SIlver accents is classy. If you don't want to be too flashy a dark red is way cool:




George

 

OK, last engine color post, I promise. The classiest color that would compliment your exterior is this:


\I'll let you guys get back to the real work now.

George

 

1960s Pontiac Blue?

 

Good eye. Pontiac Green Blue Metallic.

George

 

Okay guys I've got a decent bit done on the truck in the last few days, I'll start off where I left off. The truck got a nice clean finally so I'm happy about that and I think it went good no water got it where it shouldn't. However when I was taking off the oil filter assembly I realized one of the shoulder bolts that holds it on was broken, I'm now looking for a replacement but it's not a normal bolt at all so I'm not having much luck. Following this, I cleaned both the engine and head mating surfaces for the head gasket, you can still see where the gasket was a bit but it feels flat so I'm pretty much happy, I just used a blade to scrape off all the old gasket with the engine turned then used a vacuum when I was done and that worked really well so thanks a ton Les! Almost like you have done this before or something. However, is there any way I can get what's left off without pulling out a 3M pad or getting the heads resurfaced? Then I cleaned the oil pan mating surface on the engine trying to not let anything fall in, I think I did pretty good I just need to get all the rtv out of the front and back crevises. I just pressure-washed the old oil pan to get some of the dirt off of it before I put it back on, any ideas on how should I clean the gasket crevis in the oil pan? George you are making me want to rethink my choice here lol, I love the look of a nice bright red engine. As I was writing this I was about to ask what color the last picture was but Les you beat me to it! I do like that a lot, too bad no store near me carries that. I'm going to the store soon here to grab the paint, what do you guys think, black or red for the block? If I do black then I'll do red heads and valve covers, if I do red I'll do aluminum heads and valve covers.

 

Of your two color schemes I pick red/aluminum heads but with red valve covers and silver Vortec script. Honestly, you should paint whatever colors YOU think is best - that's a very personal thing.

Sounds like a good job on the cleaning. Thought you bought a new oil pan. Why clean the old one? You will take your new pan back off before painting - just snug a few bolts down to keep stuff out the the engine while cleaning. If you are cleaning a groove in the pan sealing surface, a set of picks will help.

McMaster-Carr has pretty much every bolt known to man in several grades of hardness! But you will need to figure out what they call the version of the bolt and the particulars.

What's up with the top of the intake valve on the right hand cylinder in the photo? Are you planning on inspecting the intakes and replacing valve stem seals while the heads are off? Keep the intake valves in order if you take them out.

For getting everything off of surfaces of iron parts that can be thoroughly washed like the heads (not aluminum), I recommend a fine wire cup brush (pictured below) on a drill. I think it is much better than abrasive pads since the wires tend to not contaminate the part with abrasive grit. However wires can break off though, and they must be removed. You will need to carefully power wash your heads to get the lapping compound out anyway, so I see no problem with using a wire brush on the heads themselves. Plus you should probably wire-brush the carbon off the valve seats before lapping valves.

Back when I was 21 or so I used to use a 20K RPM air drill with a "wire-crimp-end brush" with coarse wires chucked into it. It could spin it so fast that the wires would fan out. Man that thing could really eat gasket residue! Did head gaskets on a customer's car and used it to clean off the block. Test drove car and the oil pump locked up - inside found a piece of wire that had broken off my cleaning brush and circulated into the oil pump. A major f***-up that cost me a lot of free work (mechanics working on commission don't get paid for do-overs). That was the day I started worrying about getting stuff inside of the engine during repairs (when there is no way to notice it or get it back out).

I have been using the same putty knife (good metal periodically dressed to a razor edge with a file) to scrape gaskets for about 30 years. Sometimes I'll go over the area with a brand new razor blade to make sure all material is off, but that is it. However, if the part is removed and can be thoroughly washed/inspected (like your heads) I would finish off the sealing surface with a fine wire cup brush (like below) on an electric drill. But every time I have a notion to use a brush on the engine block, I remember my oil pump fiasco and I drag out the putty knife. You don't want abrasives or finely ground off gasket material or pieces of metal circulating in your oil. You should be aware that on any engine a good share of your oil bypasses the oil filter, especially when cold - so don't assume the filter will catch stuff that is in there. The filter only works as the oil makes multiple passes, only filtering a portion of the oil on each pass.

Again, good job!! Just try to resist the temptation to make the block surface all shiny and perfect looking - just clean and smooth to the touch with no gasket residue. It's kind of like looking at old engine bearings, it can be a slippery slope to do too much.

 

Thanks a lot, Les! I sat at the store yesterday contemplating it for so long but in the end went with red and aluminum, I was thinking exactly this with the valve covers red still. I wanted to use the old oil pan so the new one doesn't get dirty while I clean the block LOL, but I suppose I could just put the new one on now. I'm not sure what's going on with that valve, it looks like it still makes a good seal but I'll look at it closer. Since I have new valve stem seals for all of the valves so I might as well replace them all. That's a good idea with the wire brush I'll go out and get a new one today, I used all my last one up cleaning up the water pump. Guys, I have a MAJOR problem. Cleaning the front crevis on the engine for the oil pan this morning then I was going to just put the new oil pan on, I noticed it's CRACKED. I'm so devastated right now I'm not even sure what I will do, my local parts store has a Dorman in stock for $100 so I may go down and get that today, I don't want to wait for one to come in from online. I guess I'll wait now until I put the new cover on to paint the engine. Unless I paint the engine now then paint the new cover separate?

 

You can paint them separately I would think. Be aware that changing that front cover will probably necessitate a crank sensor relearn, using a capable scanner. Get ready to change timing gears and chain once you see it. If you do this, then you will probably will want to use the upgrade tensioner and this may require a different front cover. But wait, what year is yours?

But first tell me where is the crack. I'm not seeing it in the photo.

if it needs replaced just take off the front cover and take a photo of the timing gears for me please. Chain should have no more than 1/4" or so deflection if there is no tensioner present.

Now you're going down that slippery slope a bit. A couple hundred dollar crack in the front cover. Must be from the oil pan getting hit, right?

 

Okay sounds good Les, I just went and got a puller for the harmonic balancer so I'll go pull off the front cover now. The crack is outlined in this picture. I would think it's from the oil pan getting hit but it doesn't make much sense, I hit the oil pan all the way at the back and this is at the very front.

 

Wow! How did I miss that! Maybe entire pan got knocked backward and that caught on the lip and pulled it back, cracking it? Good catch!

2005 might have the tensioner originally. My 2001 did not.