can you guys give me any tips or pointers on changing the head gasket on the model listed above? i am going to buy an 88 744 turbo (red) with 130k with a blown head gasket for $400. any tips or suggestions in making the replacement would be great!!!!

 

I have never replaced a head gasket before knock on wood but I do know that you should use new head bolts and take the head to a machine shop to have if resurfaced. Hope this helps.

 

Good HG to start with...
And, no, you don't need new head bolts.
Do take the head to a machine shop to make sure that it's not warped in which case it has to be resurfaced. With overheating you never know how much damage was done. In some cases if it's cracked or too badly warped you may need a new head.

 

Lev, don't you think the old head bolts could be stretched and should be changed as a precaution in order to get the correct torque.

 

indeed, I'd be replacing the bolts, and you'll want new seals for the camshaft, a new water pump, timing belt (its all got to come apart, its silly to not replace it all), new intake manifold gaskets, exhaust header gaskets, new turbo gaskets, including the oil downpipe to block. use real volvo gaskets and seals, the after market seals are junk.. I'm probably forgetting some.

 

Thermostat and every part in the engine compartment while you're at it.

 

for sure, you do the thermostat when you do the oil pump, just on principle.

as far as everything else in the engine compartment, well, pretty much the rest of everything can be taken apart and replaced without taking the head off the engine.

I do think the head should be taken to a machine shop and be pressure tested. if the valves are old and tired, thats when its easy to replace them. if there's cracks in the head, well, then its time to find a new one.

this head was toast

(there's cracks between the valves and spark plug holes in nearly every cylinder, although they aren't evident in this picture)

this is a replacement head I scored from another forum member, all machined and ready for installation...

 

It goes without saying that one uses new gaskets, not necessarily Volvo, I use Reinz or Elring, but I don't like to throw money away... Besides, the mania to replace perfectly good parts "just because" you are there like water pumps, bolts, etc. is bad because these days a lot of the aftermarket stuff is substandard and the "new' part may in fact be worse than the good used part you are throwing away. To each his own but I find that a lot of owners overlove their cars doing many unnecessary things while neglecting other more pressing needs. Oil change is a good example. A b230 does not need a 3,000 mile changes, better change the tranny fluid more often, like every 30k (and very few do). Every time you fix something that ain't broken you run the risk of creating yourself a problem. Then you have the question of skill, or lack of, you read about all the time. People make the assumption that Volvos are simple, and they are, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, still a person does need a decent set of tools and some wrench turning experience to do an adequate job. I see so many hack jobs where I think, "why didn't they just leave it alone?!" My advice? DO LESS!

 

Yea i already planned on new bolts and definately have it plained!!! I'm also getting a new radiator and possibly an oem water pump and of course a timing belt kit.... What would be the best head gasket to go with?? Should I go with a multilayer steal headgasket from rsi??? I'm gonna turn the boost up a little bit and probably do a few other mods so I'm gonna do it right the first time!!! Let me know if I should go with mls hg or an elring please and thank you!!!