Headgasket job anyone?

[XxDriverxX]

Hello everyone.

Let me first thankyou all for always being so helpful on this site even though I'm not such an active member.

So last time my headgasket blew on me a month ago, my car is still sitting in the garage not being worked on since I'm looking for a better one. But I've decided to go ahead and fix that one as well.

Here is the thing.. Can I do the head gasket myself?

Is there a guide? A picture guide or a "how to" on, umm.. well, "how to" replace the headgasket?

Is this a really hard job that only a person who knows the difference between his ass and a spark plug would be able to do or can anyone do it?

If you must know.. The hardest thing I've done to my car is replace the sparkplugs and fuel filter.

Thanks.

[BeatJunky]

Originally posted by XxDriverxX
If you must know.. The hardest thing I've done to my car is replace the sparkplugs and fuel filter.

Thanks.

DONT DO IT YOURSELF!:aw:

:bash:

-Omar

[XxDriverxX]

haha, what's the worse that can happen? It's already parked!

But seriously.. There is no guide on the net or somewhere I can buy on how to replace the headgasket?

[720_datsun]

Originally posted by XxDriverxX
haha, what's the worse that can happen? It's already parked!

But seriously.. There is no guide on the net or somewhere I can buy on how to replace the headgasket? you could goto nappa and get the manuel. i need to replace valve seals and rings on my truck so i can slang it to buy a 240.

[XxDriverxX]

Wtf? NAPPA? (http://www.petpigs.com/)

[s13silady]

it is possible to do it yourself... its not hard... just tedious...
if you have at least some mechanical experience then you could do it yourself and save yourself some money...

but if your saying that changing your sparkplugs and fuel filter is hard (which im pretty sure you dont think so)then pay someone to do it for you...

and what 720_datsun means by nappa is NAPA AUTO PARTS...if you think you could do it yourself, then go to that store or a kragen or anything else like it and pick up a chiltons for your car...

judgin by your post though, and if i were in your shoes, i would just bring it to a shop(any but nissan, cuz might be more expensive than other shops)..

-ryan

[XxDriverxX]

naa, I was joking. I'm just saying I never played with an engine before.

I don't know what all these stores are but I'm in Canada. I looked up a guide on Amazon and found the one you're talking about.

How detailed are those?

ALSO: While changing the head gasket, is it recommended that I change something else while I'm there? Or should I change anything else?

ALSO #2: Any special tools?

[Wiisass]

Spend the money and get an FSM, it's definitely worth the money. More descriptive and correct than one of those pep boys type manuals.

Tim

[fiebru1119]

only semi-special tools would be a 10mm hex nut for the head bolts. other than that its pretty straight forward.. oh, and an impact tools make it alot faster (especially the exhaust bolts and cam/tb sprokets). i can pull the head by myself in about few hours (i've done it 2-3 times just to give you an idea)

advice:
- removing radiator/shroud makes it alot easier (more room)
- do NOT try to take the intake mani off of the head, but instead unbolt the upper half of the intake mani and leave it attached to the head (i learned this the hard way.. spent like 2 hrs my first time trying to get all the bolts from IM-head what a PITA!). just undo the 5 12mm nuts/bolts holding both halfs together, then its just a couple hoses off here and there and its out

search "orion" in FA and there should be a post about how to keep the lower timing chain sproket in place while removing the head. good luck

if this sounds like a foreign language to you, take it to a shop

[old_s13]

Years back, I had only changed oil, starter, stuff like that..

I then needed to change my timing chain, so I ended up tackling the job.. it was big. I made some boo-boos and ended up needing to change the headgasket.. so I turning a smaller timing chain job, into a larger head gasket job. WELL, after several weeks I ended up rebuilding the head, new headgasket, new gaskets, new chain, and all the various other parts in the engine bay that needed attention.

1 month later, I knew the motor inside out and could easily change any part.

So, its a learning experience. What do you need? You need mechanical skills and good tools, a torque wrench too. You need a machine shop to work on the head (advised) since you will already be removing the head, might as well rebuilt it.

You'll need some money, patience, and since you're new to this.. a camera to take pics so you dont forget where stuff goes.. also a lot of baggies and toe-tags to mark stuff down.

Think you can handle it? If its not too much and you have a bit of time and money to spend, give it a try.

ps: You NEED a Factory Service Manual (FSM) directly from NISSAN.

- Mike