Chevy Cobalt Head Gasket Replacement

[@nunyabusiness2294]

THANK YOU! This has been the basis for replacing the head gasket on my son's 2004 saturn ion 2.2 . Your video made the job SOOOO much easier. Thank you.

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

Awesome! Glad this video was helpful 👍

[@ampecsu]

looks like you reused balance shaft sprockets?

[@gregbratrsovsky5787]

Just got mine together, the initial problem was coolant/oil leaking out of where the seam was. Like you said in the video. I put the 2 layer gasket on and its leaking still. Can i get the link to the headgasket you used?

[@gregbratrsovsky5787]

Found a crack in the head. Replaced it with that felpro head gasket and no more leaks.

[@andresponce2051]

Did you re use the tty bolts? (Head bolts and cam sprockets) The same is just happened to me, I just rebuilt the engine (w/ new bolts) and there is a leak from the head gasket. So it would be okay to re use the bolts? they are new.. well almost new. I just dont want to buy those bolts again haha. Thx for the video

[@j.a.w.2943]

74 ib-ft plus 125degree turn pulley turned and now timing is off nice heads up and a perfect skip in the video

[@jerryanthony9848]

Do you know how to test this head before you in stall it??????

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

The only diy method I know is the water method, where you fill the intake or exhaust with water with the valves closed to make sure the valves are sealing. Usually when I do a head gasket the head goes to the machine shop and they work their magic.

[@jerryanthony9848]

@@ValleyMobileAutomotive ya get the head off and you get just a little mower fuel pour just little were the valves are with the head level facing up if the fuel stays it's a good head but any small cracks the fuel will run out on the ground it means it's junk it works I hope it helps. Thanks

[@JaxonLarson-q8t]

Was this an LSJ??? I just realized after watching for the 1000th time. I’m about to do my timing and putting it all back together and it’s impossible to find a video that’s not a 2.2. Thank you so much

[@mr.greenhouse9499]

Love your upbeat personality

[@Caleb-z4n]

Hey, I’m starting this tomorrow and I had a question about the timing chain. I’m not sure if the car will even crank yet, what would you do in this case? I noticed you drained the oil first, if the car does crank shouldn’t I wait to drain the oil until after the timing chain is positioned correctly? I don’t know anything about this, it just seems like it would be bad to turn the engine on without oil or coolant, mainly oil. Love the video, thank you!

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

Good question. The oil needs to be drained otherwise it will spill out of the side when you pull the timing cover off. There is enough oil between the bearings to allow you to turn the engine manually. But never start the car or use the key to turn the car over without oil in it 👍

[@Caleb-z4n]

So by turning the engine manually, would I just do that by forcing the chain/sprockets to the right until the indicated exhaust and intake labels are at 45° ?

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@@Caleb-z4n Before you take the old chain off put the crankshaft bolt back in and turn the engine with a ratchet on the crank bolt. It's easiest to turn the engine with the spark plugs out but it's doable with them in 👍

[@esgarlara3807]

I have a question, what is the correct temperature for this vehicle? My Cobalt is between 205 and 225 F, and since the gauge is digital, I don't know if it is within the correct temperature range. Thanks for the information.

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@@esgarlara3807 It should be under 200*. The thermostat opens at 180* and the coolant hovers around 190*. Have you replaced the thermostat yet?

[@danielbelmore556]

I did this job for a customer. Engine was at tdc when I threw the chain back on. However the other marks were off the main chain didn’t have any colored link lined up. Would it matter? Never removed the bottom timing gears so they were set up exactly as before I pulled the chain. Put the exhaust sprockets in 45degree angles with colored links lined up. What would the fix be? Or should it have caused an issue?

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@@danielbelmore556 It doesn't matter where the colored links are when you take the chain off. It only matters when you put the new chain on that the colored links match up with the timing marks on the gears 👍

[@danielbelmore556]

@ so take front cover back off turn to tdc and remove main chain and redo the alignment? Was I 360 degree off the intake stroke? Then don’t understand how it could be off if it was set correctly while on tdc.

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@danielbelmore556 If the marks lined up when you put it back together then there's no need to pull it back apart. If the chain you installed didn't have any colored links then it will need to be done again with a chain that has colored links. That's the only way to make sure your timing isn't off a tooth.

[@danielbelmore556]

@@ValleyMobileAutomotivethe outer chain has links and was lined up on tdc. The inner didn’t seem to be lined up and no links were seen. If I was at top dead center on the wrong stroke would it matter?

[@danielbelmore556]

@ just popped off the valve cover chain is loose was tight when out on. Maybe skipped a tooth? Tensioner seems like it was binding when I pulled it out to check. Maybe there.

[@masoncornuet5038]

Do you have the fel pro gasket number by chance??

