Blown Head Gasket (Overheated) Options?

[79pace]

OK.. We went on vacation and drove the car about 600 miles there, about 200 miles while there and then about 500 miles before it died coming back. The overflow bottle started leaking from a stress crack on the side of it durring the trip home. It wasnt too bad to start, low coolant light would come on and we would stop and fill it. The last time the light never came on, I just lost power and had to shut it down. The engine was so hot that dripping water onto the upper intake just made steam instantly. We had it towed to town, waited for it to cool down, filled it back up and it fired up but seemed to have a miss. We finally towed it all the way home after trying to drive it a and having it instantly try to get hot again. I figured out yesterday that I have exhaust coming up through the overflow bottle now. No oil in the coolant and no coolant in the oil. Really doesnt even have a lot of steam out the exhaust like I am use to with a blown head gasket but the exhaust in the coolant is a dead give away to me. Now..

The question is.. How bad is this to do with a good knowledge of engines and lots of tools. I have rebuilt plenty of small block fords and even had the heads of a DOHC cobra moter a while back. I know that was a PITA and I am not looking forward to this but I may have to do it myself. The engine still sounds good though so I dont think we have any major damage, just the head gasket that I can tell right now.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Find a good running engine and swap it in.

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

 

[79pace]

Why would I need to swap engines? I just need new head gaskets. Like I said, no oil in the water and no water in the oil. The engine starts and runs right now with no noise, just a miss and some exhaust in the cooling system. I dont see any reason to change a perfectly good bottom end and go through all that expense. Is it that difficult to change head gaskets in these cars that putting in an engine you dont know much about is a better alternative?

 

[LJRuddy]

Well, last time I heard, head gaskets for the 3.4 are extremely difficult to find as they are a discontinued item. You will have to pull the engine out anyway to yank the heads off. If you can find new gaskets though, I suggest buying new bearings and replace them on the bottom end of the engine as im sure the oil was toasted and lost most of it lubricating properties.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Why would I need to swap engines? I just need new head gaskets. Like I said, no oil in the water and no water in the oil. The engine starts and runs right now with no noise, just a miss and some exhaust in the cooling system. I dont see any reason to change a perfectly good bottom end and go through all that expense. Is it that difficult to change head gaskets in these cars that putting in an engine you dont know much about is a better alternative?

You didn't just blow a head gasket, you warped a bunch of aluminum that all the new HG's in the world won't fix. Aluminum blocks and heads do not stay straight after being overheated.

 

[ThatShoGuy]

Well, last time I heard, head gaskets for the 3.4 are extremely difficult to find as they are a discontinued item. You will have to pull the engine out anyway to yank the heads off. If you can find new gaskets though, I suggest buying new bearings and replace them on the bottom end of the engine as im sure the oil was toasted and lost most of it lubricating properties.

well i might be wrong but you can still get head gaskets its the bolts that you cant find...... im in that spot right now

my short block spun a bearing so now i had one of those nice NOS short blocks off ebay... and cant find head bolts... so im kind of stuck with a 500$ weight...

 

[Inkertinker]

I'll take the short block if you don't want it anymore.

 

[98BLKSHO]

There is one dealer in CA that still shows 20 head bolts in stock. Have phone number if interested.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Why would I need to swap engines? I just need new head gaskets. Like I said, no oil in the water and no water in the oil. The engine starts and runs right now with no noise, just a miss and some exhaust in the cooling system. I dont see any reason to change a perfectly good bottom end and go through all that expense. Is it that difficult to change head gaskets in these cars that putting in an engine you dont know much about is a better alternative?

As Chris said, the aluminum heads are warped. The block is probably warped, let alone what was damaged in the bottom end.

Head bolts are MIA.

Find a motor from a wrecked Gen III and weld the cams. Get a big cherry picker, and drop the subframe.