For a little while I'd been randomly smelling coolant when I park the car. I'd looked and looked but never found where it was coming from, but one day thought I saw some seepage around the radiator. That's been replaced now, and while it wasn't in great shape, that wasn't the problem. I've now found that the head gasket has sprung a leak, it's coming out the side of the engine toward the trans.
I reluctantly tried a hail mary with some stop leak, given this isn't exactly wrenching weather now, and much to my surprise it actually worked. If it gets me through winter I'll be happy. I wonder if there was some in there previously and I flushed it out when I did the cooling system flush (5x over)?

Anyway, anyone got any tips for changing the head gasket? It hasn't overheated at all (to my knowledge anyway, I've head the car less than a year), so I'm planning on just replacing the gasket and calling it a day. I thought about taking the head in, but at that point I could probably just buy another car. 25+ years ago, I did the same on my Daytona. Of course the "proper" procedure is put the engine at TDC, take off the timing belt, both manifolds, then the head. Instead, I marked the position of the cam and the belt, slid the belt off and tied it up to maintain tension on it, then disconnected the exhaust and throttle cables and associated wiring and took the entire head with manifolds off as an assembly. Replaced the gasket, put the head back on (even reusing the bolts, I didn't know you weren't supposed to do that) and put it all back together. Lasted 5+ years until I got rid of the car for other reasons. I'm hoping to do something similar here.

I know this has a chain. If I managed to lock the two sprockets together, could I unbolt them and pull them off in a similar fashion? Are the chain tensioners ratcheting, meaning once they extend out, they don't go back in?
I've also wondered if using a hoist I could just lift the head up just enough to swap out the gasket. Everything on this 194K rust belt car is rusted so bad, I'm really worried about trying to disconnect the exhaust.

 

I HIGHLY recommend you have the head checked and do the job right.

 

The timing chain cover bolts to the front of the head so it is necessary to remove it first. Plus the chain tensioner has a ratchet.

 

Yeah... the do-it-right part of me wants to pull the head, have it machined, valve work, new timing set (well, that I might do), etc. The pragmatic part is asking why spend easily $1K on a $1.5K car, and bolt that back onto a 197K engine driving a 197K trans in a 197K rust belt body. I do like the car and so far it's served me well, but for that money I'm sure I could find another one in better condition if I really wanted.

Good to now, thanks! That helps me prepare.

 

If you do pull the head, you might as well pull the whole thing and take care of the piston rings, both compression and definitely oil control.

Can't remember if it is a 5 speed or automatic. You would have had trouble by now if it wasn't automatic. 5 speeds the last forever. Drop a new clutch in while you're at it just because. Engine and trans are usually pulled as a unit either at the top or by dropping the subframe. If the body is rusted out, go down south and get a clean one from a yard that was driven in or blew an engine, and put the rebuilt stuff into that.

If you're willing to put any money into this venture, seems much more logical to buy yourself another 200,000 miles minimum by spending $2,500 on your head, block work, clutch and donor swap.

Otherwise you're painting a turd.
By hand.

 

Here's a 2002 SC2 in the Birmingham Pull-A-Part yard. Front end looks pretty good. If you are close, you could always get what you need, frame wise, and do what derf suggested. Used cars are expensive and I think you'd be money ahead if you do what he suggested. ttps://www.pullapart.com/inventory/search/?Locations=5&MakeID=52&Models=1167&Years=-1&LocationPage=false&LocationID=0#results

 

I started down that same rabbit hole- yanking the block really isn't much more work. It's everything that comes after, which is what made me shy away from a complete head rebuild in the first place. Painting a turd is exactly what I want to avoid- a little lipstick on a pig, maybe. As the car sits now, I expect to get about 5 more years out of it until I'm in danger of it folding itself in half one day. If I attack that problem and the gasket lets loose again, then I can re-consider this strategy. A complete head gasket set and a set of head bolts will run about $200, and a day or so of work. Might not even need the whole set which would drive that cost down. I'll take that gamble vs $2500 (which seems low to me) and weeks of work.

If there's anything I've learned over the years of working on old cars, it's right when you think you've done everything, there's always something else to go wrong.
I appreciate where you're all coming from, years ago I might have been more up for going all in. Where I'm at now, I can't see doing it. I'd rather get my truck and house projects done.

That SC2 doesn't look too bad, overall better than mine just looking at the pictures. But, I'm in IL. AL is a 10 hour drive one way. IF my truck was running (that's my "real" project) I still need a trailer, all the gas money, probably an overnight, maybe time off work, etc. Around here, you can't even buy a complete car from the junkyard unless you have a rebuilders' license, which comes with its own whole set of restrictions- namely, you need to be a registered business with a commercial property like what a used car dealer would have. Not sure about dealing with an out of state junk title, assuming they would give one. This state sucks, but I'm kind of stuck here for now.

 

We are just looking out for your best interests as we perceive them. The path forward is of course yours to decide. Just trying to help put all the options on the table. Sounds like you've already considered them all which I think is all we were really after, for your benefit.

The right way to do this ultimately is the way you choose to do it. There is no wrong answer or wrong approach. The correct approach is the one that works for you.

Please stop back and let us know how things develop.

You are of course always welcome back.

(Standing down)

 

Manuals at Saturn workshop manuals so you can anticipate what you'll be working with. Plus torque specs, etc.

 

I wasn't trying to jump down anyone's throat, hopefully that came across. I've learned to be more realistic with my expectations having sent several projects away over the years, because life.
Thanks, I was looking for that charm site, couldn't remember the address. My library has access to a service info site, but for some reason head r&r is not in there for this car.
That's more involved than I anticipated. Figures the bolts are underneath the cams. I might have to do a little recon first. I'd still prefer to change the timing set, but... damn! Making a tool to lock the sprockets together, and maybe something to hold the guides in place is looking better. We'll see come spring.