LB7 Blown head gasket and/or injector cups Part 2 after closed thread!~

adeso

wait, what?
May 30, 2011
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Minot, ND
Sorry yes with the truck running, and the lines post CP3. wear a good set of goggles and look around for leaks. I use a mirror to look under the lines. then command max rail and do it again. at max rail it is up at 24,000PSI+ on the LB7. I really don't know of anyone that had glow plugs break off on the way out. Take a look at that link for the rust on the injector lines, that is common on these trucks
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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Alright well it would help if someone could answer the question about the steering shaft since with the fuel lines there jammed in between the heads and the shaft there is not much wiggle room. I may start working with it there and if there is any issues then I can see about disconnecting the shaft.

I started removing the fuel lines from the injectors. I am happy to see that the 4 I have removed last night before going to bed came out without too much rust on them. I will work on cleaning them out along with the injectors and everything else while my heads are in for servicing. I managed to loosen all of them but let me tell you that one of them was REALLY hard to remove. I tried to go gently at first... then came the low power impact gun in order to have some hammer action going on... Then well with a long 1/2 drive wrench. SNAP! Loosened the fitting and the line came right out and everything is good. Didn't break anything yay!@

So far so good... Just hope my notes and me labelling the wires will be enough to put it back together!
 

AECLLC

New member
Jan 22, 2013
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Head gasket problems

Hi guys,

I have the exact same issues with my truck as described here. (pressure in the overflow, pushing coolant out, will not warm up, upper hose is not hard over night)

I am not a mechanic

I dont have much money to spend on this truck but i love it.

I live in new jersey and was hoping someone might know a shop or a guy that fixes/repairs duramax well and cheap or can help me out

Its a 2004 lb7 245k miles on it. The previous owner said he had all the injectors replaced

It never smokes, i had the water pump and both thermostats replaced thinking that was it but i know i have much deeper problems with it

Any help in direction would help

Ill sell it for scrap before i give it to the dealer to fix. They were saying close to $7k!!!!
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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Sorry to hear AECLLC. Heck you may want to do like me and tackle it yourself.

Just an update to everyone. I was doing great process until last week where my 2003 Tribute I had bought to drive me back and forth from work has been rear ended with me in it. My vehicle then hit the car in front of me which also caused the other car to collide into the car in front of it. My air bags went out and everything and I lost the car as it's a complete write off. Main thing is that I am alive and well although not without injuries. My neck and back are hurting and I will be out of commision for however long it needs to heal. Really sucks as the insurance is giving the low end of the stick on a car I purchased 3 months ago! I guess it's a good thing it wasn't my Dmax.
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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Started working again yesterday although my back and my neck were a little stiffer from working today I am able to do a little bit. I now have the lower valve cover bolts out and started taking out the injectors. I was pretty happy to see that the two injectors I have pulled out yesterday evening just came right out. I have a few questions now tho...

1. Injectors is it better to put them back where they were or does that matter at all?

2. What would be the best way to clean the RTV stuff from the upper and lower valve cover? Is it okay to use a small wire brush? A stiff nylon brush?

3. Any tricks to tighten the lower valve cover to torque on the driver side? My torque wrench will definetely not fit back there.

4. Having trouble finding a flat piece of steel to clean the block mating surface. I can although buy a big piece and cut it... Just wondering what you guys used that is all.

I had other questions but I just can't remember.

Thanks in advance!
 

adeso

wait, what?
May 30, 2011
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Minot, ND
Started working again yesterday although my back and my neck were a little stiffer from working today I am able to do a little bit. I now have the lower valve cover bolts out and started taking out the injectors. I was pretty happy to see that the two injectors I have pulled out yesterday evening just came right out. I have a few questions now tho...

1. Injectors is it better to put them back where they were or does that matter at all?

Dont think it matters, but if you have them numbered why not

2. What would be the best way to clean the RTV stuff from the upper and lower valve cover? Is it okay to use a small wire brush? A stiff nylon brush?

I like to use a razor blade and cut it off, just watch out b/c you can gouge the alum if you hack away at it

3. Any tricks to tighten the lower valve cover to torque on the driver side? My torque wrench will definetely not fit back there.

I didn't even use a torque wrench on those small bolts for the covers, just get it close and it will be fine

4. Having trouble finding a flat piece of steel to clean the block mating surface. I can although buy a big piece and cut it... Just wondering what you guys used that is all.

Just make sure it is true and no rough edges, I would think you could just use a razor blade to clean it, I think you are just talking about cleaning the block off from the old head gaskets?

