At the moment I am planning my head swap, and figure i might as well do the following while at it....
1. new head gasket (which one do i need for my needs?)
2. head bolts (can i reuse old? should i go to the dealer and get oem? or buy ARP head studs?)
3. top end gaskets (will just a fel-pro set from autozone work? or should i find something better?)
4. headers (pacesetter 4-1 armor coat, unless someone has a better idea)
5. high flow cat
6. _________________
7. _________________
8. _________________
9. _________________
What else is a good idea to do at this point? my car has 95k on it currently...
Is there any advantage of installing a timing chain, or water pump, or oil pump, or anything like that at this time?
I know it wouldnt hurt to do all of the above... but i mean like is the install of those type of things any easier while doing a head job than any other time?
my head is the Mantaparts P&P Street Head, i also have cam towers loaded with "secret cams" and this is all going onto my supercharged 2.4L...
I have been doing alot of searching and reading up on things, but not alot that applies directly to my situation.
I am NOT pulling the engine, i am not running 20psi boost, i am not looking to lower compression.... (so i dont need a cometic boosted gasket, nor could i use it without milling the head)
I AM just swapping the head, cams, lifters, and towers at this point. I plan to get a smaller pulley (2.5 maybe).
I have read alot about head gasket failure under boost.... but i know the MP45 can only reach about 10-11psi. So is this enough to worry about blowing gaskets? What is the best gasket to use in a bolt up situation like this without spending a fortune or having to machine the engine.
just get a stock gasket, DONT REUSE YOUR HEAD BOLTS!!! get ARP's that should minimize headlift..I personallt use GMS solventless silicone for any mating surfaces that require a "no-leak" seal. and go with a quality header that most SC Z's have the best luck with and go from there and theres nosuch thing as a high flow cat from what ive experianced..
Built&Boosted moar
04 Cavalier Turbo r.i.p my baby
2nd place 2009 GM tuner bash qwick 8--holla
I agree with the above poster. The only thing I would add is that yes your water pump would be much easier to change at that time since it is driven off the timing chain.
FORGET GIRLS GONE WILD WE HAVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING GONE WILD!
Do you water pump for sure and save a headache later
Might wanna do your timing chain tensioner also
Your head bolts are torque to yield and like everyone said DO NOT use them again
Good luck
sUiCiDe wrote:Do you water pump for sure and save a headache later
Might wanna do your timing chain tensioner also
Your head bolts are torque to yield and like everyone said DO NOT use them again
Good luck
Ok now do i want to replace just the tensioner shoe? or the tensioner unit itself? what about the 3 TC guides?
how about the timing chain itself? Should i replace that too?
(these are all special order parts, and i dont want to order them if i dont need them... (prob wont let me return them) and i dont want to have to pause the job while i wait for special parts to be ordered mid-job.
Does $215 sound like a decent deal for a full upper gasket set by fel-pro?
I can get that gasket kit in Canada for 160
Might wanna look around some more
i will be starting my head swap this weekend or next.... anyone in the area interested in helping, watching, laughing at me, while i try this?
Ok got my new Fel-Pro gasket set.... and i guess was slightly suprized by intake and exhaust gaskets....
the exhaust gasket is just 2 pieces of tin held loosely together by 2 copper rivets.... fortunately the gasket perfectly matches the ports on my new head.
But the intake gasket is this big thick plastic thing with rubber inlayed in it..... it is MUCH smaller than the ports on my new head, and i dont see how this fits in between the SC and the head... i cant see any gasket there now.... Is this only for NA engines? and the SC needs a special gasket? or does it have orings or something installed in it already?
I hope i am not supposed to use this intake gasket.... as it will kinda defeat the porting on my new head.
I think i am going to have ALOT of left over gaskets... anyone want to buy some gaskets???
And what is a safe way to clean and prepare gasket mating surfaces on aluminum? I need to clear off all the old gasket residue and such.... razor blades, gasket scrapers and wire brushes kinda scare me on aluminum.... What is suggested?
And which gaskets do i want to use a sealer with, and which do i want to keep dry?
sUiCiDe, did you get me PM?
fast, reliable or cheap. choose two.
ken soggs wrote:But the intake gasket is this big thick plastic thing with rubber inlayed in it..... it is MUCH smaller than the ports on my new head, and i dont see how this fits in between the SC and the head... i cant see any gasket there now.... Is this only for NA engines? and the SC needs a special gasket? or does it have orings or something installed in it already?
^You don't use the intake manifold gasket with the M45.... it has o-rings.
2001 Olds Alero (LD9)
650 whp / 543 ft-lb
@turboalero
Yup the supercharger has little o rings
Even the stock intake manifold had the gasket built right in if i remember correctly
ok this is an odd one.....
I got my SC rebuild kit... and went to start rebuilding.... pulled the serp belt off and felt the pulley fearing how bad it would be..
to my suprize it was tight and smooth as anything.... i couldnt figure out how this bearing could be making all that horrible noise (for MONTHS now my SC has been making a horrible grinding/squeaking noise... very hit or miss.... mostly seems to get worse when humid. when warm and dry it was quiet, or quieter at least....
So i get thinking, as now i need to know what was making all the noise. tensioner pulley is fine, alternator is fine (better be it is only a few months old), and then i grab ahold of the static idler pulley... that thing was so loose i thought it was going to fall off in my hand... give it a bit of a spin, and sure enough...GRINDSCRAPESQUEAL...
My supercharger was fine all along... it was just that one damn idler pulley....
I was relieved to know my SC was safe and healthy.... But then i realized that this idler puller is not a stock part... this comes as part of the SC kit.... so that means i am not going to be able to get a replacement part from autozone or anything.....
It was an incredible paint to get off, but managed to remove it from the engine bay....
Most interestingly, upon closer inspection, i found the bearing itself to be in good shape.... but it appears that the whole unit is nothing more than a axle shaft, with a pressed on sealed bearing.... and some odd type of metal "sleeve" that slides over the bearing.
here it looks like the sleeve has come loose... (and currently look like it wasa bit too large to begin with.... ) and the snap ring that appears to have originally held it in place is missing.... and in its place are a few tiny tack welds.... looks like someone tried to weld the sleeve to the bearing, and did a poor job of it....
so.... I am curoius as to what this part is SUPPOSED to be like..... and i am curious as to where i might be able to find a replacement for it.
I think for the moment i MAY try to re-tack weld it, just to get the car running again.... and buy myself time to find the right parts....
I will attach a few photos in a few minutes here.
if anyone has a SC kit that hasnt been installed yet, if you could snap me some pics of this piece, that would help me out alot....
