Head Gasket Job on a 1996 850 (non-turbo)
 

This is thread with the tutorial I wrote after completing this job https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-850-16/tutorial-1996-volvo-850-head-gasket-timing-belt-water-pump-etc-lots-pics-44879/

I have to replace the head gasket on my daughter's 1996 850 (non-turbo 2.4L). I think I am going to try my hand at fabricating my own "hold-down" tool(s) for the camshafts and the tools to compress the top of the head back onto the bottom (that screws into the spark plug holes) as the least expensive ones I have found were $150 on eBay and they don't "look" that hard to replicate (I may find out otherwise). I would love to hear from anyone who has done this job and can offer me some pointers (on the construction of the tools also). I want to do everything that is prudent or precautionary to do while I am "in there" and am planning on replacing the following:

-Head gasket set (with all the gaskets and seals from the headgasket up according to the advertisement)
-Water pipe gasket
-New head bolts
-Gasket liquid for gasket between top and bottom head pieces
-Timing belt
-Water pump and gasket
-Tensioner
-Idler pulley
-Tensioner pulley
-Camshaft seals
-Crankshaft seal
-Serpentine belt
-Upper radiator hose
-Lower radiator hose
-Thermostat and gasket
-Naturally having the head inspected, resurfaced, etc at a local machine shop that specializes in that
-Cleaning / replacing PCV stuff as needed (having the smoke puffing out of dipstick tube also)

Is there anything else I should replace while I am in there? I know on Camry timing belts I have done that I did an oil pump seal and O-ring too - what about that on the 850? Is there anything I should watch for, make sure I do, etc? I have a Haynes manual and have looked over the following links regarding this job and making homemade tools for it.

https://volvoforums.com/forum/showth...150#post218150

https://volvoforums.com/forum/showth...ht=head+gasket

The car has 111,000 miles on it, the heater core had leaked out and ran the coolant dry (I have a new heater core ready to install too), and my daughter put cool water right back into the car after she discovered it was dry and overheated. I tried one round of the K&W head gasket sealer in a can and it reduced the amount of coolant used (and smoked out the tailpipe) by about 60% but didn't stop it, so I would like to go ahead and do this right. Any advice, precautions, experiences will be welcomed, and I thank anyone in advance who helps me out at all.

Thanks,

Tracy

I haven't done a head gasket yet, but I've removed my cam cover that holds the cams down 3 times and only once did I use something to lock the cams in place. I don't think it's necessary. Just watch them as you tighten down the cam cover and once it's in place, fine tune them to make sure they're in time.

between a heater core and a head gasket job (and the jobs you are doin while you are in there) I sure hope you have some vacation time coming. Best of luck, and let us know how it goes!

+1

Take some pics along the way - it helps to put everything back in place AND it helps all of us!

Enjoy!
:)

While it does seem like a time-consuming task (especially considering that I am also limited by the turn-around the machine shop will have on my head), I really don't think this is going to be the monster that I first thought it would be. On an inline 4 Camry (more than once), I have done the timing belt, water pump, cam/crank seals, pulleys, tensioner, oil pump seal and O-ring, accessory belts, spark plugs, valve cover gasket, upper and lower hoses (basically everything this job will involve except for the head gasket and heater core) in a day (about 12 hours). While the Toyotas have what appears to be more matchmarks that are easily seen, I don't think this is going to be THAT much harder. The tools I am going to have to fabricate are the only thing I am a little uncertain about, but I will figure it out I'm sure. Besides, the daughter that uses this car is out of school for a few more weeks, so we are not going to be missing the car as bad while it is being repaired.

I have already sprayed everything down with Deep Creep (after removing the exhaust heat shield and the center black plastic cover that goes over the spark plugs/wires), let it sit, and sprayed down with hot water. Just out of curiosity, I tried a couple of the exhaust manifold bolts with a 6 point 13mm socket and an 18' breaker bar and they almost fell out. They were waaaay easier to remove than I would have guessed, but then again, this car has been in the Georgia, South Carolina area all it's life and is almost completely rust-free. I just have to order all my parts this Friday, and then I'm off and running.

I am definitely one to take pictures of things if I am at all unsure of whether I'll remember how they "go back." I separate fasteners, etc. and label with masking tape - or tape them to the component they go with, so yes, you're exactly right. While I don't know how hot and aggravated I will be during parts of this job (it is running 97 F everyday here right now in SE Alabama) and I can make no guarantees, I am "hoping" to take pictures (and make notes) of almost every step and possibly make a tutorial, especially since I could not find one on here. Thanks for the help.

