Heads Are Off.........images And Thoughts On Piston

The dowels should press in pretty easily. When they get all rusty from coolant they don't work so good. The plus side is that they are cheap, and available at any parts store that sells Felpro. However, most parts guys don't know how to look them up. Tell them you need a Felpro ES 70744, which is a set of 4, and should run you around $4.

To John Dirks, there are two reasons you would see a clean piston like that. In this case, the OP has most likely cleaned it off to get a better look at the damage. If you pull a cylinder head and you happen to find a piston that clean it is caused by a blown head gasket. Cooling water seeps into the combustion chamber and essentially steam cleans the piston when it evaporates.

I just checked on the intake gasket. I'm pretty sure those are not reusable gaskets.

Kurt
 
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The dowels should press in pretty easily. When they get all rusty from coolant they don't work so good. The plus side is that they are cheap, and available at any parts store that sells Felpro. However, most parts guys don't know how to look them up. Tell them you need a Felpro ES 70744, which is a set of 4, and should run you around $4.

To John Dirks, there are two reasons you would see a clean piston like that. In this case, the OP has most likely cleaned it off to get a better look at the damage. If you pull a cylinder head and you happen to find a piston that clean it is caused by a blown head gasket. Cooling water seeps into the combustion chamber and essentially steam cleans the piston when it evaporates.

I just checked on the intake gasket. I'm pretty sure those are not reusable gaskets.

Kurt

Yes, I wondered if the piston had been cleaned after dis assembly but on closer look it didn't look that way because the remaining deposits did not look scrubbed at all. Also, compare the exhaust valve color on the associated cylinder. It's different than the others. It sure looks like conditions in that cylinder were different than in the others for an extended time.

I'm aware how things like coolant seeping in over time can clean things.

Thanks for your input to my question.
 
The dowels should press in pretty easily. When they get all rusty from coolant they don't work so good. The plus side is that they are cheap, and available at any parts store that sells Felpro. However, most parts guys don't know how to look them up. Tell them you need a Felpro ES 70744, which is a set of 4, and should run you around $4.

To John Dirks, there are two reasons you would see a clean piston like that. In this case, the OP has most likely cleaned it off to get a better look at the damage. If you pull a cylinder head and you happen to find a piston that clean it is caused by a blown head gasket. Cooling water seeps into the combustion chamber and essentially steam cleans the piston when it evaporates.

I just checked on the intake gasket. I'm pretty sure those are not reusable gaskets.

Kurt
i was thinking the head gasket possibly had some issues for a while also so i'm sure that was the case along with the spring breaking. With those dowel pins and having the gaskets on correctly, it shoulld be as easy as puting on the intake? Use any permatex on the head gasket? Permatex on the bolts?
 
The dowels should press in pretty easily. When they get all rusty from coolant they don't work so good. The plus side is that they are cheap, and available at any parts store that sells Felpro. However, most parts guys don't know how to look them up. Tell them you need a Felpro ES 70744, which is a set of 4, and should run you around $4.



Kurt
kurt how far are u from Augusta Ga
 
I'm aware how things like coolant seeping in over time can clean things.

Thanks for your input to my question.[/quote]
u do know that a spring broke on number 2 and the valve was slightly bent right? maybe with that spring being defective for awhile the valve wasnt seating properly and also being affected as far as coloration? If you look at that one pic of the head and looking at the valve seat, its actually not flush with the hole so maybe thats what u see as well
 
I'm pretty far from Augusta, GA. I would say 3 hours away drive time. The head gaskets are easier than the intake gasket by far. You don't use anything on them; install them dry out of the package. Just make sure both the head surface and the block surface are clean. Drop the gasket over the dowels, drop the head on top of the gasket. The head gaskets have a front and a back. They will be labeled as such. Just make sure you put them on with the correct end facing the correct direction. It looks kind of funny, because the you will have a different side of the gasket facing up on each side of the engine, but it is supposed to be like that. Are you using head studs or head bolts, and are they factory replacement, or ARP? The threads of the bolts or studs have to coated with thread sealant where they screw into the block to keep cooling water from travelling up the bolt and into the head. You will find the thread sealant near the RTV in the parts store. It's in a little tube (similiar tube to what loctite comes in) labeled thread sealant. It's basically liquid teflon. If you are using studs, you install them prior to putting the head on with thread sealant at the bottom. Wipe off the access thread sealant as to able to visually inspect the stud to make sure it's threaded all the way down in the block. The top nuts are then lubricated with ARP molly lube prior to torquing. Once you have the head on, torque it down using a torque wrench to the factory spec in the factory sequence.

http://jandjvindictiverides.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/351_Torque_Pattern_Ford.314134750.jpg

Number one is on the top, or intake side of the head. Most people torque in 3 steps. So, you start with 30 ftlbs, then 50 ftlbs, then 70 ftlbs. Retorque at 70 ftlbs. Then the top bolts get torqued up to 80 ftlbs. Just repeat the same sequence skipping the bottom bolts. Repeat the torque to 80 ftlbs again on the top bolts.

