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Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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Joe14228
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Sep 9, 2011, 4:22 PM
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Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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Hi,
I've got a 95 Camaro (3.4L) that I'm fixing for someone. It had been leaking water before it was recently bought, and new owner says it needed a new head gasket. When it arrived at my house via trailer, it wouldn't start (dead battery), so I don't know for sure how it ran.
I tore it apart and replaced the head gasket (and other ones, of course). After completing, the car would not start. One bank of plugs had oil on them, and no cylinders show any pressure at all (zero, zip , zilch).
Any idea on WHAT might have happened here? I can't believe that BOTH gaskets slipped so much that I get zero compression.
Question: Should / Could I have done a compression test right after I got the heads on, and before the intake was installed? If I got no compression, I could have done fixes a LOT easier than tearing it all apart again.
Thanks all...
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Sep 9, 2011, 5:07 PM
Post #2 of 13
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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Did you send the heads to a machine shop when they were off?
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Joe14228
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Sep 9, 2011, 6:01 PM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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No. The guy said he got some other quotes and turned down suggestions that he get the heads serviced while change the gaskets, saying it was too much money for the whole shebang, so he was taking the cheap way.
I told him that there was a chance that the heads might be damaged / warped, but he said no anyway.
Do you think that they might be warped, even if it was running before? The engine compartment did have quite a bit of coolant blown about (some was on the windshield too), along with leaks out the tailpipe, so whatever was leaking seemed to be pretty severe.
I just have a hard time thinking that it wouldn't at least run a little, but obviously I'm wrong somewhere.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Sep 9, 2011, 6:05 PM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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I would NEVER replace a head gasket without sending the heads out. They always need at least resurfacing and quite often the heads are cracked.
He didn't save any money because now it has to all come apart and be done over the right way. I bet he didn't replace the head bolts either. That is mandatory. They are "one time use" bolts
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Joe14228
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Sep 9, 2011, 6:18 PM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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Well, that's one area he didn't scrimp - he did get the new head bolts. I'll have to hit him up again with these choices and see what he wants to do.
So do you think that the heads are bad, and that would account for the lack of compression, not anything I did wrong?
Are the gaskets put on dry? That's what the info with the kit said.
I also had a hard time with the gaskets slipping off the locator pins before the head was in place. I ended up using 2 head bolts to locate the head while lower it. I had the idea from doing this that by using a few studs that I could thread these into the block and use those to then slide the head into place. Is this standard practice also?
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Sep 9, 2011, 6:25 PM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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Yes, the gaskets stay dry. As far as aligning, the dowel pins are usually sufficient. The other thing you want to look at is the pushrods. They look the same but the intake and exhaust are actually different lengths. There may also have been more damage than expected in the block. If it got hot enough, the rings and pistons could be wiped out. A leakdown test may be helpful.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Joe14228
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Sep 9, 2011, 6:31 PM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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My son told me about a mechanic he worked (national chain shop) who messed up an engine by swapping pushrods. I also read that intake and exhaust may be different lengths  . I made great pains to store the pushrods in a holder in the exact position I took them out. 
I guess I did ONE thing right. Now I wish I could just figure out what ELSE is wrong!!! lol
(This post was edited by Joe14228 on Sep 9, 2011, 6:33 PM)
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Discretesignals
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Sep 10, 2011, 9:11 AM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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The exhaust push rods are longer than the intake. The dowel pins are important in keeping the gaskets from walking around when the heads and block are contracting and expanding with temperature changes.
Just curious, but did you do a cylinder leak down test to see where the air is going?
Oops... I just read HT recommend this. At least we are on the same page...
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Sep 10, 2011, 9:12 AM)
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Joe14228
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Sep 11, 2011, 6:11 AM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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No - no leak down test. I don't have the tools to do that right now, bu if I did, how would that tell me where the leakage is at?
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Sep 11, 2011, 7:02 AM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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Instead typing all of what it does watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNf0IOIvIcY
To add to the video that the person didn't cover:
If you have a head gasket issue in a particular cylinder you might see the coolant bubbling in the radiator or coolant reservoir when you connect the leak down tester to the cylinder. If you have a gasket that is blown between two cylinders, you'll have air escaping out the cylinder next to the one that you are testing.
Instead of finding top dead center you can also loosen or take off the rocker arms for that cylinder you are testing. With the rockers loosened or removed, the valves will be closed no matter what position you have the piston at.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Sep 11, 2011, 7:21 AM)
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Joe14228
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Sep 13, 2011, 8:54 PM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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OK - got tools to run the leak test tomorrow. TDC issue is one point now. How do I find that? I'd rather not have to remove the valve cover right now.
Question: Can a head gasket be reused if it's only been on the car for a few days? Probably not, I assume...
Now here's an interesting problem. My son installed the rocker pivot hold down screws, and now I read in the repair manual that they should not be fully tightened. I wonder if this has lifted the valves off the seats and has killed the compression. Would that be too easy? Probably, I assume again. One can only hope. 
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Sep 14, 2011, 3:12 AM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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Yes, there is a very good chance that is your problem. You need to get the rockers adjusted correctly. If the head does have to come off, it's definitely too late for the gasket and the head bolts also if they are torque to yield bolts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Joe14228
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Sep 18, 2011, 5:20 PM
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Re: Head Gasket for 1995 Camaro, 3.4L
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I finally got around to adjusting the rocker arms. Wow - are they touchy! I adjusted each cylinder separately and did a compression test after each to verify the adjustment. Sometimes 1/2 turn would kill the compression again. And I did eventually go with 1/2 turn past snug, instead of the Chilton value of 1 1/2 turns, which didn't always work.
HOWEVER... most of the readings were between 140 and 200, but cylinders 1 and 3 are reading about 100. Yikes - could the head be cracked in that area?
Now the engine runs, but the idle speed is 3000 RPM. That would signal a SIZABLE vacuum leak, would it not? I'm sure the upper intake gasket is ok, but maybe the lower manifold might be the problem.
Any ideas before I resort to the unthinkable and take it apart again?
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