Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Did I blow the headgasket?

[McCRam]

I stumbled on to this problem when my heater wouldn't blow hot air all the time. It would go from hot to cold. I went to add some coolant and found engine oil in the radiator and overflow bottle.



So I added more coolant, and went for a drive. When I got back, the overflow was overflowing, and there were bubbles coming out.



I was really hoping the the oil would be from the oil cooler, but with the bubbles, I think that I am losing compression from one of the cylinders into the coolant. What do you guys think?



What would be the best way to prove that my theory is correct? Compression test? I do not want to take this thing apart right now, I don't have the time. Had other plans for my money too.

 

[Bloomy]

It's blown. I have done mine twice in the last two years. The job isn't to bad.



Thomas

 

[Bandit1]

that is exactly what my first HG failure did. i had mine done but i have done a buddys truck, just take your time and be precise and neat. it isnt a bad job

 

[McCRam]

Darn, I guess I'm going to have to oring and stud the head then. What kind of head gasket should I get. I hear a lot of talk about the marine headgasket, what is the difference from a normal gasket? Would my local cummins dealer carry it? I am hoping that my local diesel shop can do the head work. Maybe i'll get it ported while I'm at it. Is a head with 175,000 miles worth all the work?



Thank you for your help.



I guess I should tell you guys about my horsepower goals in regards to the head. Eventually I would like to get over 400 rwhp. It needs to be usable power, cuz I tow heavy trailers regularly. In a couple of years I would like to put in twins.

 

[NBowlin]

you may as well get that thing o-ringed while its off if you are wanting to add power, or you will be doing it again. Put it back together with studs torque them down 6. 78million times and call it good for a long time.

 

[Reb.B]

If you plan on making power and towing then porting is a must. I really can't stand o-rings though. I like the fire rings but everything (block and head) has to be flat. I'd get the head done, (ie. surfaced, ported, valve job, w/ new seals) get some new ARP studs and throw it back together. @ 400 hp you don't need over 50 psi boost and o-ring are only going to give you an extra 5-7 psi boost capabilty over 55-60 psi boost. Oh the marine head gasket is . 020 thou over or at cummins 50mm over. Stock gasket has the last three digits 335, . 010 over is 337, and . 020 is 339. I at least know the last digit is correct. The marine head gasket will help, especially when you take . 005 to . 010 off the head to get it flat.

 

[Bandit1]

why dont you through in a cam while the head is off? the cam i have made this truck wildly quick and decreased egts

 

[Billywj]

where can i get a cam? how hard are they to do?how much will it cost me?

 

[McCRam]

I know Piers has a cam. It is a good time to do it while Im in there, but This is not a good time to do it for me. Truck is going to need new tires soon, and it is time for me to upgrade the exhaust to a 4 in.



What kind of shop should I take the head to for the porting? I figure that I will get it oringed as well. If it can give me some insurance against an other gasket failure, I figure I might as well. I just want to make sure that it is done right. I am going to order a ats manifold tomorrow and have it port matched as well.

 

[Bandit1]

there are goods and bads with porting the head, if it is done right and the cast is consistant throughout the head then you will be fine, but you are milling material away making the walls thinner and easier for cracks to show up, plus if there is a weak place in the cast then that isnt going to be good. for what it will cost to port a head you can buy 2 cams (not that you need 2). EEP and Haisleys both have good cams

 

[TrqMonster]

When I blew my head gasket, I had studs and fire-rings done as well as a cam and some other stuff. Scheid Diesel did the work and the cam is a Machined Street cam probably the one from Haisley's. If you have the head off then you are basically down to the cam and if you plan to get one in the future then you might as well throw it in with the little extra work (and $). I noticed quicker response from the stock turbo and slightly lower EGT's. It would be interesting to know how much it has helped after I added the larger turbo, but I'm sure it is doing something to decrease lag. I had to pay to get in done because I dont have the time or experience to do the kind of work they performed.



I also asked about porting the head and the only the mechanic that I trusted at Scheids told me that for the money, I would get better results from the cam. He said porting helps but isnt really necessary until you get really wild or sled pull/drag race. I agree with bandit, just buy a cam. Also as Bandit mentioned it has to be done right plus you have to find somebody that knows what they are doing.

 

[McCRam]

The gasket failed between three and four cylinders. There was also, a coolant leak between 4 and 5 cylinders that had been there for a while. The bolt was well rusted.



I almost have everything done, I keep finding parts that need to be replaced. So far the exhaust manifold, rocker arm bolts, studs for the turbo flange, and a couple of coolant hoses. One of the rocker arm bolts snapped just as I was starting to torque it. I had to remove the block to get out the remnants. Now I have to retorque the head again. The arp studs I put in won't fit under the valve covers so I have grinding to do. I hope to get this done soon. It will be down for two weeks by the time I get everything done.

 

[McCRam]

Oo. I finally got everything done today. The biggest problem for me was getting the time to finish. I didn't oring the head, I would have had to send it out of state to have it done. I just didn't have the time to wait for that. I did use studs to reinstall the head, and I put in a ats exhaust manifold since my old one had stretched as far as the bolt holes would allow.



The hard part of this job was getting all the parts together to finish the job right. I bet I burned up $50 in gas driving around. I also had to get some parts overnight delivered, ( another $40), so that I didn't have to wait a week for them to arrive.



G&J Diesel, on main street in Billings, gave me a lot of help and good advise during this project. Montana engine rebuilders had my head machined in about three hours after I dropped it off. They didn't charge much either. No cracks, and the head was only . 006 off. I had them take off . 010 to match the gasket.



I'm still flushing oil out of the coolant, done it four times now. I have retorqued the studs twice. It was scary how much it took to get them tight the first time. This is definitely a step you don't want to skip. I'll torque them again tomorrow and see how that goes to decide when I torque them next. I will also need to set the valves again.



I'm just glad to have it done. I was tired of driving the wifes Jeep.