head gasket

[chevyboy1983]

well checked the oil the other day and there is water in the oil. its a 350 ci its got a edelbrock intake and carb.  I think only the drivers side head is leaking what does it involve to change it?  I have the new gasket all ready from O'reilly auto parts.  Should i replace both of them since i have it all apart and what other kind of parts will i need besides water pump and new intake gasket? 

thanks

[camdenoilchange]

do both head gaskets while your there. i'd put a new thermostat and hoses on while the coolant is drained. I'd also get the heads machined.

[Lt.Del]

Be carefull when removing the intake manifold and the heads. Loosen one bolt very slightly, then go to the other side and loosen another bolt very slightly then go back to the other side---alternate---you don't want to warp your intake or head.  If you have a chiltons or haynes manual, follow that.  They usually show the pattern to use when removing/replacing the intake and heads.

Ensure you torque all to specs.  Some use a sealer to dab in the corners of the gaskets when replacing the intake back on the heads. 

Just take pics as to where the vacuum lines, wires, etc.. go so you can put it all back together with ease.

But as mentioned before, I'd get the heads redone with new valves and seals.  Having reconditioned heads is sometimes like rebuilding an engine....you will notice a big difference if your engine has many miles on it and the bottom end is ok.

[HAULIN IT]

I think you should spend some time trying to find "the leak" before you disassemble anything. It may just be the intake gasket. A coolant system pressure tester would be a good start, look/listen for bubbles. Have you checked the intake bolts? Especially with Aluminum intakes, the bolts seem to need a 1/4 turn or more every time you check them for quite some time. However, once the gasket starts leaking coolant, it's unlikely you will seal it with tightening them now. But it may give you an idea of what is going on. Lorne 

[chevyboy1983]

I think you should spend some time trying to find "the leak" before you disassemble anything. It may just be the intake gasket. A coolant system pressure tester would be a good start, look/listen for bubbles. Have you checked the intake bolts? Especially with Aluminum intakes, the bolts seem to need a 1/4 turn or more every time you check them for quite some time. However, once the gasket starts leaking coolant, it's unlikely you will seal it with tightening them now. But it may give you an idea of what is going on. Lorne 

I'm leaning more to wards a head because I'm losing coolant through the y at the exhaust.  The gasket is gone between the manifold and the exhaust and coolant is coming out of there and i have a lot of white smoke coming out the pipe.

[HAULIN IT]

Ok, But that does not make it automatically the head gasket. You had said that there was water in the oil...but there is also water in the combustion chamber if it's smoking & leaking out the exhaust. It still could only be the intake gasket (not saying it is, just it could be) if the front/rear coolant port is letting coolant past the gasket, some could be going down the lifter valley into the oil & some going down the intake port beside it. If you leak-down or compression tester, this would help allot. If not, with both valves closed, shop air with a spark plug adapter will tell you the same thing. If the coolant in the rad bubbles, it's before the valve (block, head or gasket) if no bubbles... the intake gasket would pretty much be your item. Hope this helps, Lorne