How hard is doing head gaskets on a mark VIII,

[Over2tonsofFun]

My son's friend has a 93(?) Mark VIII that he doesn't want to mess with any more. Aside from the front sitting almost on the tires. ( air suspension problems) He is thinking it may have a blown head gasket. He is wanting to get rid of it, even talked to my son about junk yard . I may be able to get a hold of it for about $500. How difficult is doing the head gaskets on the 32v Motor? Anything esle I should do while I am in the motor?

Thanks

Tim

 

[jrherald420]

Its easyer and hours quicker to just pull and replace the engine with another than trying to do headgaskets.

 

[BAD97LSC]

if you can get the car for 500 and its worth putting a motor in it, do a motor, the hell with the headgaskets, it will cost more to have the heads surfaced and new gaskets and labor than swapping in another running engine.

 

[slowmkviii]

why does he thinks its a head gasket maybe its just a
oil filter adapter gasket

 

[bobotech]

500 dollars?

That seems a lot to me. I bought my 97 LSC in great running condition, just bad air ride and broken seat for 500 dollars.

 

[slowmkviii]

500 dollars?

That seems a lot to me. I bought my 97 LSC in great running condition, just bad air ride and broken seat for 500 dollars.

can you get me one then

 

[Sapperfire]

4.6 = aluminum head and aluminum block, both need to be resurfaced , which means put a new motor in it

but a blown head gasket in our motors is rather rare unless it over heated a bunch, check the oil cooler gasket..I would replace that first, it's located behind the power steering pump under the oil filter, I did mine when I swapped k-members, very easy with k-member out of the way

I have several pics on my progress thread of the procedure, I think my thread is hiding around page 9 or 10 now

 

[CobraStar_LS8]

or maybe people had replaced waterpump and thermostat many times and it still overheated and all this time it wasn't bled correctly???

 

[Over2tonsofFun]

What year motor should I look for, to swap in?? Should I find the same year or is another year better? I am new to the OHC motors. I'm more a pushrod person.

Tim

 

[BAD97LSC]

i'd look for a 96 motor, you will have to change the wire harness from the exsiting motor, to the new one, and change the sensors and what not from old to new, but the heads on the 96 will have beehive springs, much better than the 93-95 which were known for valve springs breaking, possibly leading to a rocker arm falling off and having a valve get tagged and bent!! like the one in my shop right now!