Can't catch a break?!

[Schurkey]

I just can't believe with 114k on the clock a head gasket has hit its end

The TBI Caprice service-replacement "crate engine" I slammed into my '88 K1500 popped the head gasket between cyls #3 and #5. About 80 or 90 thousand miles.

'Course, that was also about eighteen years, too.

 

[Hipster]

When getting to know a 'new to you, it oftentimes pays to
actually "look for trouble" as opposed to just assuming everything is
OK.

look for signs of distress even if they seem to work well and don't misbehave.
new-to-me acted flawlessly, so I wasn't going
to touch. But if you look over HERE you will see what a mistake that
mindset was. Clean And if stiff, go ahead & oil
now, so that it won't decide to deny you
access IF you really need to get in there.

I could go on & on, but this is all common sense. Once you've really looked
for trouble and got it all sorted out, you'll get much more
relaxed when behind.

Do what? LOL

 

[95OBSMan]

Thanks guys, great info and advice on my problem, Orpedcrow it is a TBI, and I went with all Fel-Pro gaskets for this intake job, I've been in the search section looking for info on doing away with the factory style inlet/outlet heater hose QD fittings, one that is at the rear of intake and the one from the water pump. Seems simple enough to do as I have noticed weeping from these fittings and of course durning removal they WILL NOT work as intended do to age etc... and those oem style hoses are not cheap either! where as the other fittings and heater hose is pretty much available from any parts store. Does anybody have any thoughts on the Mr. Gasket style thermostat gasket, molded rubber on aluminum carrier #738G?
Road Trip, awesome way to explain how to approach my truck, all is noted and info and advice is greatly appreciated and will not be taken lightly, thanks!
Hipster spot on there!! Here are the pics that finally loaded up from cell to my desktop, as pointed out by Orpedcrow, it seems that the coolant travels down the head to the space between the block and head, where the head gaskets is, and continues to travel down to where it "pools" up on the edge of the engine block, right under the #1 cylinder and then runs down the block then drips to the frame then to the floor. So as you can see from the last pic, this has been doing this for some time, I never saw this, but after owning it and driving it on a daily base for about 4 months, gasket failure is going to happen, now time to get this fixed.

 

[scott2093]

Does anybody have any thoughts on the Mr. Gasket style thermostat gasket,

I put one on my 93 about 1k miles ago...No complaints....

 

[95OBSMan]

The tear down begins, so I've been looking through a lot of threads here as well as doing the utube research and can't seem to get a definitive answer for swapping out the QD fittings for the inlet/outlet heater hoses on a 95 TBI 5.7, if using the Doorman style which is by all means a "full port" style fitting versa the oem style, so the question is who has or has done this switch out and what effect has it had on the heater core, read about "blowing " out the heater core do to high pressure, but it seems to me with a 15lbs radiator cap that would be the total pressure for the engine cooling system? I'm just looking at improving upon that area while I'm into it this far, and with the known quality of replacement parts today if I would be money ahead to do this swap out of QD fitting or just stay with the oem style and complete the task at hand and hope for the best, thanks for any advice on this, here's some pics of the tear down so far...

 

[Schurkey]

95 TBI 5.7, if using the Doorman style which is by all means a "full port" style fitting versa the oem style,

I put a Dorman quick-connect heater fitting in my '88 K1500 5.7L TBI twenty-something years ago.

When I swapped engines after eighteen years, the Dorman fitting was in such perfect condition I re-used it.

It's just as restricted inside as the OEM unit.

Bought another not quite a year ago. It's still in the package. I guess I could take a look at it tomorrow to assure it's still made like the original, with the restriction inside.
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If there's a quick-connect on the outlet side, I don't know about it. There isn't on my '88.

so the question is who has or has done this switch out and what effect has it had on the heater core, read about "blowing " out the heater core do to high pressure, but it seems to me with a 15lbs radiator cap that would be the total pressure for the engine cooling system?

Clearly, I've "switched-out" the original, corroded heater connector for the Dorman unit, and found the Dorman to be five times as good as the OEM GM unit.

The cooling system sees radiator-cap pressure, plus water-pump pressure acting on the various restrictions to flow, specifically, but not limited to the thermostat. Water pump puts out a surprising amount of pressure when the RPM goes way up and the thermostat is closed.

The restriction in the quick-connector also tends to reduce turbulence noise in the heater core.

 

[garet]

could be as harmless as a loose knock sensor or something.

 

[95OBSMan]

Schurkey, thanks for the insight and info on the QD, I ended up buying the Doorman QD for both the intake manifold and the one for the water pump, I'm into this fix this far, so I should know not to cut corners in this area, to replace everything with OEM seeing how those parts are still available, I found that the oem inlet heater hose was available at my local NAPA but the outlet heater hose was only available at the geeks site, which says its ACDelco, there was one on fleabay, double the price, and 2 GM suppliers with a delivery date weeks out, I did upgrade all the gaskets to Fel-Pro and a new Gates made water pump. The water pump QD fitting also has the restricter in it just like the one for the rear of the intake manifold, which as you stated would reduce turbulence as well as "fluid" noise at higher RPM's in the heater core/ cabin area, i.e. at highway speeds, makes since to me now, seeing how the water pump has an impeller and as RPM's increase so will the pressure at that point and through the heater hose to the heater core but would lose that pressure once it enters the radiator where its cooled down then allowed into the block when the thermostat opens and it starts all over again. With routine maintenance should be able to get 115k or more out of the new parts!!! I'll post more pics of the tear down and reassembly this weekend. I just noticed that I got a Trophy, don't know why, but thank you to whom ever is responsible for that!! Its pretty cool

 

[Schurkey]

I would not have expected a restriction on the outlet side. Are you SURE that's proper?

 

[Scooterwrench]

I think the restriction on the return side of the heater core is to create a little back pressure in the core to insure the core stays full of water for better heat conductivity,at least that's my theory.