'92-300CE - M104 Head Gasket
 

Greetings!

Over the past week, I have been losing coolant intermittently with no sign of external leakage. Just yesterday, I confirmed my suspicion of a head gasket when the engine wouldn't turn over after a brief run to and short stay at the discount store. Yep, it hydro-locked, however after three tries the engine rolled and started, so I drove it home and parked it. I've spent considerable time researching this job on here, plus adding parts to my shopping cart at ********** and think I'm just about ready to tackle the job. That is after I move the junk out of the garage so I can work on it inside (HOA rules).

I feel confident and don't expect any problems, but did want to ask where there's a good place to get the cylinder head pressure checked and planed if necessary. Also, if the aluminum is porous and the head is junk, how expensive is a new (or rebuilt) head (approximate)?

The good part of this is I get to fix the oil leak at the timing chain cover, too! I'll post more as my work progresses.

Regards
Michael B.

Hydro locked!!
 

I think you should have towed it. With hydro lock it is locked therefore since what is in the engine won't compress you run the risk of something really expensive like a rod bending!

Don't even start it to get it into the garage. Have someone push it for you.

Good luck Go Cats

Hi Michael. Best place to get the head inspected is to ship it to Metric Motors in the Los Angeles area. They are the experts on this head. Here is their site - http://www.mercedesengines.net/ They have rebuilt exchanges or they will rebuild yours. Prices are on the webpage. This is the outfit that the indies around here use.

They did my M104 head this past summer. Out the door it was $1175. Shipping each way was about $60. I had a total rebuild, surfacing, cleaning, welding to repair corrosion damage, etc. All my exhaust springs were out of spec so they were all replaced and I had one pitted valve. That number should be considered as your budget. You can expect to have some corrosion damage; the guy from Metric said all M104 heads have some corrosion damage normally. You can have them just do the cleaning and surfacing but if you are going to pull the head anyway, it is false economy to not at least have the seals and guides replaced.

You can get the head rebuilt (a little) cheaper elsewhere (not much) but MB engines are all these guys do and they know their stuff.

I know of a ton of other hints too on this project if you're interested. Read the write-ups you already listed as a starting point. This is not a weekend job for a DIYer; more like three weekendsor better because you will find things that you have to replace as you proceed with the work. So plan on parking the car for awhile. It's best to work slowly and methodically and work your way through it. Plus it takes time to wrestle with the shop manual because the manual is busted up into sections that are not at all interconnected.

Most important thing is to make sure you have the factory shop manual. Don't try to do this job without it. Just gag down the $65 for the manual against the cost of lost time and aggravation and possible busted parts. Or worse.

One of the most important tips is to buy the correct special head bolt tool. It is a Hazet #2752 triple square (XZN) bit from Samstag Sales or Chad's Tool Box (Google them). You have to get this particular one because the longer ones like you can get at Snap-On or Pep Boys are too long and they will not fit up under the firewall for the two head bolts near the firewall. Trust me - I learned this the hard way.

OK now I'm on a roll :D. Remove the cams with the head still bolted on the block because it takes too much mustard to bust loose the cam bearing caps and the head will squirm around like a greased pig all over the bench if you try to remove them on the bench (unless you have a helper to hold the head or unless you bolt it down). Or leave the cams attached and send the whole thing to Metric as-is but they will charge you some labor to remove the cams. Actually this is OK anyway because then they can mike your cams and make sure they are all still in spec. Plus they can disassemble the advancer on the intake cam and clean it for you. There is a special procedure you must use when removing the cam bearing caps - it's in the manual.

Remove the head with the exhaust and intake manifolds still attached to the head. You will remove them from the head later when the head is setting on the workbench. This will save you tons of aggravation because a couple of the manifold bolts are dang near inaccessible with the head on the block.

Make a little temporary work stand to set the head on out of 2x4's that are set up on edge that is about the length and width of the bottom of the head. You use this to set the head on while you are working on it, i.e. while removing the manifolds. This makes it infinitely easier to mess with the head while it's on the bench because the manifolds hang down lower than the bottom of the head and this fact will make it difficult to work on the head on the bench (it will rock and roll and again will squirm around like the proverbial greased pig). Plus this also protects the delicate gasket mating surface of the head. Yeah, you are going to get it surfaced, but if you accidentally knock a 0.060" dent in the head gasket surface while futzing about with it, that is too deep to be machined out. You will use this little stand during removal of the manifolds and also when you bolt them back on the rebuilt head. If you want I can send you a photo of the one I made. Took me about 10 minutes to knock it together; best 10 minutes I ever invested.

