[Philly]

The other day I started up my mustang and it didn't want to start up and started shooting white smoke out of the tailpipe when it did. Checked it, and of course there's coolant pouring out too. Someone told me it was either the intake gasket or the head gasket, and hoping for the best I went in and replaced the intake gasket. Took me 3 days, a couple hours each day. Just my luck, it didn't fix it. I looked closer at the tailpipe and the coolant's gushing out, and since I don't wanna go through getting it wrong again. how can you tell if it's the gasket or the heads themselves? Plus, how much does it cost to get these things fixed? I dunno if I wanna take apart the whole enginge again

[97TunedMustang]

i hate to say it but that definately sounds like a severely blown head gasket. If you cant do it yourself or you dont have a friend to do it for you, its going to cost you more then likely an arm and a leg. Just hope the head isnt cracked but that may also be a possibility. if you thought doing the intake was fun the heads are a whole nother story.

[232stang]

its not cheap at all.

[chevy_killer]

would the car even start if the head was cracked

[Juggalo_X]

yes the car would start with a cracked head
i had a cracked head that went from the intake port on cylinder #4 to the spark plug hole and when they removed the head it was in 2 peaces... and as for it gushing out that much antifreeze im going to say ur going to need an engine flush thats IF its not to late and the antifreeze thats probably sittin in ur crank case hasnt ruined your main bearings your rods and your crank and oil pump. and probably lifters too.

[stephen]

What year is it? Earlier V6 engines were very prone to failed head gaskets. Later engines used a multilayer steel (MLS) gasket and were much less likely to fail.

To answer your questions. A machine shop can pressure test the heads to check for cracks or they may be able to see them if they are severe.

A few points on removing and replacing the heads.

1. The head bolts are tight, you will need a breaker bar and probably a length of pipe to remove them. The bolts are stretch type and need to be replaced with new.

2. While the heads are out get a valve job and probably at least new exhaust guides. The heads need to be surfaced to a very strict tolerance on the finish for MLS gaskets. Also carefully clean and check the block surface.

3. Torque everything to specs.

4. Change the oil since it may have coolant in it.

I used a victor gasket set which I believe is the original equipment manufacturer.

It cost ~$480 for machine work and the gasket set/new head bolts.

[stephen]

If you have a cracked head this is a source for a rebuilt good one

http://www.adccylinderheads.com/site...oduct/CH-207-F

[itschristorres8]

how expensive are gaskets?
ive seen a full kit for not nearly the price you guys are tlking bout. if im right it was under $200

[Mustang RacR94]

yea I was forced to let my sister drive my car for 2 weeks a long time ago before i had my liscence and she warped the heades, ripped exhaust of three time and shit, but yea chris i think thats how much that part cost If it guzzling out open the radiator(WHEN ITS COLD!) and pour some coolant in and start it up let it bubble up ad some more and dore this for a little bit to de pressurize the system see If it still poors out, prob not it but its def worth a try, happened to my freind who didnt depressurize it after installing a new radiator so just give that a shot

[Juggalo_X]

Originally Posted by itschristorres8 how expensive are gaskets? ive seen a full kit for not nearly the price you guys are tlking bout. if im right it was under $200

kit dont include everything tho like head bots and shit in most cases atleast every kit ive bought hasnt

[232stang]

Originally Posted by Mustang RacR94 yea I was forced to let my sister drive my car for 2 weeks a long time ago before i had my liscence and she warped the heades, ripped exhaust of three time and shit, but yea chris i think thats how much that part cost If it guzzling out open the radiator(WHEN ITS COLD!) and pour some coolant in and start it up let it bubble up ad some more and dore this for a little bit to de pressurize the system see If it still poors out, prob not it but its def worth a try, happened to my freind who didnt depressurize it after installing a new radiator so just give that a shot

when was her funeral?

[stephen]

The Victor top end gasket set cost ~$130 from the supplier I use and the head bolts were ~$30.

[Philly]

ok, so I'm down to the heads, those exhaust bolts are a pain in the ass! Someone told me that when you take off the head bolts you gotta do it in a pattern or it can crack. Is this true? If it is, where could I find this pattern?

[Juggalo_X]

Originally Posted by Philly ok, so I'm down to the heads, those exhaust bolts are a pain in the ass! Someone told me that when you take off the head bolts you gotta do it in a pattern or it can crack. Is this true? If it is, where could I find this pattern?

remove the head bolts in revers to the pattern that you install them in the Haynes Manuel also do not reuse the head bolts they are stretch bolts and will not meet the torque specs any more after removal.

[Philly]

I don't have a haynes manual, anyone know where I can find it online?

[Philly]

Just found this pic, does it look right?



So I take em off 8-1, put em back on 1-8? Also, how important is a torque wrench? I don't have one myself, so if it's necessary I'll have to borrow one from someone.

[Juggalo_X]

Originally Posted by Philly Just found this pic, does it look right? So I take em off 8-1, put em back on 1-8? Also, how important is a torque wrench? I don't have one myself, so if it's necessary I'll have to borrow one from someone.

seriously the more u talk the less i have confidence that your car will run good when your done. a torque wrench IS ESSENTIAL! no much torque and ur bolts will snap in the block not enough and ur going ot have a nicely warped head.

[stephen]

As mentioned above remove the head bolts in the reverse order. As I mentioned before they are very tight. I used a 15mm 1/2" drive socket and a 3/4" breaker bar with an adaptor to 1/2'' and a length of pipe.

Be very sure to install the head gaskets correctly. The small water passage hole goes toward the front of the engine on both sides.

Be very sure to torque the heads exactly as Ford says. You will need to rent a torque wrench. The bolts are torqued in three stages then one at a time loosened then torqued to a spec depending on whether it is a long or short bolt and then angle torqued 180 degrees. I did that as two 90 degree turns. I found I had to use a 1/2" drive universal to get to some of the head bolts. Also the intake manifold bolts need to be torqued but I had to buy a torque wrench with a lower range.

After it's back together I would change the oil twice if there is evidence of coolant in the oil. Once before starting it and again after it has been run for a little while.

[stephen]

V6 tech articles on this forum gives the torque specs.

[Philly]

Originally Posted by Juggalo_X Originally Posted by Philly Just found this pic, does it look right? So I take em off 8-1, put em back on 1-8? Also, how important is a torque wrench? I don't have one myself, so if it's necessary I'll have to borrow one from someone. seriously the more u talk the less i have confidence that your car will run good when your done. a torque wrench IS ESSENTIAL! no much torque and ur bolts will snap in the block not enough and ur going ot have a nicely warped head.

Yea... I know I don't know anything about working on cars... I did the body work pretty good though. I had to reshape my front end and weld on a new radiator suppot, then replace the fenders, hood, and bumpers. Doing engine work is a lot harder than the body work, that's for sure.