04Redline

Just curious before i go digging in to replace this.... can i do this with avoiding the timing chain? I can't find any how to's.

Well been doing some research and found out once you start putting some good power into these engines the head bolts tend to stretch in the end having the head float and that's why the gasket leaks..... i just ordered a gasket but the ARP studs are pretty expensive.... hopefully it will work. *praying*

Spectral

well i do know the studs are a weak point with the LSJ but with your mods i don't think it would be an issue yet. I know most of the people who put now near or over 300 whp get the ARP ones. but i don't know about replacing the head gasket you probably will have to deal with the timing chain atleast i know Tom did when he worked on his head and crap.

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

lawl, i jsut got finished reinstalling my head, let me know when you do this, i know how to time these engines now

yes, timing chain goes through the head gasket and head to the cam gears, have to retime the whole car when you do this, you might as well do some head work while you have it off, there is a local place that does head milling and cleaning/ porting and polishing real cheap and realllly good

04Redline

How cheap? LMAO i'm supposed to be driving this thing down to AZ on thursday.... and about the timing i would love to get your help Tom. I just ordered a cometic gasket and lsj build book... thinking about ordering the head studs and possibly headwork if it's cheap?

Well it's sitting for about a week. Started it up this morning and light grey smoke.... let it run awhile and it mostly went away but still visible. Pulled my dipstick and saw a feint line of milk. Very hard to see though. Do you need to drain your oil and radiator to remove head?

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

you have to order new head bolts, all 14, and new cam gear bolts, all of them are tq to yeild, i would get eh arp head studs, stock bolts will run you about 130-140 for the 14 head bolts and the arp kit is just a tiny more and worth it cause they are reusable
as for the cam gear bolts they are about 23$ for the pair
other then that you will need to add coolant (alot will come out) and change your oil afterwards
they say you also need to replace your cam gear bolt (has to come out to do this) in order to do it right
confirm this is DEF the problem before pulling it apart

you dont have to drain the oil to remove the head, but you will need to change it after (stuff can fall into it and radiotor fluid WILL fall into it when the head is removed...kinda goes everywhere
for the coolant you just drain what you can out of the head before taking it off and then the rest in the head will fall out upon removal, just clean it up and you are good, then just fill to full when reassmbling

04Redline

What else could i do to see what the problem is?

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

not alot, you just about made sure with the mily oil lol, you could try an oil change to see if it is just something else in the oil..but prob not
does it run fine? do you feel compression out the dipstick when the car runs?
we can do a compression test as well

04Redline

How much is the compression tool or you have one? and it runs fine but tiny stumble every once in awhile maybe? hard to tell. i will check the dipstick thing real quick....

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

they are about 30$ at schucks but i have one, i have alot of stuff now that i have been workign on my car like i have

04Redline

Yeah me to keep buying more and more tools.... i'ma need to get whatever socket it is to take the head off to..... i didn't notice any blowing/sucking from the dipstick.....

Oh and my last oil change i noticed a lil milk on my oil filler cap. wiped off and stayed clean... there's not much milky i've seen but definetly is some. car isn't pumpin alot of smoke like it was when i first started it though.... thing this could be fixed later or can cause a big problem at anytime?

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

in theory it could be fixed later on, although coolant in your oil is no good
are you having to add coolant at all???

04Redline

nope hasn't dropped at all

And these headstuds? You need though plus the other 10 long ones and 4 shorties? is that right?

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

hmm...do some google searching, i would say it may be something else
best bet is a compression test to see if we are off
i have to go back to work though, long brake lol

04Redline

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...P1770C129.aspx
http://www.crateenginedepot.com/stor...P1769C129.aspx
http://www.zzperformance.com/cobalt_...=610&catid=143

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

no, you do arp studs or you do the head bolts, 10 inside, 4 on the pass side, and then the 2 cam gear bolts on the end of the cams

04Redline

OK cool thanks gunna go buy the tool and test

oh so the ARP are all 14?

you take out all sparks for test?

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

yes
and take out the plugs and the fuel pump relay so you dont flood out your cyl
and pull all your plugs to do it

04Redline

Test Results! This bad? sounds pretty off to me?

142 - 125 - 125 - 120


Think i may go test that first one again.

YelloEye

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like a leak between cylinders. Which is either your head gasket or crackd head. Get the head checked for cracks and if there aren't any get it resurfaced before you put on the new gasket.

lilhomieb07

Check cyl #4 dana, dipsticks pop out, COMP on 4 is way off to the others, coolant in the oil...

NWAE Cobalt

iTrader: (1)

yup yup
60$ after tax for a mill (resurfacing) and wash in auburn at the same place i did it

your supposed to do each cyl 3 times and average, and let it crank for 5 sec and then let the guge settle out before reading it

04Redline

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-snWFtBdrsY

<object width="660" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-snWFtBdrsY&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999 999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-snWFtBdrsY&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999 999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="660" height="525"></embed></object>

lilhomieb07

I made a thread on the RLF for you dana get some better info there.

04Redline

heh you made a thread 2 mins after i did lmao

lilhomieb07

hahahhaa nice, and dude that sucks right b4 AZ wheel bearing and now this.