Head Gasket Trouble - Pull Engine

So my head gaskets have blown 3 times now in past 6 months. The first time I didn't know what I was doing. By now I have a lot more wisdom into this procedure. I had the heads magnafluxed and pressure tested. They tested just fine.

I have straight edge and feeler guaged the deck myself and it appears to also be flat with no pitting. I'm worried I should pull the engine and get the block checked.

I'm told usually the heads go before the block does. I'm also told that its possible I may not be getting a good torque reading because I never cleaned out my bolt holes with a tap. I have a hard time with this one but after 4 sets of head gaskets I'm tired of wasting money.

If I pull my engine what is the general cost for me to put it back together? What's the parts list of items I need to put it back together? So getting block checked for cracks is gonna be about $100. What's cost for all the seals I'm gonna need and is there a good guide out there for this procedure?

Should i be pulling my engine? Am I missing something? This car sat most its life in a garage. 73,000 original miles. Not driven hard. This is why I have hard time believing the block has issues.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

First time head gaskets went it took me a while to figure out what it was. Never overheated. Head gaskets leaked exhaust into coolant system. Replaced head gaskets. Worked fine for about 3 weeks then did exact same thing again. I was noticing loss of coolant via overflow tank. Replaced head gaskets, water pump, thermostat, hoses, electric fan, went to dual core radiator. Heater core was replaced a year earlier. Lasted 4 weeks ran great. I went out one night and it overheated big on me and I drove it home about 5miles. I was turning engine off every chance I got and would coast most the way. Probably coasted 4 out of the 5 miles.

Then I had heads checked, replaced head gaskets, lasted 2 weeks and blew head gaskets again. This time, head gaskets had a bad spot, burn spot, never had that before, 2 previous head gaskets didn't blow that bad. Even when it overheated the gaskets looked fine.

Sounds like I need to check the block. Anybody know where I can find a parts list and how-to pull engine, tear down, reassemble, reinstall?

If you get a little time, check this out and let me know if you think this pretty much includes everything I will need to know. And if it's close on the tools needed.

I have never rebuilt an engine before but I don't scare easy. Plus I don't have the money to pay anyone a grand. If I can do this procedure for $300-$400 on a jy explorer block I may attempt that.

Here is link -http://www.powerblocktv.com/episode/HP2012-08/e-street-vortech-build#.VMKZW8vnbqA

That's the kind of information im looking for, blunt, what I'm going to run into, what I need to consider.

I'm probably gonna wait a while before I attempt this. I will be back to ask questions about which jy engine to use or fix the one I got and how to make my internals work with another block etc etc

OK family and you guys have talked me into pulling engine. I'm moving to Texas in April so there is my timeframe.

My plan is to pull the engine and have it checked first. If it is OK I will use it. If it end up being screwed beyond repair them I'm going the explorer route. To me it makes more sense to spend $100 to check it for cracks before spending $600 on JY explorer engine.

So if I end up going explorer engine and have to upgrade the cam, what are a few options that will fit that engine and be a little better for power than stock?

I have a vortec SC with 7psi of boost but that is only mod so far. So I'm shooting for a street rod cam not to aggressive.

If my original motor tests out OK I will use original cam. If I use a jy explorer block then will my crankshaft and camshaft both fit in explorer block? I think someone said work has to be done for crankshaft and therefore a new cam is needed.

I was just hoping all my internals would fit the explorer block with no work needed. If I'm wrong about explorer motor tell me my options.

Explorer motor with heads and internals and intakes together? Or just the block and all my internals?

Yes, vortech v2 s/c. Do you think the s/c was just causing lift? Think cleaning out my threads and using ARP studs would fix it? Or something else?

OK here is the skinny. Gonna be long winded.

Bought car 3 years ago. Pretty close to stock with vortech s/c already installed. It only had 27,000 original miles on it. I bought it for a DD, wanted something fun to drive. At the time I was driving 275 miles every weekend and this made it fun. But I never red lined the car or drove it like a young punk. I'm 35, grew up with a mechanic step father, learned a lot of things restoring my 78 jeep. Stepfather has since passed away and now I look to this forum for help.

So I put a lot of highway miles on car for two years then I moved and no more long distance driving. The car now has 70,000 miles on it. All highway almost.

Car specs when I bought it:
1. Vortech v2 supercharger with fmu
2. Single core aluminum radiator
3. Mac shorty headers
4. Flowmaster american thunder exhaust with h-pipe
5. Subframe connectors
6. Stage 3 clutch with firewall adjustment

I replaced the heater core right after I bought it. I also had it dyno'd about a year after owning it. Guy told me it was a good running car for the setup. 285hp. He said he would like to upgrade injectors, throttle body, do some bypass and get rid of fmu. Then chip it. I didn't have the money for that. He said care was fine.

I had a fluxuating idle issue at the time too. Replace IAC, cleaned maf, but in the end it was the tps so that's new too thanks to the dyno guy.

The car had a single core aluminum radiator. Undersized for a blown fox I think but nonetheless it was a great car for long time. Especially for being very close to stock. About 6 months ago I noticed I was losing a little coolant via the overflow tank. Ended up renting a block tester and the fluid turned green. Replaced head gaskets for first time. What a task back then. now I can do it with fn eyes closed...

Anyway gaskets were fine, no burn outs in gasket. I had exhaust leaking into coolant. No coolant in oil. Still had original head gaskets, I got pics, they said ford on them. I installed felpro 9333. I did a crap load of research to make sure I did it right. One thing I never knew however was to clean bolt holes with tap.

Got it going again and 1 month later it was doing it again. Same issue as before. Exhaust in coolant but i had a little bit in oil this time. I was convinced it was a cooling problem for some reason so I replaced water pump and hoses and thermostat. Installed a 2300cfm electric fan. Replaced head gaskets with felpro 9333. Didn't clean bolt holes.

Happened again about 3-4 weeks later. This time I was showin off to a buddy, car was running good so I thought after cooling system is now OK. I did a couple burn outs and all of sudden I could tell something seemed weird I could tell. Looked down and the temp shot up like a rocket. I parked the car immediately at buddy's house and had a couple beers.

2 hours later I drive it home, seemed fine first mile but then it started overheating so I shut it off and coasted down every road on way home with engine off. I would only start it to get momentum then shut her off again.

This time I had water in oil. Bought a new new dual core radiator and replaced gaskets with felpro 9333.

Now the whole coolant system has been replaced. I put her back together after third time. I drove it for 2 weeks thinking finally have it(yeah I know, idiot). I drove car like a grandma these two weeks. Started losing fluid again, very little but I could tell. I drove it another week and finally parked it. I bought a truck and payed off car. I tore it apart for 4th time and this the only time I had a burn mark in gasket. Right above #7 cylinder next to the water jacket.

By the way, I had heads resurfaced after the second and third time. Second time the passenger side was a little warped. Third time the driver side was a little warped. This last time I has them pressure test and magna flux and they came no issues and still flat.

So here I am, talking to you guys for advice. I prepped engine and tranny to come out with cherry picker tomorrow afternoon. Will have it tested and go from there. The deck is flat on block I used straight edge and .015 feeler guage cross pattern and it was good.

Question about timing. I never set timing first 2 times, I just dropped the dizzy back in same place. 3rd time I turned engine so I had to time it. I timed it to idle 10 degree tdc. Didn't do total timing. I that plug I removed to time engine I was told controls the idle if its off a little. So I figured after find 10 degree and it running good, I plugged it back in and didn't think anymore about it. Am I correct with this?

Well I got her out this afternoon. Came out super easy with cherry picker.




Bought a universal engine puller plate for $10 at advanced auto but it doesn't fit our skinny lower intake. I already had engine stripped to block anyways so I just used chains.

So how far do I need to tear down the engine for the machine shop so they can magnaflux for cracks and pressure test it?