Quick question to anyone who has changed the head gasket on the I6/300. Is this a simple matter of getting at the head bolts and pulling the head all in one piece or are there multiple in-engine components to disconnect? I like to do my own labour to learn more but this is a new level for me. I'm getting a Haynes manual for my truck but I'm hoping to get an idea of what kind of a job I'm in for.

 

High level directions. Get a book for more details.

1. Drain the coolant
2. Disconnect upper rad hose from thermostat outlet
3. remove heater hose at the coolant elbow
4. disconnect the coil and remove the coil bracket
5. remove any power accessory brackets attached to the cylinder head
6. remove the manifolds
7. remove the valve cover
8. loosen rocker arm bolts
9. remove the pushrods
10. disconnect the spark plug wires and any sensor connectors that will interfere
11. remove cylinder head retaining bolts and remove.

 

Hay Nush- man go for it.

Jay nailed it but I think you a novice like me, I just tore my first 240/300 engine down 3 times learning as I went. So I doubt you know to use something to stick the pushrods in so that they can be put back in the same hole as they come out of. Also take a look at the number of threads showing on the rockers so you can get it back close enough to run whan you reasemble.

Next tip is remove the head very carefully so you don't mess up the signs where the gasket blew, you can "read" the evidence on the head and the block if it leaked in the middle then you might want to consider having the head resurfaced, also a good time to turn the head upside down with plugs in. Look to see if any valve are showing hot spots, you can tell cause it will be lot lighter color than everywhere else and fill the head with gas to see if any valves are leaking if any do then you would want to have the head refreshed. Getting mine redone cost $220 replacing 4 valves in E. Texas.

Once you get it back on, you retorque the headbolts being careful to tighten down even from the center to each end as the gasket instructs say. Once torqued and the the rockers tightened down to where the nut was before with eng running listen with a lenght of hose to each one tighten down till the click stops and turn it 1/2 turn more to load the lifter, you will note that as you do this final 1/2 turn the eng will lug down then recover just do that to every valve and you done, Then you jump out and do a victory dance! Don't forget to put collant back in fore you start it, lol.
Good luck & let us know how it turns out.
Cy

 

Hey thanks for the tips cypah and jay. Another question, my boss suggested that the head bolts might be something not to reuse. Any reason for changing them other than obvious worn threads?

 

No, but there is a simple test suspend them with a string and tap them with another bolt you will get a music note sharp and if there is a flaw it will be flat.

 

What year is this truck?
Don't be in a rush. Take time to look things over. Might be a good time to clean and paint the intake manifold and valve cover. Also the intake/exhaust gasket and other gaskets (throttle body, EGR,IAC) gaskets seem to be cheap.

Stock setup does not have an exhaust gasket. The new gasket has Intake and exhaust together.

 

Nushman--the headbolts your boss is talking about, are I believe called "torque to yield bolts" the bolts start to stretch at a predetermined torque setting so you can't over tighten them. These bolts can not be reused.
The 300 is not that sophisticated enough to use these bolts, but I would check the manual, especially if it is a late model.

stractor

 

Yeah I actually already changed my intake/exhaust manifold gastket last week. I was hoping that was my problem as it has gone before. Happy to hear my engine isn't 'sophisticated' enough to have to buy new head bolts. Thanks to all.

 

Nushman in reading this full post I am missing the reason you want to change the head gasket. can you put out some detail. What is your eng yr-mi is it overheating? missing? describe it best you can no use in going to extra work if all you have is something simple like a bad wire or vacumn leak.

 

If it is an older truck, I would advise to leave the manifolds on unless those gaskets are blown. It gives you more to get a hold of and the manifold seems to be bad about loosening up after initial torquing. It's pretty simple to do, I swapped mine out in an hour on my lunch break at work, I was humping it though.

 

Well, the job is done. I changed the head gasket yesterday as well as the valve cover gasket while I was at it. This was the cause of major power loss and difficulty starting. The difference is night and day, it seems like a new truck to me. Many thanks again for the help here. I can't wait to give her a tune up.

 

The reason you replace head bolts is they stretch over time from being heated and cooled down repeatedly, and yes worn threads...not to common on head bolts they are hardened.

 

Here's an update on my bad luck truck. I noticed a light squeal when I first started it up some mornings. Then it got worse to every time I accelerated from a stand still. I suspected the water pump and changed it. When I went to start it up again I noticed WATER COMING OUT OF MY EXHAUST! So I did an emergency drain of water and oil and refilled her with fresh oil. My old oil by the way was like egg nog, light in colour and way too thin. Where in the changing of my head gastket or water pump could things have gone this horribly wrong? I've been driving it for a week since changing the head gasket. Anybody have any thoughts? On my next days off I guess I'll be pulling the head again.