Coolant bubbles

[Peanut1982]

So, there I am. Attempting to ignore the fact that my coolant is bubbling from my head gasket. Replaced everything coolant related. I finally have swallowed that pill and am going to do my head gasket. The question is, do I get my head machined or not. I have no coolant mixing with my oil. Did my gasket fail, or is my head warped? This engine has never overheated before.... so... any suggestions? Thanks, 1987 Trecel named Rose.

[Mark]

The service manual has instructions on how to check the head and block for warpage. Basically using a feeler gauge and a straight-edge. If the flatness is within spec, then there's no need to machine the head. I did mine a couple of years ago and everything was flat. My coolant was leaking externally from the head gasket under the exhaust manifold area. After replacing the head gasket, it's been fine so far.

[Mark]

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[Peanut1982]

Thanks for the specs! Going to dive into it later this week. Keep ya posted.

[Petros]

follow this repair guide for a better, more reliable head gasket installation.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6059

[xirdneh]

I think the max for the head is .oo3

[Petros]

Head resurfacing: you can actually get a better, smoother and more flat head by hand with some simple home made "tools", better than most machine shops can do. there are also some good youtube videos on how to resurface your head at home, using similar process that I outline in the link above in the repair guides thread. if it is badly warped, it will take a long time to make it flat again by hand, but it can be done cheaply, it will just take a long time. Or, or you can have a machine shop resurface it for $40 to $60, and you can just do a quick final smoothing by hand using a flat surface and wet and dry sand paper.

[Peanut1982]

Thanks for all the great advice! Found that my head was warped, machined it myself thank to all the tips. Modified my head gasket. Fired her up this evening, sounds great! No more bubbles in the coolant. Think she is ready to go. Thanks again.

[NWMO]

Great job Peanut! and thanks to Peter, Robert and Mark for their wealth of information and helping spirits!

Chris

[Petros]

Nice job! lets see some pictures too. what state and city are you located?

[Peanut1982]

We live on the western slope of Colorado.... Rose is easy and the eyes and heart. She has 400,000+ miles and still cruising...

[Peanut1982]

Soooo glad I rechecked the head bolts about 300 miles after I did the head.... all of them were needed a little bit of retorque...

[Petros]

yep, I learned that the hard way. modern gaskets are not supposed to need to be retorqued, but I have found that is just not true. always retorque within 500 miles.