How much am I going to be looking at to get a thicker headgasket installed on my GS300? Also what mm would you suggest that I purchase for a higher boost application.

 

I got the Turbo East head gasket upgrade kit. Comes with a 2MM multi layer steel headgasket(made by Cometic I think) and ARP head studs. It drops the stock 2JZ-GE motor with stock pistons down to a 9:1 compression ratio. It costs $400+20ship for the kit. Then you're looking at $600-1000(depending on labor rates in your area) for a shop to install it. Now you see why I did mine by myself

 

Holy ****...no thanks haha

 

You have a PM, if you want your headgasket done I can do it for half of what a shop will charge. (In probably half the time, lol..)

 

Man, it's seriously back breaking work. I wouldn't even want to do it again unless I was well compensated. I guess the shops hate changing the HG as well lol

But...I think I can do it in half the amount of time the second time around. So it's not too bad I guess lol.

 

Don't worry, I have probably done over 30 of them before... I'm fully aware of the pain involved, lol...

 

Pm'd you Mac

 

So what is involved in the gasket change? Isnt it just to pull the headbolts, scrape the gasket and then bolt the head back on ?

Is there more to it?

I guess I am trying to figure out what is so tough about it?

 

I was thinking the same thing. I thought I could do it until I heard a shop would charge upwards of 1k to do it.

 

It's really not hard. It just takes a long time and your back is bent at a 90'degree angle for hours on end. Take off the intake manifold. Yes all 4 pieces of it. The bottom piece took me 4 hours alone because I couldn't find all the damn hidden bolts lol. Then there are all the hidden lines and connectors you have to remove which also takes a while if you can't find them lol. After you get all the accessories off, you need to pull off the accessory belt and timing belt. Then take off the cams and camshafts. Then you gotta drain all the fluids from the engine. After that take off all the headstuds in correct order and the head should come right off. Scrape off all the old gasket material and clean it up so its almost spotless. Then put new HG on and reinstall everything in reverse order.

It's a 6-8 hour job if you know where everything is with all the hidden bolts/lines/connectors and have done it before. My first time doing it took me about 3 whole days lol.

 

There isn't anything super diffucult about it, it's more just knowing what to do. I have done alot of them so I can pretty much just fly through it. There are some imperative steps to take caution with, (torque values, timing, cam removal/installation etc...) You can do it yourself, downside..if you mess it up you are out alot of time and depending what you screw up, your out a motor.

 

Macd are you willing to come to canada....lol

 

Sure, if you pay my flight, lodging, meals and labor, lol.....

 

Mac,
Can you come and install the h/g for me also? Honestly, What is your actual time?
JPI

 

lol...Jason is funny

I'm sure after all that, it would cost almost as much just for him to take it to a shop...heh. Just wondering how come you've done 30+ of these already? Do you have your own shop or something? I know I wouldn't be doing these on a regular basis unless I was paid GOOD lol.