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1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
1. Why do all these people keep saying it's a $700-$1200 job when the gasket set is only $80 on eeuroparts? (Assuming I'm doing it myself)
You've been hearing this because of the amount of money you'd be paying in labor. I've done this job myself with help from a friend. (88' 9000T with 93' Aero installed). It's easily a 10 hr job, but there's nothing terribly difficult about the job itself, it just takes time and patients to make sure you've done it right. My way was to spend one day taking everything apart and cleaning. The next day was spent putting it all back together. You can do it.
2.Are the timing chain and sprockets a problem during this procedure, do I have to remove the chain, or can I just move it to the side? (I have a new one with masterlink which i prefer to do seperatly)
Yes, you can do it the way you described, that's what I did. Removed the bolts holding the sprockets in place, pulled the sprockets away from the head and then just slipped off the chain from the sprocket itself. This is where you can have a freind help you by simply making sure tension is kept on the chain as it's being removed from those sprockets Others have been able to do it alone by simply using an elastic strap tied to the chain and then the underside of the hood to create the tension. Your choice. I then went back in some weeks later and rolled on the new chain with master link myself.
3. My initial list of items I need to remove: electrical connections,
intake manifold, upper mount, exhaust manifold with turbo attached?
coolant hoses, A/C mount and compressor. Am I missing anything here?
Sounds about right. You'll notice any others as you start the procedure. I labled the electric stuff with tape as I removed it so I knew where it whent on the install. I also clean / inspected each part once removed. I didn't remove the exhaust manifold or the turbo when I did it. If you remove the exhaust manifold studs from the old head you'll be able to just slid the old head out leaving the exhaust manifold and turbo in place. When the new heads ready, just slid it back down in place, and installed the studs. The bottom ones can be tricky to reach though. I did it that way because I didn't want to break more seals meaning more gaskets would need replacing.
4. How long do you think the car will run with a slow leak like this? Is it going to blow on me and leave me stranded, or will it just get progressively worse?
Will eventually get worse but I guess it'a something you could live with if check regularly. Why wait and see, fix if you can.
5. Will I do any permanent damage by driving it the way it is?
No idea!
For the cost of the head gasket set, the machine work for the head (if using the same head), and possibly 12hr MAX of your own labor, you be back on the road. What's cool about it is that you'll have the confidence of knowing not only you completed it yourself, but that you did an as good or better and perhaps a more careful job than the mechanic would have. With teh folks here at the SAABNET, you can't go wrong.
Good Luck,
Phil
posted by 67.1.75...
, Thu, 26 Feb 2004 11:19:08
, Wed, 25 Feb 2004 10:19:15
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