Below Cylinders, Inc gives 8 steps on how to change your cylinder head gasket. Follow these 8 steps to avoid mistakes and any future problems:
- Disconnect The Battery
Look for your car’s battery under the hood and locate the positive (red) and negative (black) poles. Use a wrench to loosen the negative terminal first and then the positive. Never do it the other way around, as this could damage the electrical system and cause serious damage to the car.
- Drain The Oil And Antifreeze From The Car
You can learn how to drain in the article and how to change car oil and filters. Follow the steps up to step 6 to do this. To drain the antifreeze, depending on the model, you will have to look for the screw or the drain cock in the lower part of the radiator or a kind of stopper in the engine block. All you have to do is open these elements and let the antifreeze all come out.
- Access The Cylinder Head Gasket
To get to the cylinder head gasket, you will have to unclip the timing belt cover and remove the antifreeze tube and the different cables above it (electrical connections, spark plugs, accelerator). Once you have removed them, you will reach the rocker arm cover and the cylinder head itself but if you find this hard, you can use the help of a professional like Telescopic Cylinders Repair in Chicago, IL for example.
- Remove The Old Gasket
When accessing the cylinder head, you will only have to remove the screws with a wrench, and you will be able to remove it with your hands. You will see that the gasket comes off without any problems.
- Clean The Cylinder Head Surface
Use grit sandpaper and degreaser to remove soot and dirt from the cylinder head. It has to be completely clean.
- Place The New Cylinder Head
This is the most delicate part, as placing it wrong will mean that you will have to replace it again in a concise time. The joint must be fixed precisely as indicated in the instruction manual for the joint you purchase. Save up to 50% by buying the cylinder head gasket in our shop. Above all, you must be careful when placing the screws, as you must respect the number of tightening. Remember the number of turns you gave each screw, or use the torque wrench to get it.
- Replace All Parts
After placing the new cylinder head gasket, you will have to place all the removed parts to access it. Don’t forget any and put each one in the same place it was before.
- Refill Oil And Antifreeze Tanks
Finally, you have to refill your car with oil and antifreeze. Once you have done this, you will have finished changing the cylinder head gasket.
