head gasket!!!

[Spot u 3]

Just figured out my head gasket is blown in my LS!!!!!! Talk about right up the @$$!! Thanks Erikss for your help bro!! Any suggestions????

[TBYODA]

Dude that sucks! Sorry to hear. Good luck.

[dvanbramer88]

Any suggestions????

replace it?

[TBYODA]

Any suggestions????

replace it?

I am thinking Spot u 3 is looking for more than the obvious solution.

[Spot u 3]

I'm on my way home so I will post a picture

[v7guy]

Well, I thought it went without saying that you replace a blown head gasket. As for alternatives/suggestions... I dunno, replace the motor, replace the vehicle, burn it all.

[djthumper]

Well, I thought it went without saying that you replace a blown head gasket. As for alternatives/suggestions... I dunno, replace the motor, replace the vehicle, burn it all.

melt it down.

[navigator]

I would figure your only reasonable option would be to replace the head gasket.
I'm sure you'll want to go get that head checked out though to make sure it is still true.
Do you know why the gasket blew, did you run it hot?

[HARDTRAILZ]

C4 is an option...

[jonbo2002]

50 BMG

[dvanbramer88]

Talk about right up the @$$!! Any suggestions????

You should really use lube.

[mikekey]

Just pour some of this in there: https://www.steelseal.com/?gclid=CLy7xY ... 7AodmHEApQ

Problem solved.

[Spot u 3]

HAHAHAHAHAHA everyone's got jokes!!! I know the obvious is to fix it, but I weighing my options. New head or just get a used motor? I just put $1300 in suspension so I'm not sure which way to go.......

[TBYODA]

Just pour some of this in there: https://www.steelseal.com/?gclid=CLy7xY ... 7AodmHEApQ

Problem solved.

Mikekey have or some you know use the steel seal? Read on one post the steel seal is just like sodium silicate, ie: Water Glass/Liquid Glass... ? Which is much cheaper and you can get a local pharmacy.

[navigator]

HAHAHAHAHAHA everyone's got jokes!!! I know the obvious is to fix it, but I weighing my options. New head or just get a used motor? I just put $1300 in suspension so I'm not sure which way to go.......

Do you know why the HG blew in the first place?
Did it leak coolant into the block?
How long was it run after it blew?

My experience is only with the 4.0L 6cyl in my son's Jeep XJ. We had to deal with a blown HG on 2 different occasions.
With those if the gasket blew a certain way it would let coolant into the cylinder down into the block and if it was run very long could ruin bearings etc in the bottom end. We had one that the cylinder wall was scored pretty bad.

Once you figure out if you can just do a gasket vs rebuild etc, the next step would be to price some used motors. You might get lucky and find a junker on CL or something for cheap. You could also get together a list of parts you need for the replacement and how much a shop will charge you to check out your head. Then think about how much work you can do yourself and what you might have to pay to have done. I don't even know, do all the electronic components know/care if you swap out an engine?

With the Jeep there was a kit of gaskets for about $125 + head bolts + a head job etc. We could get a used engine for about $300 so it was a no brainer for me. I think it took my son and I about 20 hrs to do the 2nd swap.

I would expect though that our engine used would cost a good bit more than a $300 JY Jeep engine so you have to weigh all that out with what your plans are for the truck. If you plan to keep it forever it might be worth going through more in depth. If you are planning on trading/selling it soon anyway you might not invest as much in it.

[HARDTRAILZ]

I think they are about $500 when I see them used. Not too bad really.

[mikekey]

Replacing the head gasket on these isn't that difficult. Luckily with that being said, we have an aluminum block and head, so you shouldn't have to worry about warping to much like you would with an IRON head.

Where the leak is, and if it's in the cylinder is pretty critical. I bent a piston when I blew a headgasket on my LT1 Trans Am a few years back because the cylinder became hydrolocked.

Not fun. Then you'll end up rebuilding a motor. Not cool.

[navigator]

does aluminum crack pretty easy compared to cast iron?

[mikekey]

I have no idea where this wise tale came from. Aluminum is less prone to cracking and warping than cast iron is. It cools down faster, throws heat faster and is repairable, where cast iron has none of these features.

Almost every car produced these days has aluminum heads, and some are completely aluminum, and how many do you hear about having cracking or warping problems? None. Cast iron on the other hand is very prone to cracking, especially in high heat conditions.

[navigator]

I seem to remember several years ago there being mention of issues with aluminum heads but none recently.