How many hours to replace V8 inlet manifold gasket?
Was using a toy "pressure"washer to clean the engine today and I had the engine running while I was doing it. Got to where the [V8] inlet manifold meets the head just above where the p/s pump bracket bolts on and suddenly a 1mm diameter stream of water starts squirting out... Seems the gasket has karked it where the water comes out of the head on it's way to the thermostat, and it was only hanging by a thread. Damn! Now I gotta get it fixed.
At least it didn't stick me up in some remote place and cook the motor as well. Does anyone know how long to replace one of these things. About 35 years ago I saw a VACC book and it listed various jobs for all kinds of cars so the mechanic could give a quote. Is there still such a thing? How big a job is it? No, I'm not going to do it myself - makes much more sense to pay someone while I work. I only make 1/4 as much per hour but it'd probably take WAY more than 4 times as long.
I can't stipulate quoted times from books but I would allow 2 days, 1 to strip and clean and day 2 to reassemble and test.
FYI if the mantanence is low on a high Klm car then factor in extras while you are at it such as heater hoses and tap, plugs, leads, rotor/cap etc.
Carpark Mechanic.....
It should be a tiny bit more time with a V8, but on the VP V6 it took 2 of us about an hour or 2 (without allowing for the time for a massive #### up)
[09-01, 22:47] HoZy: VKC doesnt finger, He fists... Because Ranga
( .Y. )
Did one for the first time the other week and it only took me about 3 hours from start to finish and that included doing a head gasket. Its actually really easy...
You have to remove the fuel rails and all the things connected to the inlet manifold (there a 2 sneaky vacuum hoses a the back near the dizzy) then remove all the bolts around the manifold the wedge a a screwdriver between the head and manifold to break the gasket seal (be careful here) and take it off.....
Piss easy job even for a first timer. Justs place everything in order on the ground or bench and place them all back on in order...
Yeah, the two small hoses coming out of the water pump are a bit ordinary, and there is a third short one close by that should be changed too. Distributor stuff is only 7 months old but your dead right, if you can get to it, do it.Originally Posted by VR38
That's about the time I was hoping. Can't take it to my mechanic of choice because they are about 20km away. Taking it to a local one ~3km. That's about as far as I want to go with this fountain on wheels. When it is finished and I get the car back I'm gunna whisper in it's ear any more tricks like that and it off to the wreckers with you!
They got it pulled apart today and rang me up to tell me that the problem is that the manifold has corroded somewhat so it's about $150 to get that welded up and smoothed off, then various heater hoses and hose clamps, top radiator hose, several small vacuum hoses, and a distributor rotor button [gotta be nuts not to take the opportunity to change that] so all in all it's gunna cost about $700. Stupid car.
For external use only
Corrosion is very common on old Holdens that haven't been mantained properly. At least they're not changing both head gaskets because the corrosion blocked a gallery and she overheated
__________________________________________________
The 1972 HQ Kingswood
The 1989 VN Turbo Rally Project
__________________________________________________
Unusually, this car has been maintained. Not set on a pedestal as an object of worship, just when something needed doing it got done. Inside the thermostat housing was clean as a whistle, and it has had the same [aluminium alloy] gas regulator since 1993. AFAIK it has always had green coolant, not water. What ~might~ be an issue is the corroded part of the manifold was only several mm away from the cast iron head so maybe more likely to suffer electrolysis from the dissimilar metals than if it were further away like the thermostat housing.
Where it was leaking
All fixed now after a bit of aluminium welding.
Posting Permissions
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
