2004 GXP Headgasket Job

[harofreak00]

There are 4 mounts, 2 on the body, 2 on the cradle. You can see he used a piece of wood under the pulley side of the motor to keep it from flopping that way.

[wilsonracing]

Well its out and on the floor of the shop, now just trying to find a tear down manual to begin the process to replace the head gaskets and studs. Any ideas???

[harofreak00]

Get a FSM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gKz4mKnv0w&t=5s

[300sflyer]

And you'll be replacing them again. You're not fixing the problem, just re-band-aiding it.

If you're flipping the car, I get it. But if you plan to keep it, spend the money once and do it right.

Completely agree! Buy the stud kit and get er done right!

[wilsonracing]

I did go ahead and ordered just the stud kit, got my own taps and drill bits. Now just trying to find a shop manual to get it torn down so I can drill it and start the rebuild. Not having any luck with that one yet.

[CMNTMXR57]

Everything is electronic like Andrew posted above. That link is to GM Service information that you get on CD's and install on a PC.

You'll hear it referred to as "Techline" also. That is what GM Service Information is in the service department when you're online, connected to the Warren Tech Center. This is the home version and usually cut-off at certain years.

[wilsonracing]

Ok, so someone has got to have a no nonsense way of removing the timing chains from the motor and keeping it in time so I can take these heads off and drill this big POS of a motor.

[300sflyer]

Ok, so someone has got to have a no nonsense way of removing the timing chains from the motor and keeping it in time so I can take these heads off and drill this big POS of a motor.

There are 2 ways of doing it; Pay a professional, or purchase a set of FSMs. Try this link. Its for a 2005 caddie, but the engine should be the same.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cadillac-STS-20 ... 2607441213

[CMNTMXR57]

Not sure if this helps;

[wilsonracing]

Ok, so after weeks worth of work the Bonneville is back together and running. BUT, now I have no oil pressure and when the car is running it sounds like a diesel truck. It has a ton of upper valve train noise. I just opened the oil fill cap and watched inside as it was running, and I don't see any oil moving around the inside. What did I miss our what's going on??? I did not remove the oil pump from the motor at all. Not as if that's not a big enough problem, the electric fans are not turning on. The gauge on the dash says 200 deg but no fans. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[harofreak00]

Are you 100% sure you removed all the tape from the oil passage returns?

For the fans, try turning the AC on, they should come on no matter what the temp.

[wilsonracing]

Yes I'm 100% sure everything was removed from the top of the block before installing the gaskets and heads. Could the balancer be installed to deep and messing up the oil pump? Although it does line up perfectly with the rest of the accessories

[harofreak00]

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/ca ... e-fix.html

I further searched this forum and after an hour of reading someone mentioned that the pump inner gear was squeezed between the harmonic balancer and the crankshaft - check the torque on the bolt.

[wilsonracing]

Well it sounds like I need to check that out for sure then. I will have to try it later tonight, getting ready to get on the motorcycle for a charity ride today. But that info is AWESOME and hopefully the one that saves me from pulling the motor again. Thank you Very much.

[wilsonracing]

Well I checked it, and yes I have the balancer installed to deep. Does anyone have a pic or a measurement of how deep it should be??

[wilsonracing]

Don't think that's the problem, I've got the balancer out far enough that it's very visible to the eye that it's out of line and the belt squeals like crazy. And still no oil to the top of the motor. Can someone please start their car, and pull the oil fill cap and tell me if they see oil being pumped up and around the top of the motor. I really don't want to pull this thing again, but it's really sounding like that's what's gonna happen. Unless someone wants to buy it from me. $2600.00 and it's all yours as is.

[CMNTMXR57]

This is gonna sound completely out in left field, but I have to ask...

Did you put the right gasket on the right bank? I don't recall if you can errantly mount them without resistance, but each side does have specific passages...

[CMNTMXR57]

Here... I picture of the MLS gaskets N* Performance sells. Note on the cam drive end (the big square ends), that the top corner of each respective gasket is a little different. Also the bottom three holes are differently orientated.



If you're not getting oil up there and your engine is still overheating, that means simply that oil and coolant isn't making it's way up to the heads, and I highly doubt that both your oil pump and water pump puked. That means blockage...

[wilsonracing]

Well now you have me questions myself, I pretty certain I put them on the correct way. But it sounds like I will be pulling the entire thing out and back apart to double check. Unless someone else wants to buy it. $2000.00

[wilsonracing]

I'm 99.9% sure I put the head gaskets on correctly. I notice there is a small notch out of the bottom on the timing chain area that if I had them switched side to side would have caused issues when I installed the heads. I just did a google search about (Priming the oil pump). Anyone else had this type of experience? I'm just trying to turn over every last stone before I tear it back out again and find out it was ( or could be ) something small and it didn't need taken out or taken apart again.
I did have to install a new oil pressure sensor before I completed the job the first time, because I broke the original one. I could see if I got a bad sensor, but that doesn't explain why no oil in the top of the motor or the sound from the top of the motor. ( just sounds dry ).