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Head Gasket Replacement

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12K views 41 replies 10 participants last post by  1985 Gripen  
8
#1 ·
Alright, well tomorrow is the big day. I figured that this weekend is going to be about the only time I have to do the replace the gasket on the car so I am going to have some parts overnighted for eeuroparts. Is there any suggestions as to what other parts I need when doing the job... So far I have...

-Head gasket set, including valve stem seals
-Tensioner Gasket
-Oil
-Antifreeze
-Bentley Service Manual (a must from what I hear)

I am doing the job in the car so it makes it a little more complicated but any pointers and tips would be great. I read the townsend imports guide too, but I would like to hear some personal experience/tips also. Thanks for all the help!
 
#3 ·
Yeah. If youre planning the gasket change in advance, you might aswell get the bolts too.

The haynes manual doesnt specify that you should retorque the 900 after a certain milage. You just run to temperature, let it cool then do 90degrees (from memory).

It might also be worth checking what head the currently fitted bolts have before you start too. The ones in my 8v have a funny torx head - and i didnt have a set of torx sockets so had to chance it with a standard socket - which just about gripped the bolt enough.
 
#4 ·
The latest genuine Saab headgaskets do not need to be retorqued - follow instructionsin Bentley.

85Saab900SPG said:
any pointers and tips would be great. I would like to hear some personal experience/tips also.
Click to expand...
If you search for "head gasket" or "headgasket" you'll find a wealth of information - really.

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8
#6 ·
BCP7ES SPARK PLUG SET (4) $6.90 $0.00 $6.90 Remove
7561210 Fuel Injector O-ring $1.09 $0.00 $4.36 Remove
8818007 Head Gasket Set $69.90 $0.00 $69.90 Remove
7508690 Chain Tensioner Seal $1.69 $0.00 $1.69 Remove
8819708A Exhaust System Kit $129.50 $0.00 $129.50 Remove
5955794 Head bolt $3.60 $0.00 $36.00 Remove
0216861 Repair manual (16v) $35.90 $0.00 $35.90 Remove

I ordered the parts from eeuroparts and got the studs at the local dealer. I definately got the bentley repair manual though. Thanks for all the help and I will continue searching the forums for advice. Has anyone taken pictures of the procedure?
 
M
#7 ·
I went ahead and replaced my timing chain while I had the head off. Its pretty much a rollin job with the head off, thats using a split link chain of course. I also replaced all the belts, you've got a bit more room with the head off which makes it easier to replace them.

Do get a couple extra studs, particularly if its a turbo. Bent/broken studs are common and a real pain. You might also want to order new exhaust nuts, the locking kind. eeuroparts has two kinds, locking and non locking, look at the picture to make sure.

You may also want to get the Distributor O-ring and the oring for the turbo oil pipe. (if its a turbo). Also there are several other turbo gaskets, I replaced the gaskets for the pipe going to the top and bottom of the turbo, I didn't need any of the others.

This is just a thought, but you may want to get another head gasket too. If anything goes wrong and you have to take the head back off you'll be glad to have a spare on hand. The head gasket itself is only $10-15 dollars @ eeuroparts. Its a thought. :roll:
 
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#8 ·
If you have an >M87 car with Torx E16 head bolts, you torque to 60Nm, then 80Nm then 90 degrees.

The hex and earlier cars do still require retorque and the heat/cool cycle. I don't recall. But it says all this in five languages on the gasket! :roll:
 
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8
#9 ·
Thanks for all the tips and help... The project will start probably tonight and proceed into this weekend. I got the air compressor ready and the tools oiled. Just waiting for the parts and the service manual (FedEx hopefully should be here sometime.) I am thinking about taking pictures of the job for future reference and maybe posting them, once I am done. I am a little less weary about the procedure now since I talked to so many people.
 
#11 ·
MSOEMiller said:
Last tips.

1. Take pictures of every corner before taking things apart.
2. Buy zip lock bags for parts and label the bags, put all the parts/bags in a box. This WILL save you.
Click to expand...
Heh. I just bought another car and looked :lol:

Having an more-or less identical car parked next to the one you are doing the job on really helps on the final connecting of vacuum lines. Everything else is pretty straightforward as long as you were the guy who took it apart. The wiring harness is very simple to put back, and it is also labeled (CYL 1, CYL 2, NTC, CYL 3...) and colour coded. But the vacuum lines can require concentration, there is a vacuum routing diagram on the left fender, but a second car is so much better :lol: Just use that as an excuse to buy another Saab, you need it for reference.
 