And use an engine hoist to pull the head. Don't even think about doing this job without one.

These are tips that an advanced DIYer would use to ensure success and minimize errors and rework on this job. A pro who does this all day long for a living might do it differently, will know of shortcuts, and has tools that you and I have no access to.

Hope this helps! Pete

While you have it apart, there is a small hose you should replace, and it is hard to get to with the intake installed. If it starts leaking after you do all this, you will be upset. It is referred to in the online parts catalogs as "Cooling Hose", and is MB part number 104 203 03 82, WorldPAC SKU # G2021-71771. I purchased a new hose through Carquest using the SKU. It was 7.59 with tax. The hose is under the intake, near cylinder #5, and it connects to the oil cooler on one end.

Also, if you take off the dipstick tube, place something over the hole to prevent anything from falling into the oilpan.

Thanks guys! All good stuff here. Busy week at work, so more later as time allows. Gawd, I hate driving my wife's commuter car...

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/1460479-started-my-head-gasket-repair.html

hopefully this will be helpful.....

Chocolate Milk Oil
 

Well, I got the garage cleaned out and the 300SL moved over to provide room to work. This was quite a task, because there were storage boxes to the ceiling and there were no wheels, shocks or struts on the SL.

Then today, my wife's car needed a belt tensioner, so I had that to fix before pushing my 300CE into the garage. After opening the hood, I pulled the dipstick and saw chocolate milk colored oil. Seeing that is never a good thing, so I decided that the teardown and inspection should begin tomorrow. I had had enough for one (actually two) day(s).

Thanks again for the input guys. I'll post pictures as I go along, too.

More tomorrow!
Michael B.

Teardown has begun
 

Well gents, I started the teardown. All that's left before I pull the cylinder head are the manifolds and the timing chain. Also, I found the oil leak. Seems someone before me was a little over-zelous with the silicone goop causing the gasket to split. As well, the distributor shaft seal was leaking and looks like the sealing surface hadn't been cleaned from the previous time.

http://files.me.com/benzman35/bf6tjd

Will be back after I get the head off, which will be a couple of days given my current schedule.

Michael B.

Crankshaft Bolt?
 

Does anyone know the socket size for the crankshaft bolt? This would be handy to know before I go to the store. Thanks!!!

Socket size is 27mm.

Do not pull the manifolds off. Remove them with the head. Do you have the factory shop manual?

what he said^^^^^

read my how-to, in the lessons learned (last page) i added "remove/install head with manifolds attached" ......

Silicone on the upper timing cover seal is a no-no. I believe the seal should float across the surface from thermal movement. It also appears that the seal may have rolled during reassembly and never gave a good seal.

When the head is off, it's a perfect time to remove and clean out the egr tube that runs behind the head.

Yes, that tube gets plugged up with oily pcv vapors. You should consider replacing it with a new metal tube. The new tubes are redesigned to stick in a little further inside the intake manifold, apparently preventing blockage in the future.

Michael, when you're replacing the upper timing chain cover U-shaped seal spend the money for the black sealant at your local MB dealer. Use a dab at both ends of the seal only ... the rest of the seal remains dry. Be patient so the seal doesn't roll over or get pushed out of place when positioning the cover.

I practised laying the upper timing cover in place a few times before going ahead with the permanent install. This way I could install it in one shot and not make a mess with the loctite.

Apart
 

Well, it took longer than two days because of my busy schedule and not feeling well for a few days when I could work on it.
But the engine is now apart and it was clearly #6 that was leaking as this was the cleanest piston top.
http://files.me.com/benzman35/mp82qx

And as you can see, the combustion area is relatively clean.
http://files.me.com/benzman35/c4h0ib

Plus, I think I found the reason for the coolant consumption.
Pay close attention to space between the water jacket and sealing area just above the valve.
http://files.me.com/benzman35/afas9x

It doesn't look like a crack, but if it's just a steam trace I hope that it's not too deep and can be planed out.

Does anyone know about Bill's Cylinder Head Service in Phoenix? It doesn't look like he has any web negatives that I can find. Though I can send the head to Metric Motors in L.A., I would prefer to drive it to a local machine shop in Phoenix (if I can feel confident about it).

