Need advice/tips

[92 LX]

I've got a '92 w/j302 alum. heads, Cobra intake, 70mm tb, larger mass air, BBK headers, 5spd, 3.55s, stock cam and bottom end, 130k miles. The problem I'm having is coolant weeping from the corner of the intake/head/block. Also my exhaust port holes have been stripping. I've got most on the drivers side fixed but the first one won't hold anymore, and I feel the back ones on the other side are next. I may tear it down (dread) over the holidays, and I was looking for any and all advice. Should I get ALL the holes heli-coiled? How much do you think a shop would charge (hour -wise) for the head gasket change? ARPs? FelPro 1011-2?

As always Thanks Guys!
Greg

 

[stykthyn]

do it yourself. a top end rebuild is an afternoon job if you have a set of hand tools. weekend at most.
The intake just sounds like a bad gasket. as for the heads you can do a heli-coil or you can possibly tap it for a different thread size and try to use a new bolt.

 

[92 LX]

I'm afraid it won't be an afternoon job. It always takes me MUCH, MUCH longer to do jobs like this. That's why I'm dreading it and not in the business. ; ) What is the recommended torque on the alum. heads? Anybody know? I'm thinking 100 ft/lbs? Going from center out, starting at 70, then 80,90, 100? As you can probably guess, this is the first time I've fooled with alum heads. "Fooled" is most accurate. Any more advice is MOST appreciated.

 

[2002BLGT]

I'm afraid it won't be an afternoon job. It always takes me MUCH, MUCH longer to do jobs like this. That's why I'm dreading it and not in the business. ; ) What is the recommended torque on the alum. heads? Anybody know? I'm thinking 100 ft/lbs? Going from center out, starting at 70, then 80,90, 100? As you can probably guess, this is the first time I've fooled with alum heads. "Fooled" is most accurate. Any more advice is MOST appreciated.

same as stock on torque , torque specs are dependant on the bolt or stud used , where are you located if you post that somebody might know a good shop near you to do the job , I charge $600 to do a HCI install on a 5.0 , head job alone would be $400

 

[93 LX]

you can do the helicoil your self you just need a drill press and some jig to keep the head level as you drill the holes out. If you were to take the heads to a machine shop or a parts house thats has a machine shop they can do it for you in an hour or so. After whichi would get studs in the exhaust side. That way you can use a good locking nut to keep things snug.

As for a weekend, well I would count on 2 weekends, one to tear it down get the helicoils done and get things cleaned up. Weekend 2 would be to put it all back together and get it running. This car doesnt sound like a DD so I would imagine you should be fine.

 

[90topdown]

As long as you have a place to do it and a basic set of tools, my advice is to tear it down your self. It really isn't that hard. If you don't need the car for a DD, I would make it a 2 weekend deal.
Weekend 1- Tear down motor and remove heads. Since they are AL heads, I would take them to a machine shop and have them fix the threads/helicoil it.
Weekend 2 - Put it all back together.

 

[92 LX]

That's kinda what I was thinking. It IS a dd, but I'm off from 12/24-1/1, so that's my window. And going from previous experiences, I'm gonna need all of it. : /
Also thinking about doing a little gasket matching while "it's there".

Thanks guys and keep the advice comming!!

 

[ShortThrow50]

do it yourself. a top end rebuild is an afternoon job if you have a set of hand tools. weekend at most.
The intake just sounds like a bad gasket. as for the heads you can do a heli-coil or you can possibly tap it for a different thread size and try to use a new bolt.

yeah, for you or me maybe but it doesnt sound like this guy has any experience.
Op, unless you know what your doing you may want to have someone else do the job becuase it will take at least several days to figure out it out. The headgasket job itself is gonna cost you somewhere around 5 hundred bucks in labor, maybe more depending on what shop does it.

 

[ShortThrow50]

After reading the rest of the thread, my advice is for you to get some help becuase it is your DD. The job is easy and natural for some people but if you rely on this car for a dd, you may get your hands in too deep and may cost you more money and down time. What kind of prior major work have you done in the past on car engnes?

 

[stykthyn]

where are you located?

as for the TQ values and pattern(be sure to follow the pattern !) check the haynes or chiltons manual. if you decide to tackle taking it apart yourself then what has helped me a lot in the past is taking plenty of pics while tearing it down. that way you can refer to them while you are putting it all back together, and if you get really stuck you can post up the pic here and anyone can help you.

 

[Brian@PAR]

I would recommend taking it to a GOOD shop that works on peformance cars. What concerns me is why are the exhaust bolts stripping out? All those bolts need to do is keep the flange against the head nad if they are stripping after installation then you have a problem Could be bad motor mounts allowing the engine to move around or possibly the exhasut is out of alignment and that is stressing the header bolts. You should not strip those bolt holes.

 

[92 LX]

Thanks for all the posts. I bought the car in 2000 (I think) and the header gaskets needed to be replaced. I had a shop do the work and the mechanic said that all the header bolts were stripped. He said he got them to hold, but they would be giving me problems later on. I don't know if they were stripped before or if the mechanic stripped them when he did the job. All I know is they're messed up, and at this point it's moot.

As far as experience is concerned, I have rebuilt the 428CJ in my '69 Fairlane. A lifelong project it seems. Time and money (the usual suspects) seem to be the problem.

Thanks to all of you.

 

[92 LX]

Oh btw I'm located in the New Orleans area.

 

[Brian@PAR]

Ok you rebuilt an engine so this job will be no problem for you. Buy a Helicoil kit, take the heads off, and fix them. You'll fix the colant leak at the same time.

I would estimate a day to tear it down and get started on the Helicoils and another to finish it up and put it together again. Worst case scenario three days.

 

[92 LX]

ok. I'm going to order the bolts and the gaskets soon.
Thanks guys!

 

[drpgtcoupe]

something nobodys asked what work was done to the block was it decked and also the head are they new or reworked. reason for asking is if the block was decked and the heads are new or not the may have been cut to much. which would cause ur leaking problem. or could be the way u torqued them the first time. as for the exshaust bolts sound like they ve been over tightened. could be if there long tube headers it could be hitting ur fram. mine was hit the frame and was backing the out but my heads are cast so might be a diffrence have to see it. hope helps u out