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Head Gasket job.

10K views 106 replies 16 participants last post by  superdutycummins 
#1 ·
so after 220k my head gasket finally went today. perfect time of year to go right? so my game plan is to replace it and o-ring the head while its off, and if the money is right ill do studs right away as well. so i've come to you guys to point me in the direction of what gasket to get. my plans are to have a 5-600hp truck. also i will be doin the o-ring my self, i remember reading that you cut .010 and use a .020 ring, is this correct? if anyone could post a link on doin orings it would be greatly appreciated. also any tips. Shane
 
#2 ·
moto, i would only use a cummins gasket. on decking the head, just shave enough to get it flat if it needs it. decking these heads does not help compression like in a gasser.
 
#3 · (Edited)
the engine.


got my parts today, gonna get everything off tonight hopefully. the pig doesnt fit in my garage so its an outside job F*CK
 
#4 ·
im dissapointed nobody else has commented on this oh well. here is my progress so far. i will be setting the head again tonight hopefully. i also did not oring/fire ring. my decks are both flat. so hopin with the new Hg and these studs it will hold together.






 
#5 ·
the only thing i F'd up on was the sensor at the rear of the head, didnt know it existed until i saw a broken wire. other than that its been pretty straight forward. still has cross hatching in the cylinders as well.
 
#6 ·
Heres how to oring DO it Quote:
Renopker, do you actually machine the O-rings yourself, because if so, I'd love to ask you about depths and tolerances and that kind of stuff.

I do cut the orings my self, I use .040 ss wire (aircraft safety wire) but .032 works fine use a Bridgeport mill and a boring head. Its hard to get enough travel so count on rotating the column. In my post you'll read that I like to do it as the head was removed so Its easier to see were the fire ring in the gasket is located. Center the cut in it. Grind the tool with a slight relief on each side and the width for the wire. I use the .006-.009 number for protrusion.Touch off on each cylinder and spin the bar slow 40 rpm.Test the first grove by tapping the wire in to it.If the wire is a bit loose super glue it, it will spread out. 1st trick use .032 on you first head if you mess up go to .040.If your head has been cut scribe the bores from a new gasket and pay attention to the fire ring location.Remember all the wire does is to bite in to the fire ring. When you cut the wire if you don't get it butt to butt a small gap wont matter.If you follow this you wont have any problems.I forgot put the head on parallels and run the t slot bolts threw the head 2 is all it needs.
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98 12v,2wd twins,3:55,g56 6speed,elec fan clutch,100 hp sticks, 10 plate FF aFC fB,3gsk Valair ats,fluid damper,60#springs,o6 exhaust brake,High Idle,prime loc, 4"exh,piller mount
 
#8 ·
i wish this was posted earlier. i searched and searched for days on this oring job. im not sure if im going to do it any more. i was hoping to have it running again tomorrow. the head was .003 off, still in tolerance. how long does this proccess take? i want a 600hp truck, right now im around 350hp to the wheels. as long as i keep my drive pressures down i should be good correct?
 
#10 ·
i looked at this for an hour, and i dont know how im gonna get 2 round surfaces to set on each other.
 
#12 ·
Head studs are wayyy more important than o-rings. It has more to do with the ability to hold a steady pressure for a long amount of time. Bolts stretch while studs tend to hold stronger.
I've personally always disliked o-ringing heads. I like having a weak point if somethin should go wrong. Like I would much rather replace a head gasket than pistons or valves. Just my opinion.
 
#15 ·
Not at all.. The gasket is held in place by the bolts/studs. They run through holes in the gasket and hold the gasket in place and properly aligned. What im saying is bolts have a greater chance of stretching over time when compared to studs. 99% of all head bolts are torque to yeild. Meaning when you torque the bolts down the bolt actually streches and they are 1 use only. Studs are not torque to yeild and can continuously hold higher pressures for longer amounts of time.
The studs dont add any pressure or hold any tighter than bolts as their both torqued to spec. What they do is keep that amount of pressure for a longer time and less likely to stretch.
 
#14 ·
Head Gasket job

motocxer117,

It looks like you are doing a great paint job.
You realize to make that kind of HP/TQ you are raising the cylinder pressures.
The studs are mandatory for engine life.
The fun is just starting-------

You know my email & phone number------

WAYNES WORLD
 
#16 ·
So if the bolts/studs hold the gasket in place why do they blow out? Why do studs break so often? What do studs need to be re torqued so often ? why do studs loosen up with the heat cycles ? Why are all most all OEMS using torque to yield HBs? Studs work great on racers because they get lots of attention. But on the street I like bolts drive and smile.
 
#17 ·
A lot of reason behind heatgasket failure is poor tuning and high cylinder temps not the gasket physically moving. Fact is studs do a better job of holding a consistant pressure.

Why do most OEM vehicles set boost levels so low? why do they not o ring their heads from the factory? We could play this game all day man. Im not saying o-ringing a head is a bad idea, I'm just saying that head studs do a better job than bolts and are a more important addition than o rings.
 
#19 ·
reno, id like to thank you for your help. very appreciated, have a good holiday
 
#20 ·
i went ahead and oring'd it. took about 4 hours to cut only because i couldnt find a thinner wire other than .041. heres some pictures. i thinkin doin it on a bridgeport would suck reno, but goodjob on doin it. and thank you again. i will post pics of it together in the next couple days or so. im cleaning up the threads on the block right now and hopefully gonna get her set shortly.








 
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#23 ·
how long did it take to get everything dismantled and the head off? im ripping mine apart tomorrow afternoon to replace the HG. i dont plan on O ringing the head or putting studs in, i bought new headbolts and a cummins headgasket with the wider fire rings on it, the headgasket also come with an entire top end gasket kit and i got all these goodies for about 160 bucks. i only plan on running 35 psi of boost because i dont plan a bigger turbo really ever down the line unless im going to do a total rebuild.
 
#24 ·
could easily be done in a day. just make sure everything is real clean. most of the time spent is taking out the head bolts. use a cherrypicker to get the head off its pretty heavy, and im a big guy. theres a coolant sensor on the back of the block by number six on driver side make sure to remove that. i pulled ghe head with the manifold and turbo all connected.
 
#25 ·
i dont have a engine hoist or strong arm, so hopefully me and my dad can get it lifted off. ill be removing the radiator and intercooler to clean them and to deal with the KDP all at one crack.
 
#37 · (Edited)
I had a buddy help me get mine off, the lack of good places to hold onto without smashing fingers is the problem. We got it off, but putting it back on wasn't gonna happen without a lift, without mangling up the new head gasket. We're both 200lb guys, and it doesn't matter what you can lift, a lift is a must for this job. Borrow one if you have to, that's what I did.

motocxer117, don't feel bad about the coolant temp sensor wire, I did the same thing :banghead: I broke the sensor, oh well, pretty easy to change when the head is already off.
 
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