hey guys...i recently did my head gasket last winter, unfortunately i was cheap and didnt replace my head studs when i did it...im assuming the head studs were stretched because im blowing blue smoke once again and going through coolant like crazy. I'm going through a jug of coolant a week and have problems starting the car. im guessing the engine is kind of hydrolocking but with coolant. cause when i try and start the car, when i turn the car to start i just get a thud, i have to do that 5-6 times until she will turn over. Now my question is, is it possible to do a quick temporary fix on the head gasket like torquing down the head studs or something cause i bought a replacement engine but i would like to rebuild the engine before i drop it in the car. just want the car to stop smoking like crazy and going through coolant until the other engine is ready?
any help would be great
thanks

 

You might as well try re-torquing the bolts, but headgaskets typically don't hold up well to reuse and contamination.
I would just go through the day of hassle and replace it. However, it could be that the block or head is warped... then a headgasket isn't going to help anyway.

 

the previous time i did the head gasket i took the head to a machine shop to get it shaved alittle to get it straight...and they said it was ok

 

Blue devil is about 60 bucks a bottle with a moneyback guarantee if it doesnt fix your head gasket. I dont recommend anything other than proper repair, but that might get you by.

Ive never replaced a set of head bolts in a d series engine, as long as they are torqued properly, you shouldnt have any issues.

 

bump

 

You won't get many other suggestions beside actually fix it. A head gasket is $60 brand new OEM online and bolts are probably $100 for ARP headstuds. What kind of motor do you have that you are building? If it's the same, get the ARP headbolts and transfer it to the new block when you swap the motor. You'd be out $60 for the headgasket, but that's okay. It would be a $60 fix for this issue.

 

Just change it man. 100% agreed

If you start adding additives you might run into other issues down the road. and I would go with ARP studs aswell depending on your engine and how you drive.

 

i drive like my mum. im a slow driver and baby my car. the motor i picked up is a zc sohc. so i think i might bite the bullet and just change the headgasket. and use the original headstuds and retorque them and buy arp's for the zc. cause i want the zc to be fully assembled to make it an easy take out put in installation when the zc is done. hopefully just changing the gasket will last me a couple months at least

 

Well. Do whatever you want. Hope the car doesn't leave you stranded.

 

Have you tried re-torquing? not like you are going to break anything and it's free.

 

Definitely be careful with the additives that fix it. They will clog up all of your coolant ports, and cause more problems after you actually fix it. It is like throwing mud into your coolant, you will get it stuck everywhere in your engine and wont be able to get it out with just a flush.

 

Yup. Best way I've heard it explained is as follows:

If it is suppose to fall into the small cracks that are leaking and clog them so nothing flows, why wouldn't it clog other small cracks that you want open? Such as coolant jackets.

 

=/
You guys no read and no research.


Blue Devil isn't like the the old "radiator fix" products. Those had filings and solids floating around in them. Blue Devil is all liquid that reacts to major thermal changes. It's not going to clog a good coolant jacket or hose. They ask for a free running water system (no thermostat) followed by a water cooling system flush before adding.
They also offer another "Pour-n-Go" product that doesn't require the thermostat removal nor the flush.

Best part is, if somehow it fails to work, the OP has plans to replace the motor anyway.
PERFECT product for this situation.

 

I was talking about stop leak mostly. I have no experience with Blue Devil. I read that it came with a money back offer. So I'm not against it. But $60 is a new head gasket and that's the route I would go. But try to retorque the head bolts and then go with Blue Devil.