Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Parts for head gasket replacement?

I've recently blown a head gasket on my 98 Zetec with 62k miles, but the engine didn't overheat (and I still have a good bit of coolant) so I'm hopeful that I can bring her back to life.

While I'm in there, I'm also going to clean the TB and intake manifold, so I'm planning on taking off the intake and exhaust manifolds separate from the head. (Also, I won't need a hoist this way, I think.)

I'm trying to get a full list of the parts I'll need... your help will be... helpful.

Some obvious ones...

• Cylinder head gasket
• Cylinder head bolts
• Intake manifold gasket
• Exhaust manifold gasket
• Valve cover gasket

But I'm sure there will be more than this... Also, I've noticed in a few places that you can buy a "head gasket" or "head gasket set". What's the difference?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Do you have the necessary special tools to reset the timing?

You may want the following other things:
1) front cam seals
2) Permatex Anaerobic Gasket Maker when you reinstall the front cam cap. Be sure to remove the old sealant from the factory before appling the new stuff. Don't use too much or it will squeeze out into unwanted places.
3) Timing belt-check if the old one may have been contaminated by the head gasket leaking coolant and/or oil.

That's all I can think of now...Good Luck.

A head gasket is just that, whereas a "set" contains all engine gaskets normally replaced when replacing a head gasket (including the head gasket).

You of course have to remove manifolds (and raise engine) to remove head so I'm unclear what you mean by "taking off ... separate from head".

Presumably you have thoroughly reviewed the service manual for this operation because it's one that would normally only be undertaken by experienced DIY types.

You will need a torque wrench to replace the bolt on the intake and hope you know that you have an order to follow to replace them.(unscrew too).
The difference betwen a "head gasket set" and a" head gasket" is that on the "head gasket set" you got all the upper gaskets needed to replace the heads, valve cover, intake...in the upper engine. And the head gasket is simply a head gasket! :rolleyes:
I think you can buy it in any Ford dealer.
Be sure to know where you're going before to start it because when you play in the head and under the intake, the job must be very clean!
I hope that help you a bit.
Good luck
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Do yourself a favor andy buy yourself a shop manual. About $12.00 US for a Haynes or Chilton will more than pay for itself.

And by the way, I think you will need a new set of head bolts. I think they are torque to yield and are not reusable.

Thanks for the help. I already have a Haynes manual... it's the first "mod" I get after buying a car. Absolutely invaluable.

So it looks like the head gasket set is the way to go... that along with the head bolts should be about it as far as parts. I'll start tackling this next week when I get back from a business trip. Please let me know if you have any advice before then!

And wish me luck!

You will want the cam seals. If you're taking the engine that far apart it may well be worthwhile to change the timing belt and water pump, since you might save significant costs this way over doing them separately later on.

When comparing prices for a "head gasket set" or "upper gasket set", be sure to ask exactly what's included in each one.

When my head gasket blew, coolant got inside, and we took the engine apart completely to make sure that no bearing surfaces were damaged by the coolant. This required a new pan gasket, crankshaft seals, and piston rings, and tons of labor. Skipping this could be a gamble if any coolant was running around inside in the oil. (We had to pull the engine anyway because the flywheel was wrecked when it hydro-locked and broke the starter motor.)

If you pull out the valve lifters, keep track of them and get them back into the same holes they came out of. If you take the caps off the cam bearings, make sure they not only go back in the same places, but with the same end out -- don't flip them end for end. Of course, you may be able to get away with leaving the cams attached to the head.

You may need the cam locking tool to check cam timing -- a plate 0.200 inches thick on one edge. It's not only easier, but faster, to make this yourself than to order it, even if you have no tool better than a grinding wheel or a drill press to shape it with. That's enough, if you use a micrometer.

For this type of job I believe the Ford service manual is better, and usually more complete and accurate. Neither are error free. The Ford one is available on CD-ROM for $8, see classifieds from home page.

Good luck.