Head????

[Buickcruiser]

Hey guys,
I have been down in my garage all day working on my 84 GN. My passenger side head gasket is seeping water into the oil, but no oil in the water. I did a compression check and all cylinders were 145 except the rear dr side cylinder was 120. I finally go the head off. Will it be ok if I don’t change the intake manifold gasket? You have to remove the turbo and every thing else to get to it on an 84. I was planing on putting a little gasket sealer on both sides of the manifold gasket and reinstall the head. With the GM steel head gaskets do you have to use gaskt sealer and Can I reuse the Header gasket? I plan on taking the oil pan off and wipe it clean to try to get as mush of the oil water mixture out of the engine as possible. If ther were a crack in the head would it be visible if so where should i look for a crack?
Thanks Again
David

 

[GNeric]

With the steel intake gasket, I would use a new one. They have sealing ribs stamped into them around each intake port and water port. They compress to make the seal and if they are already flat, I wouldn't trust just a sealant around them. They shouldn't have header gaskets. They seal just fine if the flanges aren't bent. Non of my 3 hotairs have header gaskets and they are all leak free. I don't remember the factory putting gaskets on the headers and I remember seeing my GN when it was new and there were no gaskets then.

If there is a crack, it would have to be large enough to see. Sometimes there are cracks and you can't find them without Magnafluxing the head to see them and they will open up when the head heats up. More than likely the gasket eroded away as with a friends car and was getting water into the oil to the tune of 1 gallon in about 2 days.

 

[49-blues]

If you were running antifreeze in the motor youd better check the bearings.

 

[Buickcruiser]

Hey guys
I when down and looked at the intake manifold gasket and I don’t think it is the original. When I first took it off I noticed some sealant on the gasket. I know that the head gasket weren’t they were felpro. So do you guys still think I need to replace the intake gasket. If so what is involved in that? Will I have to remove the turbo down pipes and every thing else? Yes there are header gasket on the car they ate metal. The previous owner put Keene bell exhaust headers on the car. Is there any way to check the bearing with out starting it and checking the oil pressure? I did not run it after I noticed the water in the oil and it wasn’t smoking badly like I have read on previous posts.
Thanks again for all of you help
David

 

[jacksorroche]

You need to get your head pressure checked. Not all cracks are visible to the naked eye. Any automotive machine shop should be able to do this. Don't reuse any head gaskits, or head bolts for that matter, they are ment for a single use only (single seal compression).

 

[49-blues]

$20. for a intake gasket is cheap insurance for the amount of work you have to put into the motor. if you dont you may have to do everything twice.

 

[Buickcruiser]

Guys,
What is involved in taking the intake manifold off???? Is it difficult to get the down pipes to reseal?? Also should I use a GM Gasket I am using GM head gaskets.
Thanks for your help
David

 

[49-blues]

I would stick with GM gaskets wherever possible and use some orange silicone (sensor safe)wherever needed.