While taking it apart, every connector on the upper engine wiring harness broke. The wires are somewhat pliable, but the black tubing and connectors are very brittle. Any idea where to get a replacement harness?

Also, the timing chain guides have worn grooves from the chain, so, I think I'm going to replace all the guides too. This means removing the lower chain cover to access them. Anything special I need to know while doing this?

73Elsinore; you asked if I had a shop manual. Well, not the printed Mercedes shop manual used by techs, but I do have a couple of other manuals (Haynes 3253 & the useless E-Class Owner's Bible) plus I do have the 124 Service Manual Library on CD. Is there one in particular that you recommend?

Thanks all for your posts and help...
Michael B.

Chain Guides
 

You should post some pictures of the chain guides before you replace them.
They usually never wear out.

Also, if you have the factory service manual on CD, you are in good shape.
Just be meticulous, and read instructions various times to gather the concepts they convey.

The bottom chain cover is fairly easy. Just be careful with the oil pan gasket. Your chances of a leak are much less if it does not get broken in the process. You probably also want to change the front crankshaft seal, which should be inexpensive. You will have to remove the viscous fan mount, which has a little rubber seal and a special bolt to seal in oil. (This is where the belt tensioner "arm mount" bolts to the engine. Follow the instructions carefully for reassembly.

And enjoy! This is a fun rebuild if you're not impatient.

Congrats on getting it apart.

I understand your wanting to go with a local shop, but Metric sees these heads all day long and have done so for years, they know these heads/motors inside and out, and they know exactly what to look for in regard to damage. If you look in your CD manual there are several sections covering internal cylinder head cleaning and repairs (oil galleries cleaning and reseal, etc.). Metric did all these on mine without my asking for it. Another machine shop may not know about these. Not saying they're not reputable, but there is a lot to be said for experience. In my opinion it's worth the shipping and the little extra cost to go with experience and direct knowledge. He will also know to look for the areas of corrosion damage in the head and will weld these areas back and re-machine.

Note the corrosion areas on the block deck between the water jackets. Mine was exactly the same. I was freaked out about this but Metric says this is common (there's your direct knoweldge again) and as long as the corrosion has not proceeded into the sealing area around the cylinder bore you are OK. I had some corroded areas that were about 0.020" deep. I tried to fill them with JB Weld but it didn't hold - too thin.

This will be sussed out when the head is cleaned and inspecyed for cracks. If it's a crack they can weld it and repair it.

The connectors can be had individually from MB and replaced. You need to look at the wires themselves. There is a lot of info on the forum here about the cracking insulation on the harnesses. Do some reading on that before you decide to replace just the connectors vs. the entire harness. Last I heard, the replacement harness is about $900 from the dealer. I do not know if they are available aftermarket. If you are an MBCA member, lots of dealers will give the club discount.

As the other poster wrote, I also have read that they rarely wear out, but mine had pretty good wear tracks in them so I elected to replace mine, as well as the timing chain also. Plus this now gives me an all-new top end on the motor. The front cover job can be a PITA despite what else you read here. It is not easy to remove because it is glued on and it is a registered fit using dowel pins. And there is a chance you will damage the oil pan gasket. When I took mine apart, the oil pan gasket was undamaged, so I replaced the guides, chain, and front cover seal and put it all back together. Then, while working on it one day, I accidentally dropped the timing chain down into the oil pan (it wasn't joined yet) and I was not able to fish it out :mad: so I had to pull the front cover off again. Well this time when I pulled the cover, the oil pan gasket self-destructed into a zillion little pieces. The gaposis between the bottom of the timing cover and the top of the oil pan is too thick to just seal it with sealant, so I had to pull the oil pan to replace its gasket. That was a difficult job.

If your chain guides have not been replaced, the updated replacement guide on the tensioner side is wider than the old one. That means the timing chain must be loose when you reinstall the cover otherwise you can't fit the cover past the new, wider guide. &^%$!! Found that out the hard way.

Make sure you disassemble the chain tensioner and clean it out good. You have to reset the ratcheting mechanism when you reinstall it or else the chain will be too tight and you will bust a cam when the motor starts. The manual tells how to take it apart.

The CD manual is what you need and that is what I was referring to. It is just a crummy scanned electronic version of the paper manual. I suggest you go to this site and download the index to use with the CD manual - it makes it MUCH easier to navigate through the CDs:
http://web.mac.com/dakota/Mercedes/Indexes.html
The E Class Bible has its place in the literature for this car as a reference book and for the owner who wants to do some of his own maintenance. It was not intended to be a manual a la Haynes.

