Head Gaskets

[ekinzie]

Hey guys...long time listener, first time caller! I've been on this site as an "observer" since I got my 94 Camaro, 3.4L 6 banger. A few little things here and there prompted me to get on this site.

Now I got serious issues. I'm a motorhead myself so I have a pretty good idea what the problem is just looking for some input.

A few weeks ago, I noticed the car getting hot and blowing cold air. The passenger side carpet was wet so I figured it was a leaky htr core. Kept having to fill up the radiator. Took it to the shop for a pressure/dye test, replace the thermostat and system flush. They said everything looked good (no leaks) but the problem persisted. Took it to a Chevy dealer who said the excess white steam coming from the tailpipe looks like a blown head gasket. Thats kind of where I was leaning next but theres no water in the oil or vice versa. They figure its leaking into the cylinder and just burning out the exhaust.

Most folks want between $700 & $1000 to pull the heads and replace gaskets. I could do it myself but I don't have a garage or much free time. I've pulled heads while the engine was in the car before but it was a Cutlass and I had plenty of room to work. For the money, I'd almost be better off getting another long block and doing a quick swap!

Any suggestions on how best to tackle this? Sound like head gaskets? Any good step by step guides for getting heads off this engine while its still shoehorned into the engine compartment?!

Thanks in advance...
Eric

[pennylessz28]

Funny you should mention this.

I had alot of radiator fluid on my drivers side passenger floor. It was a broken heater core. Needless to say, I bypassed it half assed, and my car kept over heating.

No matter how much water I put in, it over heated. And I couldn't see anything leaking from the heads, but the car over heated within 10 mins of being turned on.

Everyone online said it was a sign of a blown head gasket. I eventually had white smoke coming out the tail pipes as well.

Turned out my heater core lead to the orginal over heating and that lead to blown head gaskets.

I'll be honest, I dropped my engine to do this.

I didn't pull it out, I dropped it out the bottom. Why? Becuase its 6 bolts and out comes engine and transmission, craddle and all.

I did pull the heads off with the engine in the car at first, but this was easier and allowed me to torque things down and work around the engine on a stoll.

http://www.michiganspeed.com/enginepull/ << This is the tutorial I used, its pretty simple, and with some help you can do it yourself.