Geo Tracker Headgasket Replacement

Apparently the tracker decided it wanted a new headgasket. This week we tear the tracker apart and put a headgasket in it. I am putting this together in an effort to show you how to change a head gasket in a geo tracker or Suzuki sidekick. It’s not a terribly difficult task, but it takes some time. Follow along. The video is a bit long, but there is a ton of work done. Thanks for watching!!
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[@offroad6309]

Glad to see you have it all back together and running. When I bought my 91 the guy I bought it from was vague about somethings. He had a basic machine shop in his back yard. It was clean and ran good and a reasonable price. Driving it around town it just shut off. Turned out the cam broke right in the middle. You could tell when the valve cover was removed that recent work had been done by how clean it was. The cam wasn't seized since both sides turned freely, just not together. I did a bunch of checking around for the cause and came up empty. I did get a recommendation for a machine shop in CA. U called and talked to the owner. He told me that on a badly warped head the cam journals get warped. The head needs to be heated in a high temp oven and straightened before milling. No machine shops in a couple hundred miles if me had a oven to do it. I found a place in Washington and the guy in CA, both wanted around $500+, plus shipping both ways. Finally found a used motor in a wrecking yard that I pulled the head just recently that was straight edge flat. Hopefully putting it together in a week or two. Anyway I hope your machine shop checked for straightness across your cam journals. A couple other things. Always double check machined parts for cleanliness and blow air through all the passages. Did you pull your oil pan and check your rod and main bearings since it was out? I think it is #2 that gets the crack on these blocks. Did you put in new crankshaft seals on both ends? Have you replaced the capacitors in your computer yet?? Keep the videos coming.

[@Unlikelyjellyfish]

You’re a life saver!! That engine is looking clean!

[@chevonne209]

Nice video bro

[@romeojones668]

I have white smoke coming from the exhaust but no overheating. Or bubbles from the coolant. What could this be thx

[@tufftrails]

Harold, I may have missed it but, how many miles are on it?, and did you ever identify what caused the head gasket to fail with any degree of certainty? And finally, did you do a cylinder compression test after you butted it all up? if so what are the results? I have a few of these and it would be good data for me. Really good vid...

[@haroldshobbies]

It only had 40K on it. I cut that part out of the video because I sounded really depressed. I haven’t done a compression check yet. I just finished putting it together late Saturday night. I’m going to be doing some finishing touches this evening. I’ll let you know.

[@tufftrails]

Thanks, I have never seen a radiator shoot that much water out, My diagnosis would have been towards a failed/cracked cylinder wall. I just didn't see enough damage on the gasket itself. You did a ton of work and I hope you got it. I'll check back, thanks for the reply and again, really good vid. @@haroldshobbies

[@dar6497]

hi, what kind of engine oil you put in ?

[@haroldshobbies]

I used a cheap Costco synthetic 5w20 and put in a zinc additive to help with break in. I’ll be changing it after a few hundred miles.

[@LandonLewis2244]

where did you buy the head?

[@haroldshobbies]

It’s the one that came off it. I sent it to the machine shop and got it pressure tested and planed. As long as they aren’t cracked they can be rebuilt pretty easily.

[@LandonLewis2244]

@@haroldshobbies Oh cool, I'm 15 and I bought a 1992 Geo Tracker as my first car after watching your videos and trash panda offroad's but then I was doing a tune up and realized that the previous guy had stripped spark plug #3 and #4 so I put heli-coils in and #3 blew out taking the heli-coil with it😞so now I am looking for anew cylinder head to replace it but I may take mine to the machine shop and see what they can do. sorry for sharing all this 😂

[@haroldshobbies]

@@LandonLewis2244 if they can’t fix it, send me an email. I can put you into contact with several people who part out Suzukis. You should be able to pick up a good head from somewhere.

[@LandonLewis2244]

@@haroldshobbies alright!!!! thank you!

[@annmoore321]

Looks like you just got unlucky. Bummer.