Buick 3100 headgasket.... HELP! 56k beware!

[canuck_corsica95]

Buddy and I are tearing apart a 1994 Buick Skylark to do the head gaskets on it. We've got the front valve cover, upper intake and most of the electrical disconnected but we're stuck at the fuel rail.

How the hell do you get the damn thing off? We can't seem to figure that part out. Once we get it off or out of the way (if we even have to!) we can get the job done.

Better yet..... if anybody has got a write up with some images, it would help a great deal.

Here's what we've got down to so far:










Gaskets on this thing are totally toast. Looks like the car hocked a huge greenie!

[19Cutlass94]

Take a screwdriver or something to pry with and gently pry the fuel rail up. The only thing holding it in are the injectors. Sometimes they can be stubborn. And make sure you clean up around the injectors as well or else when you lift them out all that dirt will drop into the heads and the cylinders.

[3100 MPFI]

also, trace the metal lines to be sure there is nothing holding them down (it will just bend the lines, but try to avoid that.

You will want to go ahead to put new O-ring's for the injectors, but those are really cheap (like 40 cents each).

Just pry up on them with a screwdriver or something. They fit in there really tight.

When you go to reinstall them, get them all lined up, and loosly put the screws in. Then use either a rubber mallet, or a hammer and a block of wood, to GENTLY tap the injectors back into the holes. Just be sure you have them lined up with the holes correctly.

[tractorman]

Why are you changing the head gaskets? Are you sure that your problem isn't just a leaky intake manifold gasket? When there's coolant in the oil, that's the problem 90% of the time.

Also, I've been told that it's unneccesary to remove the fuel rail- some folks claim that you can just leave it on the lower intake. Don't know that for a fact, as I've always removed it... but next time I do the job, I'll see if I can leave it in place.

But if you need to remove the fuel rail, spray some WD40 in around the tops and bottoms of the injectors to help the o-rings slide. Then pry carefully. In my experience, these fuel rails are a real pain to remove without damaging anything. I'll avoid it next time if possible.

[ForcedFirebird]

If you disconnect the fuel lines at the rail, I don't see why it wouldn't come out with the LIM.

I'll see if I can try it on the 3500 at the shop tomorrow.

[3100 MPFI]

You can leave the fuel rail attached to the intake manifold. I have one still attached to my spare unit.

I just recommend removing it seeing that it looks old, it seems like this would be the perfect time to do the o-rings on the injectors. It probably needs it.

[ForcedFirebird]

You can leave the fuel rail attached to the intake manifold. I have one still attached to my spare unit.

I just recommend removing it seeing that it looks old, it seems like this would be the perfect time to do the o-rings on the injectors. It probably needs it.

I actually find it's usually easier to leave the hardlines attached to the rail, I seem to have better luck pulling and replacing the fuel rail, then it is to try to get the hardlines to line up without cursing a few times. *BUT* In a situation where the rail hasn't been pulled in a number of years, then do both. Remove the rail and manifold together so that gunk (sandy oil) that builds up around the injectors don't fall into the engine and to rplace the o-rings.

[3100 MPFI]

I meant to say that. I don't unscrew the lines. I just undo them at the quick connects in the main lines, and leave the metal lines, and fuel rail on the intake manifold. I will get a pic tomorrow.

[19Cutlass94]

Ive always left the fuel lines alone and just set them aside when doing this. And Ive also always taken the injectors out of the manifold so I can clean it up

[IsaacHayes]

Just disconnect the quick disconnects by the firewall. And with that much milk shake hope your bearings aren't toast. And unless the motor overheated it's likely just the LIM gasket and not the headgaskets.

[canuck_corsica95]

I didn't see any disconnects when I looked behind the motor today . Didn't get a good chance to really follow the fuel lines down as I had to get to work but I should be able to find something.

After checking the LIM, I noticed that the bolts won't come completely out but here's hoping they're out so we can just lift the manifold off with the fuel lines, rail and injectors intact.

Then we can remove the heads and clean everything up. Tonnes of oil and burnt, slimey ani-freeze all over inside there. Here's hoping that it's not going to be a huge mess.

[IsaacHayes]

The fuel rail metal lines connect to rubber lines which have quick disconnects that go up by the firewall somewhere. It's there lol.

[TazMan]

And with that much milk shake hope your bearings aren't toast. And unless the motor overheated it's likely just the LIM gasket and not the headgaskets.

Hello. I've done the manifold gasket on 3 cars. On all three cars I was going to replace the head gaskets just to be safe, but when I pulled the lower manifold I could actually see it was the Lower Intake Manifold Gasket. The gasket was broken at one of the coolant ports and at the intake port that was sucking in the coolant. It wasn't obvious, but could be seen with a close inspection of the gasket. I ended up just replacing the manifold gaskets and that took care of it on all 3 vehicles. I should also mention that the one that had been bad the longest only lasted a few months before the engine started knocking. (F$%#ing Ford!) Like Issac said, coolant in the crank case is very bad for bearings, especially if that vehicle was driven like that for a long period of time.