Head Gasket Basics
Head gaskets are not very expensive to purchase but the main expense is the time and labor invested in changing one. There are a lot of parts that have to be disassembled just to get to the where the gasket located. Most people don't have the knowledge or the time to replace a gasket on their own but they should have basic knowledge of how it's done. The reason for that is so that when one has to be replaced it can be visually checked to make sure the work has been done properly.
What the head gasket does
The headgasketis placed between the head of the engine and the block. There are holes in it that allow water to run from holes in the head to holes in the block. These holes carry oil and water and without the gasket they would leak out. The gasket allows replacement of parts in the head without removing the whole engine. The gasket is like two cookie's with filling in the middle of them. When the two parts are pressed together, it makes one complete engine with the gasket as the filling.
Where the head gasket is located
The gasket is between the block, or the bottom part of the engine and the head, or the top of the engine. The bottom part of the engine is where the pistons are. It also holds the crankshaft, which makes the rear wheels move. The head holds rods that push on valves, and it is also where all the air and fuel go into the engine.
Removal of extra parts
The engine has lots of parts that are usually attached to the engine such as the water pump, intake and exhaust manifolds, fuel injection and the alternator, that have to be removed. Smog lines and fuel lines will probably have to be removed and set aside, as well. The battery has to be removed for safety so that the electricity is completely off and won't cause a fire. The radiator and hoses may have to be removed and the transmission lines that go to the radiator will have to be removed and plugged.
Finally, the head
When everything is finally cleared, the head is now ready to remove. The valve covers are now ready to come off to get to the inside of thehead. The push rods and lifters can be removed but must be kept in the same order so they can be replaced in the same place. Finally, the bolts on the head have to be removed. These are torqued, or tightened, to a very high pressure and have to be removed with an impact or a breaker bar. They may even snap or break off in the process of removal. Then, once this is done the head can be removed and cleaned and checked for cracks. The gasket usually will come off the block fairly easily. The surface of theblockhas to be cleaned and checked visually for cracks as well.
Replacing the gasket
After everything has been inspected and checked for wear, then the new head gasket can be placed on the block. The head is placed on the gasket and the bolts of the head are tightened down. The bolts have to be tightened down to the specific pressure required for the car that is being worked on. After that, everything else is put back together again.
