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Just bought a 1980 4x4 Luv from a buddy. He is pretty sure it has a blown head gasket (cooling system gets pressurized and vents to the overflow, burning coolant (white smoke)etc).

We had a look at pulling the head but the studs between the 2 and 3 (cylinder) on the intake manifold are seeming inaccessible. What gives? Anyone pull these before and have some advise Perhaps we ought to pull the head with the intake and exhaust manifolds attached?

Thanks
Sid

If it were me, that's what I would do as this would probably be the least painful way. The exhaust manifold, though is a clear shot, and you should be able to get it off with no issues. I didn't pull the intake manifold off of my builder because it wasn't there when I got it.

Just my .02, good luck!

EDIT: Oh, by the way, welcome to the board!

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Kuranosuke
Grampa's Driving:

1990 Luv 4X4 "Family Cab"
with the big 4 banger on 31" Dueller A/Ts

1989 Dodge Raider with some junk...

"Urban Fighter F.P.C" coming soon to a road near you...
got BOOBIES?

I would leave it on. I broke two studs on my exhaust side of the donor engine. Luckily I have lots of experience with that so I was able to extract them with minimal problems.

That was me. Forgot to login again

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Hammer to fit, paint to match.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
There's always room for duct tape and bailing wire.

WATCH YOUR PIEHOLE!!!!!!

If your engine looks anything like mine, (1979 4x4), you should pull the head with the exhaust manifold on. If you try to take bolts out they'll usually twist off because of corosion in that area.

i'll tell you right now man. them bolts you are talking about are the BIGGEST pain is the ass. you can't even get to them with any kind of tool . you pretty much have to take them off with your finger tips . it took me close to 2 days to get the bitches off. SAVE YOURSELF THE TIME AND CUSSING AND JUST PULL THE WHOLE DAMN THING. JUST CUT THAT DAMN SMOG PIPE OFF. BELIEVE ME MAN I WILL NEVER REBUILD MY MOTOR AGAIN WHILE IT'S IN MY TRUCK

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1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

forgot to tell you if you need any help at all pm me. i'll tell you step by step. GET THE HEAD SHAVED. i didn't and now have once again blown my head gasket. just rebuilt the damn thing 2 months ago

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1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

You will definitely want to check the head for flatness as warping tends to come with a blown gasket. You might also have a crack in the head causing your problems or combined with the gasket going. If you can find a place around you that can do it, look into having the head straightened rather than shaved. Its a fairly new process, but can save some headaches over shaving. If you do shave the head, get a shim. Shaving will increase the compression ratio and pressure on the gasket, which seems to lead to a higher chance of failure after the gasket swap. Straightening won't do this, or will get it closer to flat meaning less shave and less problems.

OK guys...my buddy and I are gonna do it. I ordered the gasket kit ($46.00) and next Monday we're gonna get a 12 pack and get after it.

I'm still a tad worried that the head may be cracked....hope not. I priced a remanufactured head at Advance Auto....$420.00. Kinda steep, "No?" If we get it off and see that it is cracked, I'll have a look around close by for another one. You'll know the results if you see me parting it out in the next coupla weeks

Sid

My buddy suggested that we put two head gaskets on it in the event that we have minor warpage. Anyone try this and have any feedback?

Sid

if it has minor warpage a quick run over it with the mill shouldn't cost much.
in my opinion I wouldn't do 2 gaskets even if you can. you loose compression(a little) and could cause problems with your timing chain....

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03Cobra

Yeah dont forget about the timing chain. You pretty much need to take the timing chain off to get the head off. My dad still cusses that design. So it means removing all the stuff on the front of the motor too, which means more gaskets....

and dont forget the 2 bolts at the front of the oil pan ....need to remove them to get the front cover off

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

If you remove the cam sprocket, and keep it on the chain, you can avoid removing all of that stuff. You truly don't need to remove the front cover...

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Kuranosuke
Grampa's Driving:

1990 Luv 4X4 "Family Cab"
with the big 4 banger on 31" Dueller A/Ts

1989 Dodge Raider with some junk...

"Urban Fighter F.P.C" coming soon to a road near you...
got BOOBIES?

man when I replaced the head on mine I just held the timing chain up with a cable to the hood while the head was off (keeping tension on it so it wouldn't turn or skip any teeth).....I never took all that stuff off or turned the gear or anything and this was when I was just starting to work on vehicles too. worked great and saved a bunch of time.
hope this helps!

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03Cobra

Every time I've done a LUV head I started by taking some baling wire and running in through the holes in the top sprocket and around the chain. Twist off the wire, and the chain won't be able to move around on the sprocket. Then you just pull the sprocket off the cam and pull the head. Reinstall in the reverse order and make sure you don't forget to take off the wires twisted around the sprocket/chain when you're done. I've done it with success three times so far and counting, number four is just waiting for the head to go back on so I guess that makes it 3 1/2 times. Though I guess you never know if it worked until after its all over.

The only trick to this method is getting the cam back in roughly the same place when you go to put it all back together. If things are not lined up, turn the cam until it fits. I had one luv come to me with the sprocket welded to the cam because the alignment pin (and part of the cam) had been broken off. It looked as though someone just started tightening the bolt that holds the gear onto the cam until things snapped. So a word of caution I guess, you can break stuff if you force it.

i had that pin fall out when i cranked my motor over for the first time after the rebuild

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1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

Well...we got it all apart with only a few issues. There is definate corossion in the two center cylinders. The head gasket did not look too bad though. The intake manifold gasket showed signs of leakage between the thermostat housing and the air inlet. We got all new gaskets on (head, intake and exhaust manifold). No noticable cracks or warpage.

Got the head, and manifolds back on and had to call it a day. I'll try to get an item or two done each night this week. Hopefully it will be Ops Normal next weekend.

BTW, we didn't need to pull the radiator. I took the carb off; pulled the air pump off. Took the alternator belt off and tilted the alt. all the way out. Took off the 'splash pan' on the bottom and took the lower radiator hose loose at the engine (to drain the cooling system). Valve cover off, and timing sprocket came off easily. Tied it up like you all recommended. All in all, I thought it went well.

The true test comes when I get it back together.

Thanks and More to come!

Sid

it's nothin to put it all back together. i did it in 3 hours. the distributer gave me a little fightin

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1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

Got it put back together this last weekend. I have three vaccum lines I can't figure out (where they go). It started right up, but after it idles and gets warm, it sputters and quits. I assume one of the vaccum lines is the culprit..not sure. Will keep trouble shooting next weekend.

Sid