Hope this helps - let us know how it's going.

head work
 

I think your guy in AZ could be just as qualified. If you're reasonably sure that he does good work and knows the m104, you should go for it....just know your tolerance for resurfacing the head's mating surface. Did you measure your chain-stretch before you removed the head?

Where to send the head...
 

Called Bill's Cylinder Head Service in Phoenix yesterday and asked Don if he knew Mercedes heads. He said, sure. I asked, specifically the M104 engine? He said no. I then explained this engine is the DOHC in-line 6 cylinder and he said he didn't know that it was called the M104. Ok, I'll give him that since a man can't know everything. So I talked about the blemish on the deck of #6 and he said he could pressure test it, but didn't suggest he could repair it. I felt ok about that conversation, but made another call to Metric Motors in LA.

While talking to the guy at Metric Motors, I immediately felt he knew his business as he espoused confidence and knowledge of the engine. The minimal estimate to clean, inspect and test the head is $740. Slightly more if it needs any valves or springs. I mentioned the blemish on the deck of #6 and he said he has seen that before and though these heads don't usually crack, they do sport these blemishes from time to time, however usually near cylinder 3 & 4, especially if it overheated. To my benefit, this engine didn't overheat. It ran up over 100*C for short periods here in the desert, but never overheated.

So, all that said, I will be sending the head to Metric Motors in L.A. Two days travel time, to and fro, plus 3 days in the shop. About a week from now, I will have the head back and hope to have the lower half ready for the head. Any suggestions relative to cleaning and inspecting block surface area? I have done this a dozen times on domestic cars, but never to an MB.

Now to find a blanket to wrap it in and a box for shipping as this was the recommended way to pack it.

More later as the saga continues.
Michael B.

why is he charging $740 to pressure test, clean and inspect the head? WAY to much....

unless he is doing some seal work on it, you are paying too much..

I sent my head to a machine shop that does the m104 engines. he cleaned it, pressure tested it, and even lapped one of the valves for $85 .....something in your quote is not right......

Well, I don't know exactly why it's so much, but what I have heard from others is they DO know this engine and DO ALL the engines for the Mercedes dealers in the LA area and also DO many engines for the a Mercedes classic car club. I think this also includes the valve springs.

$740 is half the price of an exchange head ($1450), so I thought it was a deal! $85 for doing your M104 head? Dang man, that's cheap enough to send it twice, with overnight shipping. Can he weld the head if necessary?Does he replace the springs? Does he put new guides in it? I will call them again to find out exactly what I get for $740. Can you disclose who this guy is that is leaving all this $$$ on the table?

Also, can someone else tell me why I should spend an extra $655? Plus more if it needs valves or welding?

Thanks!

I am no expert on this, but cleaning, pressure testing, and checking are not really DOING anything when it comes to these heads. if he is going to dig into it, and take things apart, or rebuild it then the quote will make sense...other than that, something is not right....call them and ask...

other more experienced members will have a better insight on this than me...

If you read the info on Metric's website, the $740 is for a 'basic valve job': disassemble, clean, inspect, surface the head, install new guides and seals, cut new valve seats, grind/face the valves, clean and reseal the oil galleries, blah blah.

Mine was $1150 out the door which included shipping both ways. I had the basic valve job, plus a lot of problems. All my exhaust springs were out of spec and had to be replaced. I had one pitted exhaust valve and I had corrosion damage that had to be welded up and remachined back to spec. They sent me back all the bad parts so I could check them if necessary. The one pitted valve had a single pit about 1/32" in diameter so that tells me they did a thorough inspection, at least on this valve.

You just can't go wrong with these guys. Every indy shop owner I know uses them and has done so for years. This is their mainline business. If these were Ford 351 heads or early Mopar heads, then sure, I'd use my local shop.

Oddly, I can't go back to when it happened and tow it. I can tell you however that by the time I realized it had hydrolocked, the engine was running. My first thought was dead battery, but on the 2nd or third try, the engine rolled over and started. It wouldn't have done me any good to stop the engine at that point and call the tow truck, because if there was going to be any damage, it would have already been done.

That said, I have the head off now and can see the piston tops. Mechanically speaking if it had bent a rod, the #6 piston (where it leaked) would not have been as high as the #1 piston whilst at TDC. So, I'm pretty confident I didn't bend a rod. I suppose I could measure the stroke to be absolutely certain.

