420a rebuild question

[Toshima]

Well my 99 eclipse nt has a blown head gasket. I never let it over heat but i did drive with it like that for awhile. I had to untill I got my 240sx running. My problem is I just spent alot of money on my 240 and now I dont know what should I do. It has about 145-XXX miles on it so I was wondering would I be ok with just a new headgasket and gasket set, timing belt and re ring it. I dont have much I can spend right now. It wont see any boost or anthing anytime soon. Just want my DD back.

 

[Lenn]

mine just took a dump too with 90k on it but i let the dealer do it to have a paper trail to follow it ($975). to answer your question, as long as the car doesnt seem to have been beaten up it should be fine just to put a headgasket on it and make sure that when you get the head off to send it to a machine shop and to have all 16 valve seals replaced (its a good idea to have the head resurfaced or at least checked for true as well). it might be beneficial to replace water pump and timing belt rollers as well. if you dont know the history of the car or how it was taken care of, you're taking a slight risk but in the long run when you buy a used car thats all that you do.

 

[Toshima]

I had the car sence 2001 it had about 54000 miles on it. I got a new headgasket at about 80000 the dealer did it under wanranty I dont remeber what else they replaced I was only 16 then. Thanks for the tip I will take the head to a mechine shop to get resurfaced and the seals put on. But how hard is it to put new rings on. Also do I have to replace the timing belt hydrolic tencher(dont know how to spell that good)

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Putting new rings in involves almost completely disassembling the bottom end. It isn't easy or quick by any means.

What makes you think you even need to replace the rings in the first place? I'd leave the bottom end alone and just put a new headgasket on. Decking (re-surfacing) both the head and the block is probably a good idea, but you could get away without doing it. While a little warping and deformation is normal in high mileage cars, extreme warping to the point where a head gasket won't seal happens mostly in high-performance engines or engines that were overheated.

I'd say the valve seals aren't particularly needed either, but since you'll need to temporarily remove the timing belt, new timing components are probably a good idea. The tensioner can be re-used if you want, but you might as well do a complete timing belt job for peace of mind.

You'll also want to get new OE head studs to replace the old stretched ones (and to avoid snapping a stud off in the block).

By the way, check each cylinder's compression when you're done with all this.

 

[Toshima]

Hey thanks for the info I just thought I would replace the rings sence it has so many miles. And sence it was going to be half disassembeld I just thought I would at lease up new rings on Ill just get a full gasket set, timing belt, rings and get the head reserfaced. Thanks

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Sounds like you'll be doing a full engine rebuild then. You might as well get a full gasket set, new bearings, a new water pump and a new oil pump. You'll need new ones if you'll be taking the engine apart anyway.

 

[DSMcrazy3]

Not to contradict you Paul, but Toshima, if you're doing a timing belt job, replace the tensioner. It gets replaced any time a timing belt job is done professionally for a reason, if it fails, in most cases, bye bye engine. That thing is the life of the timing belt, and the timing belt is the life of the engine.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Not to contradict you Paul, but Toshima, if you're doing a timing belt job, replace the tensioner. It gets replaced any time a timing belt job is done professionally for a reason, if it fails, in most cases, bye bye engine. That thing is the life of the timing belt, and the timing belt is the life of the engine.

No, you're right, I was merely saying you can re-use it; as in it is possible. In almost every case, however, it should be replaced.

 

[DSMcrazy3]

No, you're right, I was merely saying you can re-use it; as in it is possible. In almost every case, however, it should be replaced.

Oh ok, well why didn't you "merely" say he could re-use his head studs? I'm just kidding with you of course