I'm going to replace the head gaskets and have my heads resurfaced as well. I've never had this done before so I'm hoping to get input from others that have dealt with this issue. Should I buy new bolts and are there any tips on preping the heads before putting them back in? Any and all info is greatly appreciated. Also, would having a 160 degree thermostat help in cooling the vehicle? Should I do a radiator flush berore or after I replace the gaskets?

To answer any question some may have I'll tell you what I know. I kept overheating and I took the car into a shop that did a pressure test and they informed me that there was a head gasket problem or a warped head.

 

you will need new head bolts, i bought a set from ARP, a lot of guys seem to like them plus they have a good and long lived reputation

make sure the block as well as the heads are clean and dry, i used acetone but carb cleaner should do a good enough job, just wet a paper towel with it and wipe em down

a couple years ago had an overheating problem and went about replacing all the hoses, got a new stock waterpump with 160* therm and flushed my radiator along with the coolant resivoir which had a lot of gunk built up in the bottom of it, since then i havent seen the gauge get anywhere near the red

-Dan

 

The thermostat alone won't help the car run any cooler. It only will take longer for the car to warm up. If you want the car to run cooler use a 160 thermostat with a manual fan switch and/or PCM programming.

 

Thanks gentlemen. I called a head shop here in Orlando and they will resurface, do a valve check, and clean them for just over $100 bucks. I'll look up the bolts today. While I'm doing this job is there anything else I sholud look into checking, replacing, or cleaning up?

 

New valve seals and maybe even new springs given the age of the old ones. Are they still stock springs? I had this same issue after overheating one time and the Chevy dealership told me it would be an excellent time to add roller rockers to it, but I had to pass. Not enough money at the time. Might not hurt for new plug wires/plugs too(if they are old).

I overheated after my cooling fan fuse blew. Car did not cool right after that....needle always moving around and never steady afterwards. A hydrocarbon test of the coolant found exhaust in the coolant. I was 0.002" warped on one head and 0.003" on the other. The block deck was fine. They showed me the gaskets and you could see where it was leaking between coolant passages. All this was before I had a house with a garage and when it was my daily driver.