Thanks 73Elsinore! After talking with the guy on the phone, those were my sentiments exactly. Going into this I said I wanted confidence knowing that once I put it back together, I wouldn't have to take it apart again for a very long time.

I am taking my time and am not rushing this job one iota. This is why I bought another 300CE to drive while my angel is in the shop. Stay tuned! More after this commercial break and station identification.

$740 if he is going to do a valve job along with cleaning regrinding doesn't sound too bad. I paid $230 for all that, but I provided the valve guides + stems...based on what I am reading on his expertise, it may be worth the extra $100 having somebody who genuinely KNOWS that head very well.

I don't doubt the shop's qualifications or knowledge but I think at $740 your paying a hefty premium for a reputation. Is shipping included at least?? I would think any reputable machine shop that does a lot of European engine work would be well qualified to do a 80s-90s mercedes 6 cyl head.
I sent mine to a local guy who does most of the work for the MB, Volvo, BMW, VW, Porsche, and etc dealers around here. He did a thorough job, said I'd save some $$ if I stripped it down to the valves and springs and also told me if I could get the parts cheaper than him to go ahead and supply them, which I did. He cleaned and surfaced it (in spec), Checked it for cracks, installed guides and seals, tested the springs. Not sure if he removed the oil gallery plugs before cleaning. Anyway, I think it was about $265 total. Car is running free of leaks and as good as ever with 220K.
I would easily pay a little extra for competent, expert work and good service, but that seems a little high. All that said, if your okay paying somewhat extra for the peace of mind, go for it.

Vibration Damper
 

Quick question...

The crank bolt seems almost impossible to get off without an impact gun. I locked the crank with two longer bolts after taking off the belt pulley and pulled with a breaker bar until my back told me to stop. I'm thinking I need a longer breaker bar and will get one today. Hopefully that'll do it. According to the manual, it is 370 nm (270 ft lbs) tight.

One thing I wanted to make sure of was that the bolt is in fact "right-hand" thread. I'm not mechanically (or electrically) inept and understand the "righty tighty, lefty loosey" thing rather well, but was hoping someone could confirm my suspicion. 03-3420 doesn't confirm either way.

For some that may question why I'm taking the Vibe Damper off, I'm replacing the chain and guides while she's apart.

Thanks!

When you did the head job, did you check flatness of the block with a straight edge & feeler gauges? It won't matter a hill of beans how good the head is if your block is warped.

The bolt is indeed right-hand thread. I bought a 3/4" breaker bar, a 3/4" drive 27mm socket, and used a 3' cheater - that did it. Me, I would not use a 3' cheater on a 1/2" drive breaker bar.

I don't get how you locked the crank. What did you brace the two longer bolts against that you put through the damper?

Since the job is far from done, I will be sure to check the block deck and make sure it is true. Thanks!

Well, I went to the Nut and Bolt shop and picked up two hard 8mm course thread bolts to screw in. Then I placed a pry bar on them and rested the pry bar on the right frame rail. The thing I need to get now is a 3/4" breaker bar and a piece of pipe. I had my hands on a 3/4" breaker bar last night, but got a longer 1/2" instead. I'm glad I saved my receipt.

Not sure if this picture is any help as the lighting at night isn't that good without a flash and didn't want to bust out the SLR camera.
http://files.me.com/benzman35/z2mlhu

I also borrowed a homemade bar from a tech at work with two holes in it, but it wasn't long enough to rest on anything, so I didn't use it. I suppose if I was ambitious enough, I would make one that would fit, since I have 3 cars with the M104 engine.
Here's what that bar looks like, using Google Sketchup (1st try).

Okay, the Damper is off and I got the bolt loose with a 1/2" drive breaker bar with a 3' cheater pipe. The chain cover came off with a couple of taps with a rubber mallet. The timing chain guides look slightly worn, including the oil pump guide/tensioner. Now just need to get all my parts ordered and wait for the head work to be done. I figured, too, while I'm in there, that after properly sealing certain holes and cavities, I'll pressure wash all the dirt and grime (being careful of the wires) and start clean.

Wanted to say quickly that I got the head back this week. It has new intake valves, new springs, seals, standard machine work and some welding to repair the obvious leak. More later as I progress with the job. I hope to have it complete before Christmas.

