subieman Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) So I'm about to tackle my first head gasket replacement on my ea82 this weekend. Can the work be done without pulling the engine? I have the resources to pull the motor but the less work I need to do the better due to time constraints. Any tips before I dive into this project? Thanks Edited November 12, 2008 by subieman spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman18 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 So I'm about to tackle my first head gasket replacement on my ea82 this weekend. Can the work be done without pulling the engine? I have the resources to pull the motor but the less work I need to do the better due to time constraints. Any tips before I dive into this project? Thanks If it were me.. I know a lot of people have a different opinion but I would pull the motor, honestly it would probably take me less time to tackle the job with pulling the motor. When the motor is out you can see everything and inspect everything, and there's nothing to get in the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) You can do it without pulling the motor...but is is much easier out..and it really doesnt take long to pull the motor and put back in Edited November 12, 2008 by Bucky92 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 another vote for pulling the motor. it's definitely possible to do in the car, but the extra time to pull/replace the motor is decidedly less than the extra time to do the headgaskets while stooped over the fenders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooziewhatsit Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 My first HG job I pulled the engine for (also a first). If (when?) I do it again, I'll pull the engine again. To remove the old gasket material from the block, go to Napa, and ask for the 'scotch brite pad you can put in a drill'. Makes VERY quick work of removing the old stuff. -Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 I've done it with the engine in there.... but if I had to do it again (and had any sort of hoist to pull the engine), I'd pull the engine... probably be faster than squeezing in there to do it with the engine in there. Less of a back ache afterwards, at least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDave Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) To remove the old gasket material from the block, go to Napa, and ask for the 'scotch brite pad you can put in a drill'. Makes VERY quick work of removing the old stuff. -Dave Not good! The abrasive gets everywhere and shortens the life of your engine. ATK engine rebuilders sent out a warning about this several years ago shortly after the Scotchbrite pads came out. On tear down inspections they were finding significant damage caused by the abrasives. Permatex makes a spray on gasket remover that is similar to oven cleaner that does a good job after letting it set for 10 minutes or so. Use a good gasket scraper to get it off and finish with B12 Chemtool carb cleaner. Note: 2 applications of the Permatex Gasket remover may be required to get all the old material off.. Edited November 12, 2008 by McDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Jeremy, save your back and pull the motor. It *can* be done, but the time you save pulling the motor will be wasted by wrestling around in that tiny engine bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 You can do a better job easier by pulling the engine. I've always used Roloc disks for cleaning the head and block surfaces. They make green ones for use on steel surfaces and yellow ones for use on aluminum surfaces. The yellow ones are less aggressive and take a while to remove all the stuff, but you can get it spotless clean and they won't tear up the aluminum. It goes a lot faster if you use solvent and a brush/scraper to remove most of the gasket material first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy FitzGibbon Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 It really isn't that big a job to do it with the engine in the car. If you have a convenient way to pull the engine, it's up to you, but if you are going to have to rent a hoist/build a tripod/ect. (or some other sort of inconvenience) I would do it in the car. The only real PITA is the valve cover bolts, but if you get a ratcheting 10mm wrench that gets a lot easier. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I always do them in the car unless I have reason to suspect the rear main seal or the clutch needs work. Then I pull them because I own a cherry picker, but if I didn't I would do the clutch in the car as well (pull engine forward). If it came down to needing a rear main I would probably pull it if I had to rent a picker or ask a friend for help and use a 4x4 and a chain. There's plenty of room for the job. You will want a 10mm ratcheting box wrench for the valve cover bolts - about $10 at Sears. Buy or put on your christmas llist a nice set of 15 degree reversible ratcheting box's from SK if you don't already own a set. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 i'm 100% with GD on this one (because he's right!). there's a few reasons to pull the engine - if you aren't in good physical shape or don't have a air tools/ratcheting wrench.... if you don't have air tools, it's nicer to pull the engine because with air tools you spend much less time leaning over the fenders. depends on your physical condition if you can handle that or not. the only tricky parts are the valve cover bolts (easily solved with a 10mm ratcheting wrench) and cleaning the block surface (easily remedied with those yellow rubber aluminum cleaners from napa for a drill = awesome). those tasks are both short lived, everything else is smooth sailing and zip-zip with air tools. the quickest way is doing them in the car. there's no reason to pull the engine, everything is easily accessible and the only "harder" parts are easily solved as mentioned above. pulling an engine isn't always straight forward and simple, it's easy to loose time on something simple. the chances of a quick remove/install aren't in your favor. i would ignore the statements of "30 minutes" for removing an engine that i've seen some people post. that's certainly not an average (rarely is that even true) and is only the removal, not the install. EA82 head gaskets are a cake walk to do in the car. i've done a bunch and a ton of Xt6's too, also very easy to do in the car. i've owned a engine lift and stand for years, but have never used it for head gaskets only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subieman Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 Thanks a bunch everyone for your tips and opinions. I have decided to not pull the engine at this point. If a reason arises where I do have to pull, I'll will. 10mm ratchet wrench....CHECK!! I'll post up when I'm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subieman Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Slow progress so far. Had a stripped out head bolt and a stubborn rusted intake bolt. Gonna put a helli coil in the block and I was able to get the intake bolt out. Now in cleaning and preparing for the reinstall. Also found one of the idler pulleys for the timing belt was frozen up and my belt was just about to snap it was rubbed so thin. Just dumping more money into this thing. Blah! Now I'm starting to rethink is it really worth fixing a 20 year old car? If the head gasket job give me any more problems off to the junk yard it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingbobdole Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 keep the faith, they are good cars they just typically need some lovin' by this point. Just a note since you seem to be doing the job in car. Get some assembly lube or heavy grease of some sort. You just dab some on the top of the rocker to help them hang in place while you get the cam carrier back on... that was always the hardest part for me. Then before you snug down the carrier reach your hand in there and make sure all the rockers are flat against the cam... Otherwise it's cake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 stripped head bolt, wow that sucks. i've never had to deal with that yet. but i've done plenty of helicoil work. there are lots of threads on here about dealing with intake manifold bolts and how to try and remove them without damage. i've written essays about it with multiple approaches to it. yes, getting the rocker arms to hang is the only tricky part. you will need grease on each end to hold it in place. i do it like that and it's rather easy. many people suggest jacking up the side of the car you're working on to "tilt" the engine a bit and that helps, but i've never done that. i just hang them and take care not to bump them while installing the cam carrier. did we go over head gaskets? you should be using Fel Pro permatorque head gaskets, they are the best and dont' require retorqing. other gaskets require a retorque which means the cams have to come back off. if you go that route, just don't seal them the first time you install them if you're just going to pull them right back off again for a retorque anyway. saves time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NV Zeno Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 You do realize Jeremy, that the weather's been nice this weekend..you're on a lucky streak . If you need an extra set of hands or eyes tomorrow (Sun 16th), let me know, I'm inside an hour away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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