SOOOOO...........
Is there anyone out there who HAS done this job (especially with the tools you have to make) and can offer some advice? I already PM-ed the guy from one of the threads I quoted above in the original post, but I have not heard back from him yet.

Thanks!

Tracy

Well, it wasnt a terrible job for me to do the PCV system. it took me about 4 days, working on it after work. it wouldnt have taken me nearly as long, but I cleaned up a lot of stuff under the hood and took the time that everything was out of the way to paint things. I painted the head, spark plug cover, fuel rail cover, and intake manifold. All things considered, I was pleased with the outcome.

Attachment 2730

Attachment 2731

Thats all good and it really does look nice but your scaring them. Its not that hard to actually change the PCV system. A few hours is all.

Boxpin: thats why I said that i did a lot of other stuff. Honestly, I'd say that the PCV job should take around 4 hours if you are just doing it and putting it back together.

I thought it was all pretty straightforward and smiple. If you're concerned about being able to get things back to gether, take pictures as you take things apart, and put bolts in baggies as they come off so you can keep track of where they came from.

So with the PCV system on these is there something you have to replace more than a PCV valve? What all should I replace to make sure that is taken care of? I have been seeing little puffs of smoke out of the oil dipstick tube so I know this needs attention also.

Thanks,

Tracy

Tracy: you can order the complete PCV system from IPD or FCP Groton, to name a couple. there are a couple new hoses and a new flame trap. There are several complete writeups on it here and other places. It's really not difficult at all. Just time consuming.

Well I finished up this whole job a week ago today. I have about 60 hours of my time in it. But a lot of those hours were spent doing meticulous cleaning of everything, taking hundreds of pictures of everything (different flash, no flash, different perspectives), and getting tools out and organized / putting tools up (sometimes hurriedly and unorganized as it would start to rain), cooling off (close to 100 every day here lately) and getting a snack and some GatorAde, etc. I was doing this job under the edge of the porch / roof overhang of our two-story house and had the hood up so that throughout most of the day there was some shade from either the hood or the house (only got burnt once lol) and kept my tools (mostly piled) on some rubber matting and would use a moving blanket and then a tarp to cover them with under the overhang / porch. If I had a shop (that I recently vowed to my wife I will have before our 19 and 17 year old daughters have us grandchildren of driving age) that was sheltered, shaded (or well-lit depending on time of day), air-conditioned, had enough counter / workbench space to have all the parts and tools in an organized fashion, and was not stopping to take pictures every step of the way, I feel I could have cut that time in half. But even with 60 hours of my time in it, the difference in what I spent on parts, machining, tools I did not have, etc - and what the dealership gave me as an estimate for parts and labor - was around $3000. So, as I told my wife, I was basically earning $50/hr, whcih is more than I make even when on double-time at my main job. I am very pleased with the results, the ease of the car to work on, and I would not hesitate to do the same job again (just not on this car - as it should be good-to-go for a long time now lol). I am still working through the hundreds of pictures and several pages of notes I took, but I should have a tutorial for the head gasket up soon (including all I did with the timing belt, water pump, oil pump, oil seals, PCV system, etc. while doing the HG). Thanks to everyone who offered any advice or previously posted anything I referred to while doing this.

Tracy

excited
 

Can't wait to see your pics as I will be doing a similar job in the near future!

That is so exciting! Thanks so much. Can't wait to see it.

Well I am getting a lot closer to being finished with the tutorial of this repair. I have (at last count) a little over 180 pictures that I have cropped, edited, labeled, and am planning on using in it (plus writing all the HTML code for it). I am just trying to organize it all now, as I want it to be easy to follow. But I made it so detailed (every step) that I think I am going to have to break it up into sections to avoid confusion and to fit it on a reasonably-sized page - maybe something like sections for: Intake, Exhaust, Timing Belt, Head, Misc. ... I don't know. I just know I have a lot of helpful information and I want it to not seem overwhelming, because I think this was easier than I have always heard. How many pictures or amount of data do y'all think is reasonable on a page (I have almost 6MB of pics and text right now)?

Thanks,

Tracy

**Fcp has lifetime warrenty** all parts...

Read their fine print - lifetime when installed by a certified mechanic.

i had smoke coming from dip stick and oil coming from oil cap i did a complet upper engine repair including taking the head to the machine shop .but that did not fix the problem it seems to be a problem with the piston rings .i would suggest taking a compression check first i might save alot of time and money.

good luck with all of that...
to be honest the wedding cake head kinda scares me to remove =/ ...

why not just cam retainers like everyone else?

This is thread with the tutorial I wrote after completing this job https://volvoforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44879