One tip: Be sure that you use compressed air to remove any liquids from the Cyl.Head bolt holes in the block, not doing so risks hydraulically locking a head bolt during reassembly and cracking the block, also fluids in the bolt holes can turn to steam and expand when heated and crack the block. You will not be able to get the bolt holes completely dry, but try to get as much liquid out of them as you can before assembly. I would also use new head bolts.

Good point on cleaning the bolt holes. Best practice is to chase the threads in the block with a bottoming tap. The thread is an M12. Don't use a standard taper tap becuase it won't reach all the way to the bottom of the holes.

You can reuse your old head bolts if they meet the length spec in the manual.

Make sure you replace all the rubber vacuum bits now while you have the head and intake off. There is a section in the EPC that shows all the vacuum parts and their sizes. Some of them are nearly impossible to reach when the intake is back on. This includes the two rubber hoses that connect to the bottom of the intake. They are cheap and those things cause all kinds of weird driveability problems when they leak.

It's been a slow process, but I'm getting ready to put it back together. The head is ready (with the exception of the intake) and the block is nearly ready, too.

http://files.me.com/benzman35/erj8bt

Since this picture was taken, I reinstalled the timing cover, taped every possible hole including the block deck and pressure washed the engine compartment and block. It was rather dirty from the long standing (1qt/2000mi) oil leak.

Even though I cleaned the bolt holes brake-clean and air, I still need to run a bottom tap in them for good measure.

Another question...

What is the best way to put the master link in the timing chain? (other than buying the special mercedes crimping tool)

Thanks!

Looks great. Looks like you still have some crosshatching present in the bores. I too had crosshatching still present in mine after 140k miles.

Now is the time to replace your motor mounts if you suspect they are knackered. There is no easier time to do it than now, especially on the driver's side.

The timing chain master link can be crimped by renting the tool from one of the forum members. Look in the tool rental link here on the site. Another way to do it is to use a hammer and punch to peen over the end of the pins. You will need someone to hold a backup on the opposite side of the link while you do the hammering. Or you can use two hammers - one to do the peening and one as a backup. Either way it doesn't take much.

Yipee!
 

Well gents, it's done.

Thank you for you help, suggestions, directions and other such nomenclature.

With this image I'm reminded of checking every bolt and nut twice, however, this morning, just as I was waking up, I had the scary thought that I hadn't tightened the cam bearing caps. I know I did. But why can't I remember doing it and why such a prominent thought first thing right out of the gate? Lesson here is to trust your hunches, because when I removed the VC to check, they were all tight, except one. One bearing cap was loose!. Gotta love those first thoughts of the morning. :)

http://files.me.com/benzman35/t08eshhttp://files.me.com/benzman35/2nj554

And here she is waiting for me to turn the key. When I started it, I heard something that sounded like a helicopter. The funny thing was, it wasn't an engine noise, but actually a helicopter flyby. Had me guessing for a minute. Actually, the engine started rather quickly and smoothly, as if to say, "I've been waiting". She's running smooth and has been around the block a time or two already. Monday, she gets the "commute to work" test.

http://files.me.com/benzman35/17p2um

While running it with the air cleaner assembly removed, I notice something peculiar and was wondering if anyone else has seen this before. Now, I have seen blow-by and I understand how it happens, however, I'm wondering if maybe I have an inordinate amount of it. If you can view this file, feel free to comment.

http://files.me.com/benzman35/eulwtq.mov 16.4mb (uncompressed)
http://files.me.com/benzman35/576ods.mov 1.6 mb (compressed)
Engine running at no-load, various rpms with air cleaner assembly removed.

Thanks again for all the help. It has been much appreciated.

Michael B.

Mostly Bad...
 

Everything was fine last night. However, this morning was a different story. I backed it out of the driveway, went to the stop sign, then to the light and she began to miss. Then she started smoking, profusely. So, I turned around and went back home, opened the hood to find liquids everywhere. Want to know where I live? Follow the trail of oil and water to my driveway.

Bummer Dude. Insert sad face here. If I were a drinker, right about now would be a good time to start drinking heavily.

Kidding aside. I think I may have damaged the head gasket upon installation, but there's no way to know for sure until I get it back apart.

I called Mike at Metric Motors and he offered a few things that could have happened. First being possible damage to the gasket itself. Second, maybe a wrong gasket. Or third, possibly some unevenness to the block deck from corrosion.

