Got home from work today and noticed my truck was idleing funny, so I popped the hood to see that all of the glow plug holes where full of liquid. I thought at first that the injector cap o rings where shot because I just had to do 2 on the driver side, but all the injectors where dry. So I smelled the liquid and it was coolant, that was about the same time I noticed water bubbling out of the headgasket on the front of that head too. So I checked and the exhaust smelt fine and the truck wasent smoking, and the oil is still black. So I guess I'm doing headgaskets and studs sooner than I thought.
Well there goes a headgasket
- Thread starter S-west
- Start date
icanfixall
Official GMM hand model
Was this the drivers side head or the pasenger side head. If its passenger side it might be the thermostat housong gasket.
Headgaskets are a right of passage for 6.9 owners. It is never a question of if, but when. Amazingly, my tech article from 13 years ago, still exists and is still pertinent. Check it out http://www.thedieselstop.com/contents/getitems.php3?6.9L Gasket and Turbo Install
Also I read Mel's right up on doing the headgaskets, it mentions getting a new valley pan. Can the old one be reused? I don't see why not. Any tips and tricks would be helpfull. I am doing this in the truck and like I said I have read Mel's right up so I have an idea of what it takes to do this, but the more input the better haha.
I literally just read this whole thing Haha.
OLDBULL8
Good Morning Ya'll.
It's been recommended to use a new intake gasket. It's a crush gasket, it may seal and may not. I've reused them before, but sealed them with gasket sealer, after that they are no longer reuseable. If they would leak, there is a possibility that dirt can be sucked in. It's your call.
X2^^^
Intake gasket and valley pan are one unit. Not expensive (unless it leaks
)
Intake gasket and valley pan are one unit. Not expensive (unless it leaks
)Didn't realize the intake gasket and valley pan where together like that. The guy at the parts store said the felpro headgasket kit comes with the intake gasket, but it didn't show a picture. I guess i will see tomorrow when it comes in.
When I did the lifters I found that out. Also be sure to use sealant on the front and back of the valley pan as I have been told they are prone to leaking, especially on the angles in the corners. My Felpro intake gasket/valley pan came with the sealant. It also had good instructions. I followed them and I have had no leaks at all.
typ4
Full Access Member
if it does get the part number, because it will be a first.
You are going to have to order a valley pan if you are replacing it. It doesn't come in the HG set. TahoeTom posted a picture of some ports that are not needed that he had plugged. They are directly below the hump at each glow plug well. I think I will go that route if I have to get head work done. One less place to leak.
Can30Diesel
Full Access Member
Wow, I just realized that this write up I read like 2 years ago was Mel's. Small internet world!!
So the headgasket set did not come with the intake gasket, even though it was listed in what it came with, so I tried to get it for free but they wouldn't because it cost 65 bucks on top of the 120 gasket set. Oh we'll it's got to be done
icanfixall
Official GMM hand model
Many of us knew you were not going to recieve the intake valley pan gasket with the head gasket set. Thats just how it is. Sadly you should be able to fight this because some fool told you that its included but wth.. Its your call. Watch the rockers when they come off. They need to be replaced where they came off and the pushrods are directional too. They have a hard and soft ball on the ends. Mix that up and you push a pushrod thru a rocker. Also if you have the old style rockers its now time to upgrade to the 7.3 rockers. Actually we can't buy the 6.9 old style rockers any more. They were that bad about waer. Doing the heads in frame is a tuff heavy job. Its best if two guys use a long pipe and the head is suspended from the pipe. They walk it over the engine and your up on the engine guiding it down on the alingment dowels. That way you wont ruin a head gasket cause the head cut the gasket. Then you find that out when you refill the coolant ot soon the head gasket blows again. Find or make a bottoming tap for the head bolts. Its a 7/16x14 threads and the block threads will need to be cleaned all the way down. The threads in the block are 3/4 inch below the deck surface. Thats so the threads wont pull up and distort the block suface and ruin the torque.
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