Virgin Head Gasket?

Wake

New member
Aug 4, 2014
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Cali
I have been reading about the "common" head gasket problem with the LLY. I have never had a problem with my truck I am at 135,000 miles and I love this truck. I am scared of this repair and I am curious to know how many of you guys are running your stock Head gasket and how many miles are on your truck

EVERYONE is welcome to throw in there advice
 

Wake

New member
Aug 4, 2014
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Cali
wow that's great... After reading about it I almost sold the truck haha... Then I realized how much I still love this truck and won't be too pissed off when I have to put the money out for it.
So far I have only had to ICE PICK my harness and change out my fuel filter housing, and water pump.
 
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Summitlly

Motorsport Enthusiast
Jul 21, 2013
37
0
0
MI
Mine just rolled 216k and mine are starting to go. Atleast I hope it's head gaskets
 

cstephens93

New member
Oct 13, 2014
677
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31
Tallahassee, FL
I did headgaskets at about 215k miles. Dumping coolant out the overflow.


My cousin has an LLY with 230k miles on it and he's been running a 500hp tune for about 4 years, no head gasket issues whatsoever
 

Wake

New member
Aug 4, 2014
29
0
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Cali
are the tunes and head gaskets related? Should I turn my tune down I am running PPE standard lvl 3
 

Wake

New member
Aug 4, 2014
29
0
0
Cali
well this is great, no consistency just luck of the draw. When they do go any advice who to go see in SOCAL
 

cstephens93

New member
Oct 13, 2014
677
0
0
31
Tallahassee, FL
well this is great, no consistency just luck of the draw. When they do go any advice who to go see in SOCAL

If you can do it yourself, you will definitely save some money.

I think the std labor time is close to 30 hours or something. My dads shop charges 80 an hour. So thats 2400 right there alone.

I did it myself and spent about 1000....500 of which were for APR studs
 

Max Attitude

11SIX
Mar 7, 2012
814
0
16
Caledonia, MI
Mine went years ago at 99k. I believe I had my Predator programmer on it since about 60k miles on the 85 horse tune. Luckily GM covered it and I just had to pay the $100 deductible. I think if you're tuned hotter there is a higher chance they will go sooner but there are plenty of stock trucks that have the same issues so it's hard to tell. Climates may play a role too.
 

othrgrl

Diesel Addiction Owner
Mar 10, 2008
2,151
4
38
Wilmington NC
www.mydieseladdiction.com
Shop work truck has 290K on it with stock bolts and gaskets. 100 overs, 10mm stroker, and 45+ PSI of boost. On other trucks we have bent and broken rods and put them out the side of the block without blowing LLY gaskets, destroyed pistons, you name it.

The problem is not the gaskets and the problem is not the bolts. The problem isn't X amount of boost or Y amount of horsepower. The problem is simply that the LLY heads are more prone to trapping air. When people run their trucks low on coolant or don't properly bleed the system of air, air will be trapped at the rear of the passenger side head; that air will give the coolant a chance to boil and create steam and pressure, then the high pressure pocket will further prevent coolant from flowing there (liquids flow to area of lowest pressure), the problem compounds until it blows the seal at the rear cylinder. The most common thing is a leaking water pump that isn't taken care of. Guy gets in the truck Monday morning and it says "Low Coolant", but he's late for work already so he says screw it and drives to work saying he'll fill it when he comes out at the end of shift. He gets off work and forgets to bring out a jug of water, get's in see "low coolant" and says "I just worked 8 hours there, I'm not going back in, I'll fill it when I get home". He gets home and lets the dog out, kisses the wife/kids, cracks a beer and puts his feet up, etc and forgets all about it. Tuesday the cycle starts again and next thing he knows it's been a week. Or the water pump gets changed (or any other work with coolant drained) and the system isn't properly bled of air. Pulling a vacuum on the system to fill it is the best way, but if you don't have those tools let it bleed until you get no air for at least 15 seconds out of the bleeder on the thermostat. You will have a gallon of coolant on the floor by the time that happens - most people put the bleeder screw in as soon as the first sign of coolant comes out to prevent a mess. Having the front end up higher than the rear will help also.

We see more blown gaskets on stock LLYs than we do modded ones - mostly because the guys modding them are either paying closer attention to and taking better care of their trucks, or our shop is doing it for them. We see blown head gaskets on other models for the same reasons but they are no where near as bad about it.
 

