Yes, as long as you keep everything in order. It helps to write down what you do.

OHV motors are the EASIEST engines to work on, ever. Honestly, the hardest part for me was getting the rear exhaust manifold off and back on.

 

no it is not. unless you are very decent with a wrench i wouldn't advice this. what other repairs do you have under your belt? at the very least get a second set of hands. preferably someone with tricks up there sleaves. you dont wanna wind up head deep and in the need of a pros help. i consider myself handy and a head gasket is a lot more than u think. fuel lines, manifolds, heads. not to mention all the trinkets u gotta pull up. then if you dont send it for pressure test and milling you are really gambling putting the head back down and still having a screwed leak. that'll b about 180 at napa. before you jump in set up the test and get a friend who has down a big job like this before. also. get a second opinion. heads gaskets blowing idt are common on this at all.

 

not knocking you but i know better than anyone that: most people dont know **** about cars. just because you and i would get into that on a sunday doesn't mean that anyone is ready to dive in. especially on their daily driver if that may b the case

 

o. its like 180 per head for pressure and milling. u got 2

 

With the 3100/3400 engines it is. One of the biggest trouble spots are the gaskets on the head, LIM and UIM failing. In the early years, GM used nylon gaskets that really warp and get ruined w/ high temperatures, in later years they switched to aluminum. My car is currently sitting in the shop now having my LIM gaskets replaced, and a hose that got filled w/ oil and damaged. Also having the coolant flushed and changed since the oil got into that, which is why it overheats.

 

True, then again, the only engine work I'd ever done before re-doing my top end was simply **** - alternators, battery, intake. A Haynes manual helps immensely. It also helps if you have someone working with you that know about motors... Although I didn't, and my **** is beast lol

And IDK how much stuff like that costs where you are, but I paid $250 and got both - valve job, flow tested, and milled.

 

I've done head gaskets on 3100's and LIMs on 3100/3400s (basically the same engine). I've also done a couple LIMs on 3800s. Doing heads on a 3800 is no big deal at the point I've had it. It's a puzzle and remembering where it all went together.

I've never had a head professionally inspected/machined. I'll admit, I ran a gamble, BUT I did the ol' straight edge test to see if they were warped. I'm currently driving a '94 Grand Am that I did the head gaskets on in October of '09 at 180,000 miles and it has over 210,000 today.

Anything from the head gaskets up on a FWD GM v6 does not bother me.

BUT, if you are uncomfortable with what needs done and you can't be without the car for long, either see if you can get help from an experienced friend OR find a reputable mechanic. I'm certainly NOT going to push someone into this type of a job who is not comfortable.

Sorry about your luck. Make sure you get the Fel Pro aluminum LIM gaskets for re-assembly.

 

thx ill let everyone know when she's back on the road

 

Make sure that your radiator is not plugged up with sludge from the Dexcool. Even if you flush the radiator, that stuff does not want to come out.

When I first bought my 2004, it had green antifreeze in it. The owner had had the coolant system flushed a year prior because the shop that did her oil change recommended it. I bought it with 87,800 miles on it so it was earlier than that.

I decided to flush it again after I bought it because I didn't like the looks of the coolant in the radiator and overflow tank. I refilled and drained the entire system about five times before the water came out clear and I used Prestone flush on the first time. Even after doing all of this, I could still see the redish brown sludge coating the inside of the radiator. I used Prestone green long life coolant as the replacement.

I have replaced the radiator cap and thermostat with AC-Delco replacements and one radiator hose. My car does not over heat but does run a little hotter on the gauge with the new thermostat in it. Mine usually runs about two marks before the half but will run at the first mark before the half when it is hot outside. Hopefully it is not something serious and you get it fixed soon.

Wayne

 

I have a 04 Monte Carlp and it is doing the exact same thing as the car of Venom Intimidator, I have had the following done.
New Radiator, New water pump, new intake gaskets, flushed the system, new thermostat, pressure test on system.
You can bleed the system and it is good for about 1 to 2 weeks. And then it starts heating again, I have spent a small fortune on this problem. Does anyone have any idea's. This is my daugthers car and it is not safe for her to drive.