LUVTruck.com

I've got head gaskets on my mind because I've done 2 this summer and I've got another to do.
I looked back at my records and the head gasket on my daily driver lasted 8 years and 40, 000 miles.
I know that every truck is different: some are babied and some beaten. Some have lower miles and some higher, but I'm still curious. What's typical? How many years and miles did you get out of your last head gasket?

1976, 105000 miles, had valve cover off once at 90000 for a loud valve. Motor is otherwise orignal. Still runs like a clock.
Jay

My truck is a '79 4x4 with 50,000 miles. I am pretty sure it has the origional head gasket. Runs good, but low compression. Not sure why it has low compression. Like 60 lbs all around

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1974 Mikado 4x4 50,000 orig. miles

I want to follow up on this topic. New head gasket this summer. Blew out a heater hose on a long trip. Overheated but caught it before it pegged. Was able to limp home.
Went back in to re-torque the head bolts. A few bolts were loose and needed tightening. Same wrench, and I know they were correctly torqued 6 months back.
I think there is a moral here. Go back in and re torque a few months after replacing the head gasket and definitely re-torque after overheating.
Right after tightening those bolts I drove 400 miles, 200 each way. I don't think I would have made it without getting in there and tightening those head bolts.

The original made it 47,000 miles, but a clogged radiator cooked it. The new one is going on 600 miles now and no problems.

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1978 Mikado *Weber 32/36*Offenhauser intake manifold*Pacesetter header*Custom exhaust*Pertronix Ignitor & Flamethrower 40,000v coil*

Almost 150K on my original 79 longbed and on the original head gasket. Have blown a radiator and heater hoses in the past, limped it back without pegging it either time. EGR is disabled and smog pump seized up! I beat the tar out of it and it just keeps coming back for more!