Can be done in a weekend, while the pressures of time constraints are no fun. Problem is getting heads checked/ resurfaced. That could be a problem to coordinate

 

Can you not borrow some wheels or hire a rent a wreck for a few days. Better than rushing under pressure and wasting good parts and time.

 

I would just use the standard issue stretch head bolts.
no sense in complicating it .

Make sure antifreeze is out of the bolt holes.

Took me two weeks.
But I had a 2nd car.
I bought the rover as a project from a girl who had enough of it.
I did it at night in the parking lot with a trouble light running on
an inverter from a 12 volt spare car battery.

I also think I worked two weekends on it too.

I was near an airport and there was always gliders getting towed up to fly.
And there was a large trailer park sort of far away but the same dog always barking and a few kids always yelling.

I am sort of shocked this all worked out.
And I did not have the heads checked or milled down.
I just cleaned them with carb cleaner, new gaskets and flipped them back on.
Like flipping a hot cake.

Hardest part was the Air pipes and the valve cover gaskets.
Valve cover gaskets are a bear. As they move all around and get mis-aligned.

 

Ugh I hate all of this. I need to wait until next week to order HGs if that is the case but I checked today and it is down coolant a considerable amount (probably around gal or so). I'm starting to lean more toward VP gasket or a screwed front cover gasket job since it is losing coolant WAY faster than a HG leak should AND it isnt causing any misfiring/knocking/anything. I hate this cat and mouse coolant loss game!

 

OK don't laugh at me.
TO hold off more problems - put in two bottles of Barr's leaks.
You'll be glad you did.
It will stem the water loss until you get time.

 

I'm all for fixes in a bottle, but I don't think a Chemical Tool is gonna fix such a drastic leak.

For the record, I used the ground walnut shell pills a year ago and they completely stopped my very minor exterior head gasket coolant leak.

 

It just boggles my mind that a head gasket could leak so much. Especially with no misfire, no rough running engine (even with a bad o2 sensor!), and no water in the exhaust. This weekend I'm going to pull the plugs and inspect and if they all come out normal then I think there are only 3 options. 1) I screwed up on my valley pan gasket a year ago, 2) I screwed up on my front cover gasket 2 months ago, or 3) there is somehow a massive crack in my block somewhere in which case driving while leaking isn't doing any more damage.

Is my logic flawed or does that sound right?

 

I agree - enough of any fluid in the cylinder is going to either smoke or create a bad misfire. So if you aren't experiencing those symptoms I think the leak is not head gaskets.

You might want to reread that thread I posted. His mechanic diagnosed the problems as his timing cover partly because the fluid loss was too fast to be HG or a cracked block. But there's a few nuggets of wisdom in that thread that apply to your situation.

Did you use RTV on the timing cover gasket?

Honestly, the first thing I would do it try to get a ratchet on the timing over bolts to check that they are snug. You may have to pull the AC compressor bracket to get to it. The second thing I would do is rent a pressure tester from Advance to pressurize the cooling system and see if I can detect any leaks.

 

I fixed the front cover with an actual gasket coated in indian gasket shellac. It was leaking externally so I attributed all the water in my oil at the time to that. I suppose I could have botched the job and it is still leaking internally (though the oil came out clean for the first month checking often)

 

These things are magic for checking inside engines through the spark plug hole or the diesel injector hole . Also good for inspecting inside gearboxes and axles. I have one that plugs into my laptop computer. They are another toolbox essential for seeing places on an auto.