ka24de headgasket

Ok. I have a chance to pick up a really clean hatch that has a blown headgasket. Motor still starts and everything but the headgasket leaks.

What exactly am I looking at for labor on getting a new one put on? OR, if I buy the headgasket kit at the auto parts store for $120, how hard is it to do the work myself? I am mechanically inclined but have never worked on an overhead cam motor before.

Just looking for your guys's opinions...

HG is more advanced than most things on the car. make sure you replace the head bolts if you do the work.

things that you need to remember that is also included in this:
-drain and fill oil
-flush and fill coolant
-setting timing


make sure you know what youre doing before you work on this. if you fuck up, you'll be paying someone to do it again.

also, it may be cheaper just to source a new motor and swap that in instead. (usually the case)

FSM - find it, download it, read it.
it has all the info you'd ever need.

REALLY!!? wow. I didn't know that it was all that complicated. But then again, I am used to working on my 302 mustang. lol.

Do you know about how much a Nissan tech would charge to do it?

What is FSM? (nevermind-factory service manual. found it.)

Here, this is a reply that I got off another forum:

"First off, Good find!

Replacing the head gasket isn't hard at all; It's just time consuming and there are some things you need to watch out for.

On the intake side, the EGR valve is a pain to get back on. You need to be VERY careful not to re-thread the holes when putting the bolts on, it's alluminum so its very easy to do so. The whole head is alluminum as well so watch out for that in general. If you mess up threads you have to get a tap set to fix them.

On the exhaust side you need to watch out for breaking studs. If you break a stud, you have to drill it out which will be a pain and buy a new stud. If you have the head off it won't be too bad though. I would blast those studs with PB blaster everyday for like a week before even attempting to remove the nuts which hold the exhaust manifold on.

Overall, I wouldn't pay a mechanic to do it because they'll gouge the price. The gasket set is about 70.00 dollars here and that's all you'll need besides a some misc. items and factory service manual. You're looking at about 120.00 dollars total. I can email you the section of the factory service manual you need if you decide to get the car and do this yourself, I can't find it here on nico anymore.

I would recommend you do it youself, thats just me though. I love working on cars, If I lived close to you I'd do it for free. Good luck man!"

What do you guys think of that? How accurate is this?

Thanks

pblasting for a week? fuck that. shit can be done in one afternoon, but I would suggest getting the head checked for warping before bolting it back on.

Jay wrote:

I would suggest getting the head checked for warping before bolting it back on.

yes

with an aluminum head on an iron block, the head will expand at different speeds compared to the block. so jay brought up a good point.

resurfacing the head is only like $40 anyway. so it's worth doing.

So the guy wants $1500 for it and he is pretty firm. I know it comes with a few other things including a stock turbo from something else(not sure) but is that price worth it for a 90,XXX mile car thats super clean with a blown headgasket?

the headgasket is not the easiest thing in the world to do

there is a lot involved with it

as to the price, that kinda sounds about right, idk see if you can get it to about 1300

Yeah thats about what I was going to go for. If I can get it for that cheap, I might just go straight to an SR swap. Then I wouldn't have to waste any $$$ on the HG shit with the KA.

We shall see what happens.

Thanks for your input guys.

just swap in another motor for like $200.

Thats what i would do too.
Pics of said car?
1300 sounds alright.

Here is couple pics off of the guys myspace. They are crappy but the only ones I know of. It's a super hicas too. He says that he has it disconnected or something without the bar that you buy. I'm not sure how the hicas works. Maybe someone could fill me in on the deletion process cause I know it is not desired when drifting.

For the FSM and other goodies visit the site im building:

http://www.midweststreets.com/240SX/main_test_a.html

this pic has convinced me that the transmission in that car is shot or on it's last legs...

i'd pass on that one

What about for the shell though? If I were to just put in an Sr right away?

do you have the money to put an SR in?

try the head gasket, if you fail, try again. learning experience! (all data)

Nachtmensch wrote:

do you have the money to put an SR in?

Maaayybeee......

IF I could get a shell for cheap enough.

THAT means no

THAT does not necessarily mean no. I will admit, I have not done a swap before and do not know everything that goes along with it. I know about motor mounts and fluids a few other extras that one may not think of right away, but not everything. I was figuring a swap to be in the ballpark of $3K. Is that about right? If so, I could spend $1500 on a shell and do a swap and have a teeny bit left over.
I was looking at the motor swaps they have on ebay. What do you guys know about them? Do they automatically have to have an OEM re-build once you get them? Or do you just replace gaskets and fluids? I know they usually come with lowish mileage so I dont know what it takes to get them to daily driveable condition.

transmission going out.......care to elavorate? I would like to know how you were able to tell. Is it the burning rubber?