LUVTruck.com

Working on the girlfriends 80 LUV with the blown G180 headgasket.....(thanks guys for all the prior posts about this subject) and her son bungs up a headbolt socket using a 3/8 allen before I got there. DOH!!!! A quick trip to Sears and picked up a set of bolt extractors, and one fits the headbolt. I tap it over the allenhead, slip a 6 foot iron pipe over a breaker bar and pray for the best. Out she comes...That was easy!

The head looks ok and the block and pistons are in good shape, but there is definitely a problem with the head gasket around where the frozen bolt was. I took the head in for a check and it was good...no cracks and only a couple of mils off stock. Now I gotta find some headbolts.

This is where the detective work really started. I called around and looked in all the obvious places, no luck on that. Seems nobody stocks 1980 Chevy LUV G180 headbolts. Checking thru the Isuzu side, same story... Nobody has that G180 part in stock or even mentioned.

So I decide to check specialty bolt distributors. Turns out the bolt is spec'd as a 12MM X 1.5 pitch X 100MM DIN912 with a hardness of 10.9. I searched the engineering and specialty shops and call every one of em I can find...still no luck. I can get 1.75 pitch bolts, but no 1.5 pitch. This is getting frustrating!

Then it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, Isuzu used this bolt in other 4 cyl models. I searched the web again for info (this site didnt mention bolt size and neither did the Isuzu board), but I did find the jewel in a post that mentioned re-tapping the bolt holes in the block before reassembly. That post mentioned the tap size for the 4ZD1 2.3 liter engine as a 12MM X1.5. BINGO!

I searched EBAY for that info and got a hit. I found a reseller (Go Engines) of the Isuzu part listed as 86-94 Isuzu 2.3 4ZD1, Amigo, Trooper HEAD BOLT KIT. (sorry, cant post links yet)

I still dont know for sure if these will fit, but they had a picture!! They certainly look right. I decide to take the gamble and order a set.

Well, the set came today and they are the ones! The only difference I found is that the thread length is just a little longer, which should not be a problem. I plan on doing the re install this weekend and will let you know what the results are.

Thanks to everyone for posting all your little tidbits of knowledge about these trucks. I found this site by searching and now realize that you never know which little comment or remark might lead you to what you need.

My friend...you have just tapped into (pun intended...lol) the true beauty and wondrous genius of this little corner of the internet that our gracious benefactor Ben has provided for us all.

This place always has and always will follow the philosophy of "each one teach one" when it comes to sharing every tidbit of knowledge or skill that may be needed to fix one of these good old trucks.

There is little that will be or can ever be done to any part of a Chevy Luv that you can't find here. And as for the rest...if you request it - someone here will surely find it if it is possible to ever be found.

Congrats on your discovery...and don't forget to shoot a little WD40 or some type of solvent in your head bolt holes and then blow them out with an air nozzle with a rag held close around them to clean out any debris. That way your bolts don't "bottom out" before they tighten down the head enough to seal it.

Good luck!

I didn't check if they are still around, but http://www.headbolts.com carries Isuzu/LUV head bolts. Pretty reasonable on price too. There are a few other little bits that sort of interchange between the G180 and the 4ZD1 too, but mostly they are pretty different.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

Yeah headbolts*com was one of my first inquirys. They dont list the g180 under Isuzu and the Chevy engines are mysterious as well. I sent em email asking about it and they never got back to me.

Moot point now though, they do list the 4ZD1. I'll bet the 4ZE1 headbolts fit too since that engine is similar.

I did the re tapping today just like taz suggested and it worked like a dream. I did a dry fit and the new bolts fit fine. I have a bit more cleanup to do on the block anyway, before the head goes back on.

By the way, I got a felpro replacement headgasket, are these thought well of in your guys circles?

Of the aftermarket stuff the FelPro gasket is probably the one I hear the least complaints about. Just don't believe them when they call it perma-torque, retorque the head bolts after 1-2000 miles anyway.

Absolute best bet would be an Isuzu factory gasket, but they can be tough to find. http://isuzu.stcharlesauto.com/ has a great parts department that gives a good deal though. Mention you were recommended to them online and I think they even give a discount.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

hey i know this is a reply to an old post but how did those headbolts work out for you? one of mine were frozen in the block and it took a while to get it out, so now i need new ones, and im also on the verge of buying a fel pro gasket as well, just want to make sure its all good though.

if those bolts fit perfectly, could you possibly dig up a link for me? thanks!

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Ha, I thought this thread looked familiar. Yes everything worked out very well in the head bolt dept. I did the tap and clean routine, used the felpro gasket and got the engine running again.

