Repair head gasket advice

Samuelh3

Samuelh3

Caught the Bug
So one of the very first things that I need to do is replace the head gasket on the 1955 CJ-5 I just purchased. It’s definitely got a leak somewhere as the oil is nice an milky. How hard is this to do yourself and should I be thinking of replacing anything else while I’m at it?

Any tips or gotchas I should be aware of? Any recommended manuals or walkthroughs for the necessary steps?

Oddly enough, the engine runs fine and doesn’t overheat. It runs rough but starts right up and chugs along.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
I don’t think its a good idea to run it if it’s milky.... this means you are running water through the engine which will hinder proper lubrication and could do some damage. I’d fix the head gasket and flush the engine with good oil until its not milky anymore.
 
TrailHunter said:
I don’t think its a good idea to run it if it’s milky.... this means you are running water through the engine which will hinder proper lubrication and could do some damage. I’d fix the head gasket and flush the engine with good oil until its not milky anymore.
Click to expand...
^^^This^^^

Depending on how long it's been that can make a difference on what other issues you could have. Is start with getting it replaced and doing a couple of fresh oil flushes. Being it's a 1955 I'd look for a good service manual, scour the internet for tips and tricks. My biggest fear would be snapping an exhaust bolt. Take lots of pictures as you disassemble things. I use ziplock bags to keep everything organized too.

Sent from my 2PYB2 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Try to keep the head gasket intact and inspect it carefully to assess whether that really is your issue. A cracked block can let water into the cylinders as well. Obviously that would be a more complicated repair.
 
Once head is off, send it to a machine shop to actually check it for cracks and do a valve job at the same time. It's usually only a couple hundred bucks and well worth it because of your labor time involved.
 
WJCO said:
Once head is off, send it to a machine shop to actually check it for cracks and do a valve job at the same time. It's usually only a couple hundred bucks and well worth it because of your labor time involved.
Click to expand...

Wasn’t the stock engine in 1955 a flat head?
 
Last edited:
It may just be condensation. If the jeep has not been run much. Pretty common. Had it been sitting awhile or just not driven enough to get warm and evaporate the moisture? You said in the other thread it was just on the stick but the oil was not milky when you drained it.



Sent from my iPad using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
A.J. said:
It may just be condensation. If the jeep has not been run much. Pretty common. Had it been sitting awhile or just not driven enough to get warm and evaporate the moisture? You said in the other thread it was just on the stick but the oil was not milky when you drained it.



Sent from my iPad using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

Correct. The head gasket actually looked pretty good. The oil residue on the cylinders, pistons, and heads didn’t look like there was any water. After draining the oil as mentioned in another thread it all looked good. It has been sitting for a while near Newport Beach (less than 3 miles from the ocean). He only drove it 200 miles or less per year.

So it sounds like your saying the dip stick may be the only thing affected which would be a relief. I did notice that the dip stick isn’t sealing very well. I could be getting some moisture creeping in there.

IMG_7226.jpg

IMG_7231.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
I hate to say it but you probably could have just changed the fluids and done a little tune up on it. Since you have the head off might as well do the valve job and freshen it up. Talk to the engine shop and take some well lit pictures of the cylinder bores. Are you thinking of doing the whole engine or just having the head work done?


Sent from my iPad using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking as well. Oh well at least I had fun taking it apart. I’ve never done anything like this before so I gotta shay I was like a kid in a candy shop. I just dropped the oil pan and man it looks great. There’s a slight bit of sludge from what looks to be condensation but other than that this thing is clean!

I’m just going to have the head redone and leave the block as is. I’m having them redo the valves on the head but that’s it.

I’ll post some pictures up later, gotta head out to a church thing and the wife’s gonna kill me if I spend another minute in the garage and make us late.

I’ll probably clean out the fill tube real good and clean the block gasket mating surface real good and slap it back together this weekend. Can’t wait to fire it up again.

I may however need to work on the front seal near the timing chain as I had about an inch of caked up crud all around it. I bet that’s where I’m getting some moisture in as well. I bought a whole engine gasket kit from Omix-Ada thanks to Eddie from his calamity Jane videos (they really do have everything). We’ll see.



Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Nothing really to go over with that head unless it’s cracked or warped. Then replace it. No valve job needed...

But here is some flatty porn for you.
IMG_8185.JPG.
 
Well got everything back together and she absolutely purrs!! Can’t believe I was able to get everything back together and get her started on my first try!! Didn’t take many pics.

Tons of credit to Eddie and Cindy. I have no idea how they video or take step by step pics. That would have taken me forever!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
IMG_7375.jpgIMG_7374.jpgIMG_7371.jpg

Took her out for a stretch. Got her home after taking these pics and the muffle started spewing white smoke. Thought I blew the head gasket...again.

Turned out to be a loose valve gasket that sucked in a ton of water when I was flushing the coolant.

Cleaned it all up and it runs great!


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom