cocheeze

okay, so i am about to replace my third head gasket in just under a year, and i have to ask...

are 82 stanzas notorious for blowing head gaskets or something?

while i will admit that i have had my fair share of overheating/coolant issues, none have really been a big enough deal to account for the fact that i have been blowing head gaskets this frequently!

i have even tried replacing the head twice in the last year as well, just in case the problem is in the head instead of the gasket.

is there some way that i can be absolutely sure of what is causing the gasket to blow this time instead of just guessing? furthermore, would buying a more expensive gasket make a difference at all?

thanks for any input in advance!

casey

PapaCap

Hey Casey. Have you checked to see if the block deck is warped? Also, are the coolant holes in the block corroded closed or are they flowing freely? If you've checked your head for flatness and have kept the motor running coolly (fans working, radiator good, water pump good, temp gauge working), then your block deck is probably warped.

pc

StanzaBonanza

Yeah check fr warping and make sure the mating surfaces are SPOTLESS otherwise it will create weak points. When the head is off get a machinists level or and put it over the block and make sure there are no gaps, use feelers to "feel" for anything out of place.

__________________
1991 Nissan Stanza XE, 100,500
1990 Volvo 240DL, 280,000 R.I.P
1975 Mercedes Benz 280S, 100,007
1978 Volvo 240DL, 80,000.