Monday, September 19, 2011

Can i replace my Head Gasket, or just put in some type of sealent in the antifreeze?

I believe i blew a head gasket, and im not sure how to change it. money is so tight i cant afford to take it to a mechanic. ive been told of a sbtance that i can pour in my radiator called liquid ice that will seal the gasket up. not permenantly, but it will work so would it be beter that way, or should i change the gasket? Also if i need to change it, what steps do i need to follow, and what tools do i need? Im at a huge lose here.Can i replace my Head Gasket, or just put in some type of sealent in the antifreeze?no there is no miracle sealant. the heads may be warped, too, so just a gasket replacement may not be all it is. if you don't know how, don't try, you could ruin the engine. but then, it IS a ford.

btw you need a torque wrench, and the knowledge to use it.Can i replace my Head Gasket, or just put in some type of sealent in the antifreeze?Ouch.



You will know if its blown if you drive down the road, leaving a constant trail of blue smoke, or puffs of white. Your head gasket is literally a gasket sealing your head to your block. If it blows, the little ports where oil travels through, leaks out.



I would not put that stuff in. My friend used that and it clogged up his lines and he had to have the radiator replaced.



As for chaning it, you have to remove the head of your cars motor (the mart in the middle of the engine, where the oil cap screws onto). The gasket itself is less thsn 10$ usually, but of course its the labor to get to it. You CAN do it yourself, but make sure you dont mess up any of the valves while your in there, cuz then you run the risk of running too rich or too lean and causing more damage.Can i replace my Head Gasket, or just put in some type of sealent in the antifreeze?the cheapest and best thing to do is to replace the head gasket urself. its a inline 4 so it shouldnt be as hard as a v6 or v8 which sometimes require taking the the timing belt/chain off and lining up the time marks again. but all u should need is: a new gasket, a socket set (i suggest metric) and since its an older car or a gater as i call cuz it eats up time, u'll probably need a breaker bar to loosen rusty bolts, and a torque wrench and the torque seqeunce, look at ur public library they should have a manuel for ur car with the torque sequence. but if u cant get the torque sequence forget it cuz without it u can warp ur head and even crack it.Can i replace my Head Gasket, or just put in some type of sealent in the antifreeze?that stuff might seal up your radiator but def not the head gasket, especially if its blowing between cylinders.



Best bet is buy the gasket, timing belt and a haynes manual, its not a hard job and the only special tools you wll need is a torque wrench.



good luckCan i replace my Head Gasket, or just put in some type of sealent in the antifreeze?Lol my friend youtubed how to replace his head gasket. Honestly the gaskets pretty cheap, its the hours of labor thats gonna be the b*tch. edit: I wouldnt even try. theres also no sealant i would trust out there.Can i replace my Head Gasket, or just put in some type of sealent in the antifreeze?I would NOT trust any 'liquid'. A head gasket can be changed in an afternoon with basic hand tools in your driveway.Can i replace my Head Gasket, or just put in some type of sealent in the antifreeze?I have never heard of such a sealant. The head gasket is not hard but time consuming so be patient. First go to the library or a friend and look up the repair manual if possible. The car if I remember right has an aluminum head. You will need to take it and have it planed to make sure it is flat. You will need some basic tools, socket set, probably metric and a torque wrench to tighten the head bolts properly. There is a pattern you need to tighten them up in. This is available at the parts store or any Ford dealer. They will start from the center of the head and gradually go outwards. Do not torque them all the way at once. Example: final torque is 40. Take them all to 30 and then on the second pass take them to 40. Good luck and be patient. If you unhook things to get out of the way then mark them. Masking tape you can write on is ok.