[@ampecsu]

My sprockets were not both 45 degrees. intake side was but exhaust was like 55 degrees?? that were it fights to come to rest

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@@ampecsu That sounds about right. You'll move one of the cams a little to get the timing marks on the chain to line up 👍 as long as the colored links match up with the marks you're all set.

[@1lilsosa]

Hello, I just replaced the head gasket on this same engine and I had to take the head back off due to leaking valves. Have you ever reused these head bolts? I used new head bolts and I havent driving the car more 6 miles I would say. Would you use them?

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

Because these are torque to yield bolts once they are tightened they should not be reused. The bolts stretch some during the tightening sequence, the second time you use them they may not torque correctly and you could end up with an improperly tightened head.

[@daltonwhite9810]

How much time would you think it would take an average mechanically inclined joe to kill all those birds?

[@2nickles647]

About 12 hours.

[@josephherron7671]

I did it in just under 8 hours total time on the vehicle. Didn't include waiting for parts and machining; just working on the car. But i also replaced and lapped all sixteen valves, valve stem seals and polished the cam journals and lobes. But i was familiar with the job since I'd done a timing chain on it before.

[@daltonwhite9810]

Do you absolutely have to remove the intake? And if you do, is the intake gasket reusable? Thanks

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

You might be able to get away with leaving it on. But it will be cramped and awkward pulling the head off with it still on. The gaskets can be reusable but when you get a head gasket set it comes with a new intake gasket. If you are going as far as replacing the head gasket just go the extra mile and pull the intake and replace the gasket 👍

[@Jashn20002000]

Was this the 2.2 liter or the unspoken 1.8 liter engine?

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

The 2.2 👍

[@j.a.w.2943]

also make sure to stick to ft per pound I snapped a bolt thanks to that mix up

[@j.a.w.2943]

Like seriously use ft instead of inches when the whole video is pretty much done in ft

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@@j.a.w.2943 Oh no! For smaller bolts with lower torque values inch pounds are used because a foot pound torque wrench typically doesn't go that low. For example my foot pound wrench only goes as low as 10 lb.ft and is not as accurate as I need at that low of a number. My inch pound torque wrench goes much lower with better accuracy at those ranges.

[@j.a.w.2943]

@ yes but for a first timer you should clarify now I have to throw the car away cuz it’s messed up thread got fucked trying to extract the bolt but what ever life ain’t fair I can’t afford a mechanic to weld and and rethread it so I’m screwed now lol

[@j.a.w.2943]

@ like why tho everything else was done in pounds should have clarified

[@RichieCalo1]

Could you do one on a Chevy HHR

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@@RichieCalo1 If your HHR is the 2.2 liter it should be very similar to the Cobalt. The only differences might be the routing of hoses and engine mount.

[@RichieCalo1]

@@ValleyMobileAutomotive mines is the 2.4 2006 sadly

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@@RichieCalo1 The 2.2 and 2.4 are similar in design so the main concepts will be similar. Unfortunately the torque specs, part numbers and other details will be different.

[@stewdog666]

So you pulled the motor anyways?

[@2nickles647]

He pulled the engine to show how to install the timing sets. One for the balance shafts and the other for the timing chain setup. If he didn't pull the engine. It's very hard to show all of the marks .

[@lebrongooden8267]

What if the cam sprockets are not set at 10 and 2 if your changing the head?

[@2nickles647]

Take a long screw driver. 1. Insert in #1 piston. 2. Turn the engine in the counterclock wise direction about 80 degrees. You will see #1 piston drop about 2 to 3 inches Note: In that position, all of the pistons are about mid travel Do not try to go any further 3. Align the cams to their assign marks. As you turn the engine, the cams will snap to the neutral positions. Use a long wrench to slowly turn each cam. 4. Set the cam sprockets 5. Reinstalled the long screw driver and turn the engine in the clockwise direction very slow. If you feel a bind. STOP. 6. Now and line up the crank timing mark. Note: Both cams are in the neutral positions. So all the valves are closed on the head. 7. Install the main timing chain as per the instructions.

[@j.a.w.2943]

Just had a custom fabricated part to fix the mess up I did because of terrible explanations

[@j.a.w.2943]

Next time explain how you crank the engine manually

[@ValleyMobileAutomotive]

@@j.a.w.2943 Using the crank pulley bolt put a socket on it and turn the engine with a ratchet clockwise. Use an extension to get your ratchet past the frame. Having the spark plugs out will make turning the engine easier 👍

[@josephherron7671]

@@ValleyMobileAutomotiveit's best to put the crank pulley (harmonic balancer) back on before you turn the engine using a ratchet. Otherwise the crank bolt could bottom out in the crankshaft and pop a thread. The crank bolts aren't cheap and can be hard to find.

[@theoriginalmungaman]

Why didnt you rebuild the engine correctly in the first place?

[@j.a.w.2943]

Fuck I spent weeks waiting pay check after paycheck just for you to use in- ib piss me offfffff

[@j.a.w.2943]

Terrible video skips important steps