Here is a link to the same bolts I bought on EBAY. Looks like they are still available.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94-95-IS ... enameZWD1V

But I'll give you a little hint about these engines. They blow because they overheat and the head warps. After my replacement, the engine started to overheat again. I went through the cooling system and found lots of clogs. I had the radiator recored. The water jackets in the intake manifold was also clogged. I cleaned out the heater core as well. read this post for more info on that: viewtopic.php?p=82951#82951

Also, they overheat if the radiator has any clogged cores
Also, they overheat if they run lean
Also, they overheat if the timing is off
Also, they overheat if the radiator cap is bad or wrong
Also, they overheat if its not raining (which is why there are so many LUVs in the pacific northwest)
Also, they overheat if you live in the desert
Also, they overheat if the hood is shut

heh, yeah luvs can be like that i guess. its happened twice to me so far.

anyway, i think im gonna get those bolts. thanks a bunch for the info!!

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Hey while on the topic, has anyone seen head studs that fit the G180 motors? I didnt see anything in a search on here, and ive just begun my search to find some. Ill take this bolt/thread info and ask ARP what they have.

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LUV Truck Desserter!
76 Daily driver (SOLD)
73 LUV (rusting away at the moment)
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63 Nova
74 Camaro

lol what are head studs??

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There is another big reason why the headgaskets blow out on these engines. This is the one thing that everyone seems to over look. The EGR passage inside the intake manifold. If it is clo
gged (which it probly is) the combustion temp will increase when going down the road at highway speeds. This excessive temp causes the aluminum head and cast iron block to expand more than needed. Therefore the headgasket blows. When the egr valve opens it recircs the hot exhaust gas back into the intake manifold which then mixes with the fresh incoming fuel charge. Lowering the combustion temp. Also gives the engine extended life and better fuel economy. So when replacing a headgasket I always remove the egr valve/plate under the intake and clean it out with a long drill bit. Test the egr valve with a vacuum gauge and make sure it works. This is a proven testimony. I've done this time and time again for other luv owners. They haven't had any more headgasket issues and neither have I. Mike

where is that located, do you have a pic? ill clean it out if its not already before i plop it back together. thanks

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ok well now im kind of worried. i got the bolts this morning and noticed the threads were longer, so i figured i'd take a look at this post again to see if that was right.

its right but i keep seeing a thing about re tapping the holes? i dont get it, they won't just fit regularly? I was deffinately unprepared for that, I guess I should have payed attention.


please help! I don't want to kill my chances of getting my Luv running again by tomorrow! haha



:::edit:::: oh and btw, I bought from that link you gave me to ebay, they described it as 4ZD1, but I just got the bolts and they say 4ZE1. are they the same?

and also, when you ordered yours, did you get a weird package with some kind of liquid that looks like copper? do we use it? haha

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Those bolts are about 2 mm longer than stock. No worries, there is room in the block. Clean the block threads out with a bottom tap of the same size using WD40 or something. If you cant find a tap, you can use a bolt, but a tap works better. The size is listed back up this thread. Build a dam with a rag around the hole so the crud doesn't fall into a cylinder when you spray it out. Stop turning when the going gets tough.

Use the copper colored anti-seize grease on the new bolts when you install them. Get the torque pattern out of the book and follow it. Use a good torque wrench. Take all the bolts to a 90% torque and then retorque to final using the same pattern.

so I can just use one of the headbolts to clean it out?

and then i read on the headgasket instructions to use the anti-seize stuff on just the ones where there were water jackets, and then on the others just use oil? but if i should use it on all of them then i will.

thanks for the help by the way. i realllyyy appreciate it.

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It's better to use a tap when cleaning the threads out. The tap will clean and cut the threads as it is used. This will help you incase any of the threads inside the block are damaged. You can use the anti seize on all of the head bolts. I've rebuilt quite a few luv engines and used anti seize only on the head bolts. Didn't have any problems.
The egr plate is located under the intake manifold. The egr valve is bolted to it. Remove the valve and plate. You should see a lot of carbon. Start scrapping it out. Once you have cleaned all the carbon out down to the aluminum you should be able to find the passage that goes through the intake and ends under where the carb bolts down to the intake. Just start out using a small drill bit and go bigger each time untill the passage is cleaned out of all carbon. (This will help you get better fuel milage as well.) When finished drilling you should be able to see through that passage with a light and see it on the other side under where carb bolts. Oh by the way if you tear the gasket that seals the plate to the intake NAPA can order a new one. Hope this helps
Mike.

lol, they also blow head gaskets if you use denso iridium power spark plugs.

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(PLATINUM STREET RODS)
Deming, NM