Head Gasket on the 3100 - GM Performance Tuning

JFlmngXpr3nc · #1 (**permalink**) 01-31-2006, 06:25 PM

The damn thing is toast and the shop wants 1200 to fix it. I'm not exactly mechanically inclined, but I dont mind getting my hands dirty and I do have some friends that can offer some expertise...so how hard is it to replace the gasket in the driveway over a weekend? And while I'm in there, anything else I should look at before putting it back together? I'm pretty sure this problem is due to that shit coolant GM uses, but I thought I had it covered. Any help is appreciated.

phat_ridegt · #2 (**permalink**) 02-01-2006, 12:47 AM

once youre down to the head gasket, there isnt really much else thats going to need to be replaced...you might as well do the water pump while your there. i work at a gm dealer...we are seeing a lot of 3x00 head gaskets now...first it was intakes, now the same cars we did intakes on, are coming back with head gaskets leaking...its not that easy of a job. takes all of 8hrs to do at the shop w/ all the right tools...i would make at least a weekend job of it if you've never done it before, also get a service manual it'll be your friend!

Josh · #3 (**permalink**) 02-01-2006, 01:19 AM

yeah, working on Kartoons with him was a great experience. But you need to have someone who know's what they are doing. Make sure you lable everything! when you take it out so you take and put them back in the same spot. It may not sound important but trust me it is ;) Thats my .02

JFlmngXpr3nc · #4 (**permalink**) 02-01-2006, 05:45 PM

Thank you guys for the advice. If I can get someone to help me, I'll try to do it myself...just not sure when I can get to it seeing as it's pretty damn cold out.

xbornkilla2k4 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 01:54 AM

i have the same engine, so i just wanted to know, do you know how you blew the head gasket? did over heat it?

RussGAGT · #6 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 03:49 AM

well, first off, it would be tough to do in a weekend if you want to do it well. If you have done the lower intake mani gasket, then goin the extra step down to the heads isnt too horrible (imo) But after you get down to the heads and have them pulled off, you really should have them resurfaced and pressure checked (check for any micro cracks and whatnot) and depending on how good of access you have to a machine shop, you may have to send them out to be done (i chose this route thru carquest because it was like 60-80 dollars cheaper than having it done at a local shop) but it did take 3 business days to get back, and the service manual is a great idea for having all the torque specs at hand...hope any of this helps

JFlmngXpr3nc · #7 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 11:47 AM

Bornkilla, my car had been sitting in the garage for about 4 months and one day there's a massive puddle of coolant under it. My father wanted it out of the garage so we got it towed to see if we could get it fixed and the shop said it's a blown head gasket. I really have no idea what the hell happened.

JFlmngXpr3nc · #8 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 11:51 AM

Russ, I was thinking about possibly getting another set of heads and just swaping them when I changed the gaskets. I think that might save me a little bit of waiting time.