Changing intake gasket should I change the head gaske

[coop]

Heck Dragon I guess I don't know what to do. Everyone has a different opinion. You being a service tech would probably know best. Someone wrote about the newer gasket lowering the compression? do you think so. If I went with Checker or Autozone that would be around $600.00 can you just change the seats or the valves need to be replaced too?

[fordman]

how could a new gasket lower compression. i say no to that.

[coop]

I wouldn't unless there is some reason to suspect they need to come off.

It probably has steel shim head gaskets and replacing them with composition would make the compression even lower.

By the time you put hardened seats in and completely rework the heads you will be at least halfway to a set of Edelbrock heads.

[fordman]

oh i see why he said that now.the newer comp gaskets will be thicker than the steel shim type.

[coop]

yeah, I just checked Autozone and Rock auto they both sell rebuilt heads for around $300.00 not to bad.

[Dragon]

Heck Dragon I guess I don't know what to do. Everyone has a different opinion. You being a service tech would probably know best. Someone wrote about the newer gasket lowering the compression? do you think so. If I went with Checker or Autozone that would be around $600.00 can you just change the seats or the valves need to be replaced too?

If you get the gaskets for a 75 or 76 they will lower the compression a little. The old heads have to be cut for the new seats and here in town a guy would do it for 85 a head and 50 to reseat the valves per head. Both intakes and exhausts need to be done.

Ask BobbyFord aka the Joker he was or is a Tech too.

[sideoilerfe]

$900 is about twice what they should cost for a head job. If you don't mill the heads, at least mill the exhaust manifolds and you'll be leak free for a while. I hate exhaust leaks myself.

[fordman]

rebuilt heads? they must not be nothing much done to them.

[Dragon]

Rebuilders can rebuild anything for about 1/5 th of what we or our local machine shop can get it done for. I was quoted 286 a head lifetime warranty. Machine shop with new stock valves and reconditioned springs and new seals 329 a head.

Most heads don't need much. Most rebuilders will only mill flat what is need to be flattened. A good machine shop will hold the heads to .003 or less on any surface. Rebuilders do it on a moving mill system and will get every FE head that needs the exhaust side flattened and send them through all at once and so on.... A machine shop will measure and align his mill for each head.

[convincor]

900 bucks WHERE I can get rebuilt heads stock from Checker, Autozone and Napa for less than 300 a head. And they will all already have Hardened seats.

Rebuilders can rebuild anything for about 1/5 th of what we or our local machine shop can get it done for. I was quoted 286 a head lifetime warranty. Machine shop with new stock valves and reconditioned springs and new seals 329 a head.

Most heads don't need much. Most rebuilders will only mill flat what is need to be flattened. A good machine shop will hold the heads to .003 or less on any surface. Rebuilders do it on a moving mill system and will get every FE head that needs the exhaust side flattened and send them through all at once and so on.... A machine shop will measure and align his mill for each head.

Looks like you answered that one yourself.
Here's an example- http://www.holbrookracingengines.com/threeanglevj.html
There's $350 to cut three angle. Hot tank and Mag, $100 Add $20 for each hardened seat, $15-20 each for guides. Resurface @ $40 each, Mill exhaust side, $30 each, 8 new exhaust valves @ $10 each, New springs, $100, Keeper & retainers $50, gasket set $85...
There's $1355. Think you'll get that with the $300 heads?

[FORD428CJ]

900 bucks WHERE I can get rebuilt heads stock from Checker, Autozone and Napa for less than 300 a head. And they will all already have Hardened seats.

Rebuilders can rebuild anything for about 1/5 th of what we or our local machine shop can get it done for. I was quoted 286 a head lifetime warranty. Machine shop with new stock valves and reconditioned springs and new seals 329 a head.

Most heads don't need much. Most rebuilders will only mill flat what is need to be flattened. A good machine shop will hold the heads to .003 or less on any surface. Rebuilders do it on a moving mill system and will get every FE head that needs the exhaust side flattened and send them through all at once and so on.... A machine shop will measure and align his mill for each head.

Looks like you answered that one yourself.
Here's an example- http://www.holbrookracingengines.com/threeanglevj.html
There's $350 to cut three angle. Hot tank and Mag, $100 Add $20 for each hardened seat, $15-20 each for guides. Resurface @ $40 each, Mill exhaust side, $30 each, 8 new exhaust valves @ $10 each, New springs, $100, Keeper & retainers $50, gasket set $85...
There's $1355. Think you'll get that with the $300 heads?

That is WAAAAY to high of a price......$1355......Around here if you need guides, seats, springs, retainers, resurface and so on....Its about $600 to $800 (depending on condition and such).

[Dragon]

You can't use heads anymore without hardened seats. They won't make 40,000 miles on unleaded.

[bjde0b]

This is turning the post back torward the original post.

I am pulling my engine and i am planning on re painting it. It has had a hard last 11 years. To my best guess the engine probably has 20,000 since it was rebuilt in 1997. I started the truck last night for the first time in 2 years and it ran really good.

Should I replace all the gaskets when I pull the engine? I know on my Tacoma when I did a rebuild the head bolts are use once because you yield torque them? What am I looking at ($$?) if I were to replace head gaskets, intake gasket, oil pan gasket and such. Will it be a simple take apart and put back together or is there something else that you would warn me about?

[fordman]

if you do a whole gasket job. the onyl thing i can think of is the exhaust bolts. watch out not to break them off if you can help it.

[bjde0b]

Thanks fordman. I will probably do it then. I would like to make sure all the sludge is out. The exhaust manifold bolts have only been in for 11 years, not 40. Hopefully this will make it easier to remove.