any write ups on replacing head gaskets? I have the haynes but any other tips?

 

Label every single thing you take apart & put the small items in plastic bags. Make sure to note left or right for ea. side if your gonna replace both head gaskets. Another thing you may want to consider is since your gonna need to have the heads resurfaced anyway maybe they can remove a few thousanths to help bump up the compression alittle bit.

 

do i need to replace both gaskets? what do you mean i have to resurface the heads?

 

Well you don't have to replace both of the gaskets if you don't want to. But I figure it would be a good time to do so since pretty much the entire top end of the motor is gonna be disassembled.

What I mean by resurfacing is the same thing as having your flywheel machined or the brake rotors cut. It's a smart idea to have the bottom of the heads resurfaced to ensure that they are perfectly flat. This will ensure a proper seal with your new head gasket. Most machine shops will charge around $30 - $50 dollars per head to do that for you.