Intake manifold taken, should i do head gaskets?
 

I've teared down everything, intake manifold and valve covers, everything has been clean and ready to put new gaskets and reassemble everything, but I was reading that one of the symptoms of blown head gasket is coolant being pushed back and rough idle, and that's exactly what I have. Every time I try to fill the radiator it pushes the coolant out, also I have a rough idle and a little bit of power loss.

I'm wondering if I should go ahead and change the head gasket since everything is teared down anyway. How much more work would this be? Where can I see a tutorial? How about the torque settings?

Thanks

Sounds like you need the head gasket. Is there any water in your oil? That is a telltale sign.

I can't help with the details or specs but a Chilton manual would. It is fairly straight forward though. Remove the exhaust manifolds, rocker arms and lifters, and any brackets, unbolt and you are done. I would take the heads to a good machine shop to be milled though, just so you know you don't have a warped head.

Just make sure you keep each specific part (ie. rocker arms, lifters, plugs) in the order you took them out so you re-install them in the same locations.

Guyz....ummm I think I messed up. I thought in order to remove the heads one just had to unbolt them without unbolting the rockers first. So that's what I did, I took off the 4 bolts that hold the head to the block but I didn't loosen or unbolt the rockers. I just tried to pick it up or pry it, and just left it like that in order to read up and do it tomorrow.

So did I just mess up my heads?

There is like 10 bolts that hold the head on and should be loosened in sequence.

Stop poking around and get a book, it will give tighten sequences and tork specs.

Also check between the head and fire wall there is a bond cable on one and a bracket tor the fuel lines on the other one.

Was ready to buy a Haynes manual right now, unfortunately there is no downloadable ones, I guess I'll wait till tomorrow and buy the manual, head gasket set and rent a torque wrench.

I wanted to mentioned that when I took of the intake manifold, there was this horrible dex-cool sludge in the water passage ways. I'm wondering what's the best method to really clean these pasage ways and the rest of the cooling system?

Should I clean the upper intake manifold, where the spider is, it looks awful, the dyi article I read said he doesn't think that any of that burnt oil/carbon will do any harm. Also what would be a good cleaner for the outside of the plenum, valve cover, engine, cause this engine is NASTY!!!

purple power is your friend...get a few gallons and a tub to clean parts in...some gloves and a good brush and have at it....rinse with water and let dry