86 2.2 Turbo I Head Gasket Just Went Out!! Quick fix

[Downoninit]

I know this is a dumb question, but I can't afford a gasket set and new head bolts right now (And new timing belt, when I fix a head I always put a new one on). But does any one know of a way to fix it just for a few weeks till I can't get the money. Maybe some additive one of you guys trust?

- - - Updated - - -

I drove it just a block or two after it started smoking and now I went out to start it and it's already seized up!

[tman1999]

napa offers an additive called blue devil it is guaranteed as long as you do it by the directions. it is kinda expensive but i have heard it works!

[shadow88]

Head gaskets are cheap. Try the lift and slide method if you're looking for a quick fix. People that are experinced in that method of head gasket replacement are capable of completeing the job in less than 2 hours. Change the timing belt another time.

I'm never a firm believer in "mechanic in a can" products. If it can seal a failed heat gasket, it can seal up your heater core and radiator as well. There's only one way to fix a failed head gasket.

[Downoninit]

How do I get it unseized saftly?

[shadow88]

Remove the spark plugs and roll it over by hand. Odds are, the pressurised coolant has filled a cylinder with coolant while the engine was off. Are you familiar with the lift and slide method?

[Downoninit]

Lift and slide method is that where you unbolt it and pick it up just abit?

[cordes]

Lift and slide method is that where you unbolt it and pick it up just abit?

yeah. You'll still want to make sure that you get it held up enough to clean the surface IMO.

[shadow88]

Yes, but you must be careful to get the alignment tabs fully pressed down on the head gasket and make sure you don't kink the oil drainback tube. I'll type out the basics.

Before you start you will need an inductive timing light, a large bar or pipe, an old short belt, some blocks of wood, a timing belt tensioner tool and a torque wrench beyond normal metric hand tools and a jack and safety stands.

Drain the coolant and set the engine to TDC #1. This is varified with the timing window on the transmission. See that the timing mark is pointed at 0degrees timing and the camshaft oval should be pointing between the 2nd and third valley on aluminum valve covers, or the rubber nipple on stamped steel valve covers. Also varify ignition timing by removing the distributer cap. The rotor should be pointing at #1 on the distributer, or aproximately #2 spark plug on the head.

Loosen the timing tensioner bolt and slide the timing belt off the cam sprocket.

Remove the valve cover (may have to remove throttle linkage in tbi and possibly suck through set ups (it's been a while...)

Personally, I like to remove the oil drainback tube from the turbo so it cannot kink. I also prefer to drain the coolant at the port at the back of the block feed to the turbo.

Remove thermostat nut that secures the dip stick tube and set aside.

Remove the oil feed line to the turbo from the oil manifold.

Remove a/c bolts that go into the head if a/c equipped.

Remove any charge piping or air boxes that are towards the driver's side of the head.

Remove the ground strap from the rear of the intake to the firewall.

Remove head bolts.

Loop a belt or strap between the cam cap between cylinder #2 and #3 and slide in the pipe or bar through the loop. Support the bar with wood to not damage any plastic parts. Lift the head and secure it with blocks of wood.

Remove head gasket and install new gasket after carefully wiping out any coolant or oil from the cylinders with a rag. *I'm in no way responsible for injuries or loss of blood during any step in this repair.****

Once the new head gasket is in the alignment tabs, carefully lower the head onto the dowels and install head bolts and torque to specs. 45 foot pounds +1/4 turn for m10 bolts and 65+ 1/4 turn for m11 bolts.

The opposite to put it back together. re-time to TDC and set igniton advance to 12 degree BTDC with coolant sensor unplugged. Set the timing belt tension with the proper tool and use the weight of the tool to dictate proper tension.

That's about the basics.

- - - Updated - - -

Feel free to correct me if I missed anything on the basics. It's been a while for me.

[tryingbe]

I drove it just a block or two after it started smoking and now I went out to start it and it's already seized up!

There is no quick fix for you. Do it right or risk a dead engine.

[minigts]

There is no quick fix for you. Do it right or risk a dead engine.

Agreed. You CAN reuse the head bolts, so you don't need to buy those unless they are stretched out. You can do a quick test to see if they are by placing the threads next to each other and if they don't line up, the that bolt is stretched. Not a prefect method, but if you are trying to save a few bucks, that will help. There are many guys on the forum who have reused head bolts without failure, well immediate failure. The gasket isn't that much is it?

[turismolover22]

I thought the hg torque was 45-65-95

[shadow88]

My FSM says 1/4 turn.

[85boostbox]

45-45-65-1/4 turn

[shadow88]

If we really need to split hairs, my FSM says 45-65-65-1/4 turn.

[turbovanman²]

If you must do the slip and slide, you'll need to blow out the head bolt holes as they will fill up with oil/coolant, if you don't do that, you will crack the block.

I've never ever seen any gimmick fix a leaking head gasket in my 25+ years of being in the trade.

[Downoninit]

I had two guys trying to lift the head up and it wouldn't budge So I'm trying to take the exhaust manifold and intake manifold off but I don't seem to have the right tools. What all tools do I need?

[cordes]

That's not necessary. You need to look for the reason it won't come up.

[turbovanman²]

I had two guys trying to lift the head up and it wouldn't budge So I'm trying to take the exhaust manifold and intake manifold off but I don't seem to have the right tools. What all tools do I need?

Easier to remove manifold with the head off the car. Bet they didn't remove the turbo brace.

[Downoninit]

I'm new to turbo's I've owned a few 2.2 but I have no clue of what the turbo brace and I did a quick pic search and so far nothing

[cordes]

There is a brace from the back of the turbine housing to the base of the block.