Head gaskets v6 Buick

[MaxParticipant 91 Hilux Surf V6 Commodore engine View build HERE Member since: October 12, 2016 Posts: 6]

Hi guys.

Ive got a Hilux Surf with the 3800 Buick engine in

It overheats very quickly and spews water out the radiator filler cap when the cap isnt on.

I just started stripping it to get the heads and gaskets checked and noticed the heads have holes for water cooling at the back and front but the right hand side of the valley cover only has a hole at the front.

Question is, is that normal. I dont know any history on the motor and wondered if maybe the heads or valley cover were from a different engine ??

I believe its a series 2

The thermostat is at the front.

 

• This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by  Max. Reason: Messy

[ImmortalityParticipant 97 HSV Senator 185i 02 VX L67 Calais View build HERE Member since: August 31, 2015 Posts: 535]

Yep, sounds like a series 2 engine.  intake manifold should like the S2 below.

The series 2 motors also have an extra hole in the head on the intake flange for the PCV system (you can see the matching hole on the intake manifold that the series 1 engines don’t have), is this possibly the hole you are referring to?

V6 motors overheating in a hilux conversion is a fairly common issue with the tight fit in the bay.

There are subtle differences between the series 1 and 2 head gaskets due to the coolant flow path through the engine.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by  Immortality.

[MaxParticipant 91 Hilux Surf V6 Commodore engine View build HERE Member since: October 12, 2016 Posts: 6]

Is this the right gasket ??

Its the S2

Cheers Max

• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by  Max.

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[ImmortalityParticipant 97 HSV Senator 185i 02 VX L67 Calais View build HERE Member since: August 31, 2015 Posts: 535]

Looks right, the s2 have the smaller steam holes.

[MaxParticipant 91 Hilux Surf V6 Commodore engine View build HERE Member since: October 12, 2016 Posts: 6]

This is the bit that concerned me.

Hole in the head but no corrosponding hole in valley cover.

Cheers Max

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[ImmortalityParticipant 97 HSV Senator 185i 02 VX L67 Calais View build HERE Member since: August 31, 2015 Posts: 535]

The heads have both holes as they are interchangeable (from left to right) but the manifold only has the cross-over on the front where the thermostat is.  This is normal.

[MaxParticipant 91 Hilux Surf V6 Commodore engine View build HERE Member since: October 12, 2016 Posts: 6]

Thanks for the info

It still seems strange that the holes in the head and manifold have rather large holes and the gasket only has those little steam holes.

Would it be beneficial to make those steam holes in the gaskets a little larger ?

 

Cheers Max.

[ImmortalityParticipant 97 HSV Senator 185i 02 VX L67 Calais View build HERE Member since: August 31, 2015 Posts: 535]

No as that would alter how the coolant flows through the engine.  The majority of the coolant flows through the block (around the bores) up through the back of the block into the head and back through the head to the thermostat with some coolant coming up through the block around local hot spots.  If you were to enlarge some of those steam holes than you risk not getting enough coolant towards the back of the engine creating a hot spot there.  The earlier s1 V6 VN had bigger steam holes because the coolant flowed in only one direction because the thermostat was at the back of the engine so they needed to get more coolant up into the head at the front.

[MaxParticipant 91 Hilux Surf V6 Commodore engine View build HERE Member since: October 12, 2016 Posts: 6]

Okay. Thanks once again.

 

Cheers Max.

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