as the new ones will have the same, slight wear marks after a few hunderd miles.

The pad on the intermediate chain (the chain that goes from the crankshaft to the intermediate sprocket) tensioner has a tendency to wear due to the angle that it contacts the chain. If the pad is worn to the point where the chain could be rubbing on the metal piece that retains the nylon pad, then I'd replace that tensioner.

[joeb]

very rare to have guide issues or failing tensioners. a friend has a 2005 altima V6 that needs new tensioner/guides. a very pricey job at dealer. how do you inspect a tensioner? not a lot to look at. a guide might have abnormal wear marks but that should be easier to spot.

[sprinter10]

This is an interesting article

http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/hardware/head-stud-bolts

Awsome article a lot of good information. And at te bottom it refers to a Magazine I get and have been getting about Circle track that has a lot of engine information in it every month so I thought that was cool to It looks like studs is the clear winner since the engine has to come out of the car to do the job anyway.

[KHE]

very rare to have guide issues or failing tensioners. a friend has a 2005 altima V6 that needs new tensioner/guides. a very pricey job at dealer. how do you inspect a tensioner? not a lot to look at. a guide might have abnormal wear marks but that should be easier to spot.

You look at the wear marks in the tensioner pad. If the grooves are so deep that they are almost through the nylon pad, replace the tensioner. As I stated above, the only tensioner that may have an issue is the one on the intermediate chain due to the angle of the pad to the chain.

The long nylon guides are good for several engine lifetimes.