Wake

New member
Aug 4, 2014
29
0
0
Cali
crazy my water pump went out now that I am thinking about it like 10,000 miles ago. It was leaking out of the weep holes or something. I had it fixed right away and filled everything up with new coolant ect... I hope I caught it fast enough and have a while
 

othrgrl

Diesel Addiction Owner
Mar 10, 2008
2,151
4
38
Wilmington NC
www.mydieseladdiction.com
You will be fine as long as you don't continue to drive it while leaking or low on coolant and when you do work on anything that requires a coolant drain you properly bleed the system. I am not at all concerned about blowing the head gaskets on the high mileage shop work truck, I know that something else will give first if at all. Work stock class pulling with 700+ rwhp on a stock bottom end is playing with fire and I need to install a key lock DSP5 and hide the key from myself to prevent embarrassing cobra mustangs from 60-120mph while having about 2,000 lbs in the bed like I did today.:spit:
 

Max Attitude

11SIX
Mar 7, 2012
814
0
16
Caledonia, MI
Shop work truck has 290K on it with stock bolts and gaskets. 100 overs, 10mm stroker, and 45+ PSI of boost. On other trucks we have bent and broken rods and put them out the side of the block without blowing LLY gaskets, destroyed pistons, you name it.

The problem is not the gaskets and the problem is not the bolts. The problem isn't X amount of boost or Y amount of horsepower. The problem is simply that the LLY heads are more prone to trapping air. When people run their trucks low on coolant or don't properly bleed the system of air, air will be trapped at the rear of the passenger side head; that air will give the coolant a chance to boil and create steam and pressure, then the high pressure pocket will further prevent coolant from flowing there (liquids flow to area of lowest pressure), the problem compounds until it blows the seal at the rear cylinder. The most common thing is a leaking water pump that isn't taken care of. Guy gets in the truck Monday morning and it says "Low Coolant", but he's late for work already so he says screw it and drives to work saying he'll fill it when he comes out at the end of shift. He gets off work and forgets to bring out a jug of water, get's in see "low coolant" and says "I just worked 8 hours there, I'm not going back in, I'll fill it when I get home". He gets home and lets the dog out, kisses the wife/kids, cracks a beer and puts his feet up, etc and forgets all about it. Tuesday the cycle starts again and next thing he knows it's been a week. Or the water pump gets changed (or any other work with coolant drained) and the system isn't properly bled of air. Pulling a vacuum on the system to fill it is the best way, but if you don't have those tools let it bleed until you get no air for at least 15 seconds out of the bleeder on the thermostat. You will have a gallon of coolant on the floor by the time that happens - most people put the bleeder screw in as soon as the first sign of coolant comes out to prevent a mess. Having the front end up higher than the rear will help also.

We see more blown gaskets on stock LLYs than we do modded ones - mostly because the guys modding them are either paying closer attention to and taking better care of their trucks, or our shop is doing it for them. We see blown head gaskets on other models for the same reasons but they are no where near as bad about it.

Hmm, do you believe that is the only cause? I bought my truck with 47k and never had the coolant low before my hg issue at 99k.
 

Wake

New member
Aug 4, 2014
29
0
0
Cali
wow

You will be fine as long as you don't continue to drive it while leaking or low on coolant and when you do work on anything that requires a coolant drain you properly bleed the system. I am not at all concerned about blowing the head gaskets on the high mileage shop work truck, I know that something else will give first if at all. Work stock class pulling with 700+ rwhp on a stock bottom end is playing with fire and I need to install a key lock DSP5 and hide the key from myself to prevent embarrassing cobra mustangs from 60-120mph while having about 2,000 lbs in the bed like I did today.:spit:


that's awesome I guess I am pretty easy on my truck I will only take it up to about 60 WOT I back off on the 4-5th shift.

I bet that cobra guy is pissed I would have been ordering parts for my car that night
 

Wake

New member
Aug 4, 2014
29
0
0
Cali
230K on my stock gaskets with around 45lbs of boost.. No problems here.
Wow that's great I hope I can get by for a while

A local shop said he could just put the arp studs or bolts in without taking the head off just to insure it but when I called arp they told me not to mess with it until it blows what do you guys think