Rip... sent you a PM. I'm going to be setting the valve lash and I need some explaining if you don't mind.
You could it up here too if it will help anyone else right now.
You could it up here too if it will help anyone else right now.
Help: Yay I Think I Need Head Gaskets
- Thread starter CancerPipe
- Start date
Ok, let me know if I got this right...
You can set all of the rocker arms using two crank positions... TDC of #1 compression and TDC of #1 Exhaust.
And to the best of my understanding, these two position ares 1 rotation of the crank away from one another, and in both cases the notch on the balancer will be lined up with the notch on the block?
So how do I find TDC of #1 compression? If I can do that then I just rotate the crank one revolution?
Do the pushrods push up even though there is no oil pressure? I could watch for the intake pushrods to come up if thats the case?
I'm confused.
You can set all of the rocker arms using two crank positions... TDC of #1 compression and TDC of #1 Exhaust.
And to the best of my understanding, these two position ares 1 rotation of the crank away from one another, and in both cases the notch on the balancer will be lined up with the notch on the block?
So how do I find TDC of #1 compression? If I can do that then I just rotate the crank one revolution?
Do the pushrods push up even though there is no oil pressure? I could watch for the intake pushrods to come up if thats the case?
I'm confused.
Can some one please explain to me the different grades of head gaskets? There is grade a, b, and c. Is the difference just thinkness and they can be used on any motor? Would the thicker ones just lower compression a little bit?
Check this page out.
http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6148
That will tell you how to Identify them and what the specifications of the gaskets are.
Basically, if you've still got stock bore and there hasn't been any significant machining done to your block or heads you'll be looking at using the A,B or C gaskets.
A is the thinnest ones, C's are the thickest. From the factory, for whatever reason, they often have two different gaskets on there. I think I had a B on one side and an A on the other. I believe they actually measure the setup when it gets put together and then put on the correct gaskets to ensure that compression on both banks is equal... Dunno if thats right or not, but if they were worried about it, its alot easier to measure the block and make up for tolerance differences by putting on a different gaskets than it is to have the block and heads machined exactly the same.
If you have had minor machining done and you know that your at minimum specification for valve clearance, going with the thicker gaskets will give you some assurance that you've got enough clearance. It is your best option though to have the heads checked and spec'd, as well as the piston protrusion checked, and then base your decision on the measurements that you get so that you use the thinnest gasket that you can get away with... That theory is up for debate but seems to be agreed upon by a few people around here.
If your doing it yourself and you know you've got enough clearance, you can't really go wrong with the C gaskets, they just might not be the best choice thats all. I went with C's because I'm at minimum tolerance and want to make sure I got sufficient valve clearance. There is the possibility that they lower the compression slightly, I don't think its a significant enough amount to cause any issues though.
http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6148
That will tell you how to Identify them and what the specifications of the gaskets are.
Basically, if you've still got stock bore and there hasn't been any significant machining done to your block or heads you'll be looking at using the A,B or C gaskets.
A is the thinnest ones, C's are the thickest. From the factory, for whatever reason, they often have two different gaskets on there. I think I had a B on one side and an A on the other. I believe they actually measure the setup when it gets put together and then put on the correct gaskets to ensure that compression on both banks is equal... Dunno if thats right or not, but if they were worried about it, its alot easier to measure the block and make up for tolerance differences by putting on a different gaskets than it is to have the block and heads machined exactly the same.
If you have had minor machining done and you know that your at minimum specification for valve clearance, going with the thicker gaskets will give you some assurance that you've got enough clearance. It is your best option though to have the heads checked and spec'd, as well as the piston protrusion checked, and then base your decision on the measurements that you get so that you use the thinnest gasket that you can get away with... That theory is up for debate but seems to be agreed upon by a few people around here.
If your doing it yourself and you know you've got enough clearance, you can't really go wrong with the C gaskets, they just might not be the best choice thats all. I went with C's because I'm at minimum tolerance and want to make sure I got sufficient valve clearance. There is the possibility that they lower the compression slightly, I don't think its a significant enough amount to cause any issues though.
I have not left you hanging, I have Johnny aka ( Gasuout )Looking for the write up he did.I suck at typing out how to do it, If you follow th e2 links I gave you in the spec area and once you start doing it it will come to you.There is a mark on the front cover to line up with the balancer and # 1 in on the pass side but you do not have to do it in the order they show, You can skip around adjust the ones that are ready and just take a sharpy and mark the ones you did to keep track.
10-4! The adjustment part I think I can handle no problem.
Only thing I'm confused about is how to know if I'm on compression or exhaust stroke. Because by lining up those notches on the cover and balancer, the #1 cylinder will be at TDC. Rotating the crank 360° from that position and lining up the notch again will bring it back to TDC, but on the opposite stroke. My problem, being short sighted as I usually am, is that I put the heads back on not knowing where the motor was sitting and now I'm troubled as to how to figure out that when I bring the crank around to line the notches up whether I will be at TDC of compression or TDC of exhaust.
Only thing I'm confused about is how to know if I'm on compression or exhaust stroke. Because by lining up those notches on the cover and balancer, the #1 cylinder will be at TDC. Rotating the crank 360° from that position and lining up the notch again will bring it back to TDC, but on the opposite stroke. My problem, being short sighted as I usually am, is that I put the heads back on not knowing where the motor was sitting and now I'm troubled as to how to figure out that when I bring the crank around to line the notches up whether I will be at TDC of compression or TDC of exhaust.
Nevermind, I just realized something with now. If I bolt the rocker assembly back on, turn the crank to line up the notches there will only be half the valves really that are able to be set up to the .012... and then when i turn it 360° It will be obvious which ones require adjustment then, and also if any other rockers need to be re-adjusted. I suppose it wouldnt be a bad idea to rotate it around 2 or 3 times and check the adjustment over again.