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M
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by 900t
Just use that as an excuse to buy another Saab, you need it for reference.



That's works 1/4 of the time between my 8v N/A and my SPG :roll:
Click to expand...
LOL
Yea, if you decide to get another Saab for comparison purposes then you will want to make sure its the same model.
None of my 88's are the same, they don't even use the same AMM. lol
 
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#14 ·
89 900 turbo
90 900 turbo (needed headgasket).

90 900 S (needed gasket)
92 900 S (doesn't)

I'm set :lol:

You'd be really surprised at the differences between M89 and M90. 89 has power belts, 90 has airbag, ABS, different head casting, slightly different on many points.
 
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8
#19 ·
Well, maybe I could have been wrong this whole time about the head gasket. I think there was a bunch of stuff pointing to it but since I have replaced the plugs and fuel pressure regulator (there was gas in the vacuum lines) it seems to be running like new. The fans aren't kicking on, but I am sure that the answer is somewhere on the forum.

Here is what I believe to be the problem:

(1) The oil filter housing gasket appears to be blown.
(2) The fuel pressure regulator diaphragm was shot
(3) No exhaust and no back pressure (seemed to be a problem)
(4) I used autolite plugs previously and they completely fouled.
 
#24 ·
Matt88S said:
Do get a couple extra studs, particularly if its a turbo. Bent/broken studs are common and a real pain. You might also want to order new exhaust nuts, the locking kind. eeuroparts has two kinds, locking and non locking, look at the picture to make sure.
Click to expand...
I realize this is a pretty old thread I found in the forum FAQ, but I figured it's better to respond to this existing thread than to start a new one with my question:

The Bentley guide instructs one to remove the turbocharger in the cylinder head removal procedure. In the turbocharger removal instructions it suggests you replace the turbocharger mounting nuts but doesn't suggest what size they are or anything. Are they the same locking nuts as on the exhaust manifold? What's the quantity? I'm looking at eeuroparts and they don't list these nuts in the TURBOCHARGER SYSTEM section.
 
#25 ·
Don't remove the turbocharger. no-need, waste of time.

You might need to remove the bracket that supports the turbocharger because you need to slide the exhaust manifold down to get it off the head. To get the clearance to remove the exhaust manifold just open the nut on the top of the rear (exhaust side) engine mount and jack the engine up from below. Concentrate on lifting the side of the engine where the open engine mount is. The engine will pivot on the two remaining engine mounts - they're flexible so as long as you don't try for some sort of crazy lift then you won't have any issues. 2 or 3 inches lift is plenty of room to remove the manifold. When you have the manifold off lower the engine back down onto the engine mount.

The bit about exhaust manifold studs is really important. This caused so much grief when I was helping someone with this job before. We actually snapped one off and the end was stuck in the head and needed to be professionally removed! was a right pain.

With that in mind; it now seems like the best thing to do is to remove the head with both manifolds attached. I've done it this way on one occasion since except the engine was already out of the car. I'm not sure if there would be enough clearance if the engine was still in the car - it might be ok. Obviously heavier though so if you didn't need help to lift a 16v head out of the engine bay without the manifolds I'd think twice before attempting the same thing with the manifolds. Maybe the engine hoist would be the right tool. Keeping the manifolds on saves replacing the gaskets or snapping exhaust studs!
 
#26 ·
Thanks for the advice.

I'm a little worried as I have Intrax Sport Lowering Springs installed on my car so it's so low it's almost impossible to get a floor jack under it. I'm thinking I might have to jack the car up high enough somehow to install jack stands, then use the floor jack to lift the engine off the mount.

I appreciate your idea about not removing the manifolds, but as I don't really have much help lifting on this job I think I'm going to have to remove them. I don't feel like spending the money to rent an engine-puller.

I'm also probably going to have to remove the turbocharger. So I'd really like to know what size nuts those are mounting the turbocharger. Also if there are studs. I'd like to just buy replacements for all these rather than trying to re-use the 21-year-old ones. I'm planning on dousing every fastener I can find with penetrant and letting it sit overnight to try and make this stuff easier to remove. Especially the exhaust fasteners (as you know, the expansion and contraction from the heat over the past couple of decades probably made them practically impossible to take off otherwise) and the coolant drain plug on the block.
 
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