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How hard is it to rebuild one of these yourself, if you've never done it before? Do you need any special tools? Or is it hard enough to just park it and wait until I can have it done proffessionaly?

My moms minivan, I think, blew a head gasket between the 2 and 3 cylinders, from overheating. I want to rebuild the head instead of just replace the gasket cause it has alotta miles and burns a little oil. Was just curious. Thanks.

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Richard Barnes Salt Lake, Utah
1980 Luv Mikado 4X4
http://geocities.com/luvtruck2004/

You'd be best off to send the head to a machine shop. To properly rework a head requires special tools and the fact that you're looking at a possible blown gasket will most likely require checking to see if the head warped any and to get it milled flat.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

I'll probably just end up getting one from a junkyard or something, and replacing it. I've had the head off my old luv lots of times so it shouldn't be too hard, just alotta work.

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Richard Barnes Salt Lake, Utah
1980 Luv Mikado 4X4
http://geocities.com/luvtruck2004/

The 2.5 head is real easy to pull (if you don't mind crawling under the van) and replace but NEVER replace a head gasket without having the head resurfaced, unless you like to r&r the head allot. Why do think it blew the gasket in the first place Even a salvage yard head needs to be resurfaced. And here is something to think about if you re place a head gasket with a resurface more than once or twice it's not the head it is the block that is warped, i have run in to this problem many time while working in a machine shop. The block can be resurfaced and cure the problem as well.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

I'm lookin' at the van and I don't see how particularily easy it is to get the head off. My luv was alot easier.

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Richard Barnes Salt Lake, Utah
1980 Luv Mikado 4X4
http://geocities.com/luvtruck2004/

Put the engine at TDC on #1 cylinder
Unhook the exhaust from the exhaust manifold,
Undo the bolts that hold the AC bracket to the head (I think)
Pull the timing belt inspection cover and valve cover
Pull any ground straps and wires, spark Plug wires, fuel lines, and intake piping going to the intake.
Unbolt the cam sprocket, and carefully tie it up out of the way with the belt still in the same position so it's easy to get it back together right.

Then you should be able to just unbolt the head bolts and remove it. It's been a while since I did it, but I had to a couple times on my turbo minivan. (2.5 dodge 4 cylinder)

It might be a little different since it's not a turbo van, but the only real reason it would be easier to do it on the luv is because you dont have to get under the car to pull the exhaust off the manifold.

And yes, pull the head with the intake and exhaust manifolds still attached, then you can remove them off the vehicle, it's 100x easier that way (ask me how I know )

That's exactly how I did it. Now I'm just waiting for fundage for new gaskets to put it all back together. It had one intake valve with some dings and nicks in it and, (tell me if you've heard of this one. . .) one of the rocker arms just kinda fell of and was sitting in the head. Engine looks fine, so I should be good to go. Just one question, since you've been there. Is it alright to use the old head bolts? I've heard both, just not from people working on this same motor. Thanks.

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Richard Barnes Salt Lake, Utah
1980 Luv Mikado 4X4
http://geocities.com/luvtruck2004/

Well, technically you're not supposed to as they are the stretch kind... But I managed to reuse them on my 2.5 and put 15psi of boost in it without blowing a head gasket, but you might not be so lucky...

I decided to err on the side of caution and just replace them just so that I never have to do it again. Got it running this afternoon and took it for a test drive. Everything is great, it runs sooo much smoother than it ever has before. One prob though is that it seems way under powered. It feels like I'm towing a big ass trailer off the line and doesn't like to accelerate, but runs smooth all other times. Sound familiar?

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Richard Barnes Salt Lake, Utah
1980 Luv Mikado 4X4
http://geocities.com/luvtruck2004/

Timing was just off one tooth, got it all fixed and happy 'cept for a small exhaust leak, (I've never in my life been able to stop an exhaust leak.) Thanks for your help guys. Your help always makes things go smoother.

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Richard Barnes Salt Lake, Utah
1980 Luv Mikado 4X4
http://geocities.com/luvtruck2004/