Site News - 8/4: More AI Bot News | 7/31: How to Fix Site Errors 403 | 5/10: Members: Log In to See Fewer Ads!
[General | Members | C900 | 9000 | NG900 & OG93 | 93 | 95 | NG95 | 99 | Sonett | Vintage Models | Clubs | Other Cars | FAQs | Gifts | Member Photo Galleries | Member Directory | Classifieds | Manuals | *Buddy Registry | *Mileage Registry | Polls | What's New | Raffle | Photo of the Month | Sponsors]

C900 Bulletin Board
1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest]
(Search Author's Posts: e.g. Keyword:username)*Members Only

[Main C900 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ | Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ] Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Re: Head gasket
Like This Post: - Subscribe to Daily Digest for this Bulletin Board
Posted by Justin VanAbrahams [Email] (#32) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Justin VanAbrahams) on Thu, 2 Jan 2014 11:53:16 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: Re: Head gasket, Roger D [Profile/Gallery] , Thu, 2 Jan 2014 08:56:16
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup

Definitely looks worse than it is. It's doable in one day (easily), but I wouldn't make that my goal for the first time around. If you can afford to break it up into four or five two hour sessions it is mind-numbingly easy. One of the easier cars to do this type of work on, IMHO. The Townsend writeup is superb, and with the Bentley manual as backup there isn't much to be worried about. A head gasket repair was the first real job I ever tackled on a c900 - or any car, for that matter! Up til that point, it was spark plugs and oil changes. ;)

I think where folks go wrong on any "serious" job like this is that they try to rush through it or make things work that really shouldn't. IMHO, one of the advantages of DIY car repair is that the money you save on labor can go back into the car and buy peace of mind - eg, don't worry about broken exhaust studs, buy new ones ahead of time and plan on replacing them anyway.

IME, the four and half things that will really trip you up on the head gasket job:

1) Don't think you can do this without a machine shop. Order in your head set (Elring makes the best, but IMHO the Reinz kit is totally decent), and take the valve seals from it and your head to a machine shop. Get the head pressure tested and checked for flatness. Don't put it back on until this is done, period.

2) Getting the cams lined back up is a real PITA, especially the first time. Don't rush this. Take your time, be sure to spin the engine by hand a few times before completing assembly. Take pictures before you disassemble and compare on reassembly. Botched cam timing is the worst. ;)

3) You need a good torque wrench, a big breaker bar, and a Torx E16 socket. Don't try this job without those tools. But, those are the only "oddball" tools you'll need. Everything else you need are basic hand tools. Carefully follow the torquing procedures on the head, intake, and exhaust manifolds.

4) Stay organized. Get some small parts containers from Home Depot or Harbor Freight and keep fasteners together - put all the intake manifold bolts in one compartment, all the exhaust manifold studs in another. Get a few cardboard boxes or plastic storage containers to keep larger parts organized, away from your work area. Losing fasteners and tripping over car parts is just unnecessary stress. Organization during disassembly *really* pays off on reassembly. *Really*.

4.5) Getting the head back on the block is rough. It's a heavy head, and you're extending your arms over the engine bay and placing it just so. If you're not careful, you could hurt yourself. STRONGLY ADVISE having a helper for this five minutes of work - someone to steady you, the head, the head gasket, or whatever. If you fatigue or over extend yourself you can damage the new head gasket or break the timing chain guides or put yourself out of commission. Not good. Have a helper.

If you want to make this easy on yourself, I'd recommend:

1) New head set
2) New exhaust manifold studs and nuts
3) New intake manifold grommets
4) 10' or so of 3.5mm rubber (or silicone) vacuum hose to replace what you find
5) New turbo oil feed & return gaskets
6) New spark plugs
7) New belts
8) New alternator bushings
9) New power steering pump bushings
10) New turbo oil return o-ring
11) New timing chain pad for the valve cover
12) Lots of paper towels. Clean stuff as you go. It makes reassembly easier, gives you a dramatic improvement when you're done, and is a calming zen activity to slow you down. ;) Plus, it helps you identify damaged parts that can be ordered in advance, so they're on hand when you put it back together.

I think that's it. It's like $150 worth of parts that will not only ensure the car goes back together (anything that's damaged or broken gets tossed!) but also that you've made your foray into the engine bay as productive as possible. Money that you didn't give to a mechanic is saving you future time and future hassle.

posted by 12.195.130...
Posts in this Thread:
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
Post a Followup

No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.

Name: Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
E-Mail: (Optional)
Re-Enter E-Mail: (Confidential & Secure - Not revealed to other users!)
Note: Please check your spam folder for BB responses.

Subject:

Posting rules are simple - No for sale/wanted ads may be posted here - use the site classifieds.
You may not cross-post your message to multiple BBs.
Not permitted: political/religious topics and being disrespectful (personal attacks, insults, etc...).
 Site Members do not see any red text, inline ad links, bottom of page anchor ads, box ads, or anti-spam check.

Message: (please no for sale/wanted classifieds - post those in the Saabnet.com Classifieds)
Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).

Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post above, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).
Optional Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/)
Link Title: (Optional)
Optional Photo/Image Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/img.jpg)
Photo/Image to Upload: (Please be patient while file uploads)



StateOfNine.com
SaabClub.com
Jak Stoll Performance
M Car Covers
Ad Available

The content on this site may not be republished without permission. Copyright © 1988-2025 - The Saab Network - saabnet.com.
For usage guidelines, see the Mission & Privacy Notice.
[Contact | Site Map | Saabnet.com on Facebook | Saabnet.com on Twitter | Shop Amazon via TSN | Site Donations]

Random Saabnet.com Member Gallery Photos (Click Image)
This is a moderated bulletin board - Posting is a privilege, not a right. Unsolicited commercial postings are not allowed (no spam). Please, no For Sale or Wanted postings, SERIOUSLY. Classifieds are to be listed in The Saab Network Classifieds pages. This is a problem solving forum for over 250,000 Saab owners, so expect to see problems discussed here even though our cars are generally very reliable. This is not an anything goes type of forum. Saabnet.com has been a moderated forum since 1988. For usage guidelines, see the Saabnet.com Mission and Purpose Page. Please remember that you are not anonymous. Site Contact | Site Donations | Other Sites by SP - Poverty2Prosperity.org | Run Club Menlo Park | ScreenBot


Site Members do not see red text instructions, bottom of the page anchor ads, or box ads.
Click here to see all the Site Membership Benefits!