Kurt
 
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I'm pretty far from Augusta, GA. I would say 3 hours away drive time. The head gaskets are easier than the intake gasket by far. You don't use anything on them; install them dry out of the package. Just make sure both the head surface and the block surface are clean. Drop the gasket over the dowels, drop the head on top of the gasket. The head gaskets have a front and a back. They will be labeled as such. Just make sure you put them on with the correct end facing the correct direction. It looks kind of funny, because the you will have a different side of the gasket facing up on each side of the engine, but it is supposed to be like that. Are you using head studs or head bolts, and are they factory replacement, or ARP?

Kurt
ARP bolts.

actually i have done the intake 3 times , 2-3 times with a few wks ago being the most recent and learning from past experiences, i got everything completely out of the way and used 4 studs as guides and man it was easy, easy. Wayyy easier than any other time and reading up on some stuff before i did it last time, guys were saying and vids i watched said to not use any permatex around the water jackets cause when u tighten it down the perm could actually maybe pull the gasket apart a little.

but ofcourse guys have done it both ways with great results. I just used permatex in front and rear of block only and with those guides and the thickness of the gasket, it stayed right there in place nicely for me.

Oh yeah, what about using perm on the head bolts?
 
I edited to add content above. I actually don't have any studs for my upper intake anymore. I took 4 bolts, and cut the heads off of them. I use them as alignment dowels whenever I replace an intake gasket. I remove them and replace them with bolts once I have all the other bolts.

Thread sealant on the bolts, not Permatex.

Kurt
 
Clean all threads in the block out by running a tap through them. Thoroughly clean the head bolts. Bench grinder with wire wheel is the easiest way. Dip the head bolts in oil when installing them and tq in stages to specs in correct pattern. Make sure to get oil on the threads and the underside of the headbolts. This keeps them from binding under contact with the head and helps ensure accurate tq readings on the tq wrench.
 
The fastest and easiest way to clean the threads is to chase them with a tap and dye. That is also a good suggestion, thank you for reminding me. They are 7/16-14 thread.

Kurt
 
loctite image just googled.jpg
I edited to add content above. I actually don't have any studs for my upper intake anymore. I took 4 bolts, and cut the heads off of them. I use them as alignment dowels whenever I replace an intake gasket. I remove them and replace them with bolts once I have all the other bolts.

Thread sealant on the bolts, not Permatex.
.
loctite image just googled.jpg

Kurt
when u say lastly torque to 70, then 70 again, basically going over 70 twice right after the first torque of 70? not that it will turn anymore, but just to check and make sure its right?
I have some red thread sealant in the same plastic bottle as below but have to check the number. It might be 544 so i need to see if that is sufficient to use
 
Also, those heads were put on back in 05 with ARP bolts. If they are what they say they are, i should be fine resuing those bolts am I correct?
 
correct ARP bolts are reuseable
On the head well actually on the block itself I believe the old gasket all came off with the head and basically it looks like there really ain't any gasket material on the block itself but the coloration of the gasket is still there of course so should I basically do like I do when I clean the bottom of the intake and block for the intake gaskets just use a razor blade and get as much as I can off or whatever and then use like a scotch brite pad too lightly get the surfaces?
 
i used acetone on a rag to wipe mine down... made sure everything was clean and went with it. ive never had issues doing it that way
 
i used acetone on a rag to wipe mine down... made sure everything was clean and went with it. ive never had issues doing it that way
i guess i will feel the block for any gasket material, rub it down real good and get any gasket off and if its fine but just looks like it has gasket material on it, I will clean it down with acetone. Guess i will use a razor to remove any gasket if it is on there and hard to remove
 
I spray brake cleaner on a clean rag and wipe the surfaces down before setting the gaskets on. It evaporates fast so you have to work fast and repeat the process working in sections at a time.

I know head gaskets don't require any extra sealer, but for extra security and leak free sealing, sometimes I spray a thin coat of either Pernatex High Tack or Copper Coat on them and let setup before installing. The only head gaskets I don't do that with is the ones that have "print seal" beads built into them.

http://www.permatex.com/products-2/...-copper-spray-a-gasket-hi-temp-sealant-detail
 
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I spray brake cleaner on a clean rag and wipe the surfaces down before setting the gaskets on. It evaporates fast so you have to work fast and repeat the process working in sections at a time.

I know head gaskets don't require any extra sealer, but for extra security and leak free sealing, sometimes I spray a thin coat of either Pernatex High Tack or Copper Coat on them and let setup before installing. The only head gaskets I don't do that with is the ones that have "print seal" beads built into them.

http://www.permatex.com/products-2/...-copper-spray-a-gasket-hi-temp-sealant-detail
yeah the trick flow ones i think have the metal rings I think. In the pic above i believe it shows it.

Do any of you guys know if when i loosen the 3 bolts holding the power steering pump bracket, will that pull off the entire bracket? I know it will pull the pulley off with it but i wanted to paint the pulley so was wondering if loosening those 3 bolts would allow me to remove the entire bracket from under the hood
 
i have Mac shorties and will need to get new gaskets; or will I? They are the copper metal ones. If I do , are they the best header gaskets to get or what kind should i go with?