When I get it apart, again. I'll post my findings.

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. If it is still running, I'd pressure wash it, and then start it briefly so you can at least tell where the big leak is. I wouldn't pull the head again until you know it isn't something silly like a loose clamp or other gasket.

When I first laid my head back on the new gasket it went on perfectly, then, I forget why but the rear lifting bracket was in my way of doing something so I lifted it off and took the bracket off. I laid the head down again and then put the bracket on after, but I forgot to put a few head bolts in it to keep it from shifting. Sure enough when I went to crank down on the bracket bolts the leverage lifted the whole head up and jarred it back down again. In doing so, it scraped off a small spot of the rubber bead on the head gasket on the outer edge of the last oil return hole. I called up Victor-Reinz and spoke to a gasket designer about being able to repair the gasket in this non critical area. He thought it would be okay by my description and told how to proceed.
Back to the car again, I laid the head down again, only this time I had to slide it around a bit to find the alignment dowels. As I was starting to tighten the bolts down it sunk in that I may have damaged the soft aluminum head surface on the steel dowels. Off it came again and sure enough there was a small scrape by the front dowel location. Fortunately it fell in a completely safe area. On the last attempt, I used long wooden dowels in two of the head bolt holes and it went straight down into position. I should have done this the first time.
No problems now after a few months, but it's easy to see how some seemingly innocuous things have the potential to cause trouble. Some jobs require very clean, meticulous procedure and if anything doesn't go just right it needs to be backed up and re-inspected/considered before continuing.
Good Luck! Hope it's something easy and not as bad as you fear.

Ouch, when i did my headgasket, i damaged a brand new gasket while installing the head...see pictures of the damage in my thread.

Man, i feel your pain, this is so disappointing....keep us posted, hopefully it is nothing serious ....

From bad to worse...
 

Well, I found the problem.

9 of the 14 head bolts are loose/stripped. Now before anyone asks "did you clean the threads?" or "did you torque it correctly?", the answer is yes and yes. I cleaned the threads with brake clean and air, an M12 tap, and when I torqued the NEW head bolts I did it by the book (oiled the threads and washers, then 55nm + 90° + 90°).

When I cleaned the threads with the tap, I noticed some corrosion and some unevenness with the threads and I was mildly concerned, but not concerned enough to take a macro picture or to make a phone call. I guess my concern should have been a bit deeper.

So, now the questions begin.... Can the threads be repaired? Can the threads be repaired with the block in the car? Should I begin looking for a short block?

Any technical help or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

What an idiot...
 

So, when I went to buy the tap, I went to the nut and bolt shop and brought a Head Bolt with me to make sure I got the right one. What I didn't know at the time was the guy sold me the wrong tap. The head bolt thread is M12x1.75, but what I got for a tap was M12x1.50. This caused the problem and has now destroyed my engine. I think I may have to go with Time-Certs or Helicoil to see if I can salvage it. I'm pissed, but more pissed at myself for not double-checking the tap size. I'm thinking about a small claims suit against the nut and bolt shop. First things first though, the repair and recover.

Oh man, this is painful to hear !!!! good luck on this man....

Question: is it possible to get custom head bolts that would match the new thread caused by the wrong tap you used? does anyone know if this is possible? it could make repairing this problem easier....maybe some of those aftermarket ARP studs/bolts or something like that could work......even some regular non-stretching bolts.....you always re-torque them after a couple of hundred miles ....

good luck

Section 01-1220 in the manual details how to repair the threaded head bolt holes. It says to use heli-coil and gives specific directions.

I don't know if there are larger bolts available or not. Likely not.

The owner of the nut and bolt store is telling me that he's never heard of an M12x1.75 thread pitch head bolt. I'm going to bring the pages from the manual to show him.

He asked that I stop by to talk with him so we can resolve this. We'll see how it comes out. More later.

The owner of the Nut and Bolt shop provided me with what I need to perform the repair (free). Though it's not really free. And he sent me to a local machine shop to talk with the guy there. He said NOT to use the head bolts again and said heli-coil would hold the torque just fine. Not having any more new head bolts, I decided to measure the old ones. Each one measures between 160.5 & 161 mm, which is well within spec. So, I will be using the old head bolts.

More later as this progresses. Hopefully my next post will be to say it's done. We'll see.

pitch the old head bolts and get new, you compromised the threads on the old ones

don't cheap out now, they aren't that expensive