CPTdooberhead

I finally got the headgasket job finished, but when I went to start it, my oil pressure light is on, and my oil light is on... why? I have plenty of oil in the car... when I checked the dipstick, the oil was kinda sludgy... whats this from? Perhaps water mixing in with the oil? Should I change my oil before doing anything else?

User 41221

Check the crany pulley, did you torque it to 150ftlbs?

Regards, ...Scott

CPTdooberhead

crank pulley? I didnt mess with that...
I think it is just (hopefully) coolant and water in with the oil...

I am going to change my oil, and see if that does it

adrial

May need to prime the oil pump...nope I donno how to do that.

Perry 951

Yes, you should change the oil after the gasket replacement. When you took the head off, I am sure you got some coolant into the oil that way, and not to mention when you blew it in the first place.

To prime the pump, remove the oil filter. Use a funnel inserted into the front hole of the housing (not the center one, and not the one that goes out to the oil cooler) and slowly fill up that passage. Then, turn the motor over slowly counter clockwise to pull the oil into the pump. Fill passage again and repeat a few times.

C5Driver951

When you did the headgasket job did you do the oil filter housing seals? Remember the oil pressure relief valve alignment is critical.

Did you have the head redone? There is another oil pressure relief device at the back of the head. Did you remember to replace it?

I'm with Perry951, change the oil.

CPTdooberhead

Im worried that the HG didnt seal properly... when I crank it now, the engine kind of gurgles... is it possible I just have residual water/coolant in there?

I am also having a hard time getting the oil filter off...any suggestions? Cant fit my oil grip thing down there...

Perry 951

Rule of thumb:
ALWAYS CHANGE THE OIL WHEN THE MOTOR IS OPENED OR THERE IS CONTAMINATION BY WATER

There are oil wrenches made for the size of our oil filters. They look like a large socket that is about 1/2" deep. Put that baby on top of the filter and turn with a ratchet.

Prime the pump, put a new filter on, and see what happens. I assume you cleaned out the cylinders of any antifreeze when you put the head on. Not sure what the gurgling would be.

CPTdooberhead

I changed the oil, just not the filter...I'll try to find one of those filter wrenches tommorow

Will I have to drain the oil again? Also, how much oil should I put in?

Perry 951

If you already changed the oil after you put it together, just replace the filter. I would change it again after you run the car.

You will only need about 1/4 quart to prime the pump.

944S2NUT

Sell the car get anew, perhaps an S2

CPTdooberhead

Another day and I will

Magown

It's probably just the sender. Check it, then do a compression test followed by a leak down if you find bad results, to see what's going on with your head gasket.

C5Driver951

Pretty good likelihood the gurgling sound you are hearing is coming out of the heater core. Did you bleed the cooling system really well?

If you had your head checked for true, you checked your block for trueness, everything was clean, and you torqued everything correctly, there is no way your headgasket should leak.

When I did my first headgasket on one of these in '97 I had two studs stretch at the threads causing them to not take torque. I still have one as a reminder. Did you change studs?