I had other questions but I just can't remember.

Thanks in advance!

There you go bud
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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Thanks Adesso! You are right for number 4 I was just referring to clean the block. GM service manual says to use a flat piece of steel with 600grit sandpaper. I bought a plastic gasket scraper which they show being used on a block. I figured I would give that a try first. Right now I just have to unbolt the heads. Question... I didn't take off the intake manifold from the heads simply because with the turbo you can't get to the bolts. Now when I unbolt the passenger head will it get caught on the lower hard coolant hose of the turbo?

Thanks in advance!
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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No the Y bridge I took out. The bridge attached the two intake manifolds together which are bolted right to the heads. What is the proper term?
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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Well I managed to pull out the heads with the intake manifolds in place. I tried taking them off but they are glued in place! Tips or tricks without damaging anything?

Looking at my block it seems like I have lots of cleaning ahead of me. Most of it is covered with rust. How does one goes to clean this without getting all sort of crap inside all of the passages?

By checking the cylinder sleeves I saw no damage to the walls which is great. Now I will work on getting the rest of the stuff off the heads and I will be ready to bring them over to get them checked and valve job done.
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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I got the manifolds off :) I also got the cups and the glow plugs out. My heads are now ready to go :D
 

fishv12

Member
Jan 30, 2011
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Questions:

1. How do you go about cleaning the block and making sure you do not get any crud in there... It just seems so easily done with all the passages in there.

2. I found some "loctite" Permatex 27115. Can I use the gel kind for the cups or is it a no no? http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...RED+High+Strength+Thread+locker.jsp?locale=en

3. The block is covered in rust I imagine I have to sand it all down to shiny metal. I feel as if this is going to be time consuming! Any advice on the subject is appreciated.
 
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fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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Actually concerning the thread locker it seems that loctite has been purchased by permatex so now it is just a question of cross referencing the number.

I tried but didn't really come up with an answer but I am thinking about stopping by Napa which may have a few more options.
 
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Bustedknuckles

Honey Badger
Sep 25, 2010
1,308
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Hagerstown MD
Questions:

1. How do you go about cleaning the block and making sure you do not get any crud in there... It just seems so easily done with all the passages in there.

2. I found some "loctite" Permatex 27115. Can I use the gel kind for the cups or is it a no no? http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...RED+High+Strength+Thread+locker.jsp?locale=en

3. The block is covered in rust I imagine I have to sand it all down to shiny metal. I feel as if this is going to be time consuming! Any advice on the subject is appreciated.

On cleaning the block, just cover everything with masking tape and you will be good.
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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Alright I found some locktite 272 on my hunt yesterday. Glad I did find the right stuff. Afterwards going to another store I found the permatex version of it 27200 for almost half the price but whatever.

Now I have another question. On resealing the cups can I just set the cups in the heads and then let the loctite cure for 24 hours without installing the injectors or is it required to install the injectors right afterwards.

For cleaning the block when covering everything with masking tape I suppose I set the masking tape lower into the holes?
 

adeso

wait, what?
May 30, 2011
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Minot, ND
you want the injectors to hold down the cups. I have seen where the cups were seated without the injectors in there, but I would really want those injectors in there. Also, don't add any fluid until the locktight has cured
 

fishv12

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Jan 30, 2011
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Alright I am picking up my heads this afternoon although I am not ready to start installing them since I didn't find time to clean the block this week. I did go through my new gaskets kit and label everything. I was able to identify pretty much everything other than a few o rings which I will simply know from looking at the old compared to the new.

Now my questions are with the ARP studs after reading the instructions I am a little confused. I understand that I hand tight the studs in heads out after having cleaned all the treads. Now first question about this is the meaning of hand tight... Do I use an allen key and tighten them hand tight until they reach the bottom putting a little power into it or simply just tighten them by hand without anything until they bottom out? Second question about this is the driver side. No way I can install these with the head off since it won't go back in afterwards. So for that side can I simply put the studs in head on the block? Again same question about the hand tight... Now after all of them are in, special lube applied on the studs, nuts and washers I can begin tightening them down to torque in sequence. Now there goes my question. When torquing the studs down do I torque them ALL down to 125ftlbs and then loosen them ALL and repeat that 3 times of course by finishing at 125. Or do I tighten them all down to 125 then loosen one and tight it down again to 125 and continue on and do that three times. I am pretty sure it's the first option I mentioned but I don't want to get this wrong.