BlackVette00

I have a 1993 corvette 6 speed. my vette has 91,000 miles and I have been smeeling burning oil. So I took my vette to school ( im taking automotive classes at a college) and put it on a lift and saw oil around both my head gaskets. And it has been leaking onto my exhaust. So how hard is it to replace a head gasket on a LT1? I have all the tools and my instructor to help me. But how hard would this be?

Curveit

I doubt your head gaskets are leaking. If it was leaking anything it would most likely be Anti-freeze, and your exhaust would be white smoke. You can do a compression test if you'd like, but you've probably just got leakey Valve Covers, or possibly Intake manifold. Clean everything up real good, run for a bit, and then see if you can determine the source.

86PACER

Oil won't leak from a head gasket, only anti freeze. What is most likely happening is oil leaking from the intake above or a valve cover instead and working it's way downward. The oil then drips down and runs along the gap between the block and head gasket making it loook like it's coming from there. Check the front and back of the intake base for oil. They leak from there all the time.

Do a compression test or a leak down test if you really want to know about your head gasket.

Z06_BluByU

I agree.. most likely not your head gasket but a leaking valve cover gasket or intake manifold (from the front of back of the manifold)..

Be thankful this is a much easier job than the head gaskets!!

evmlarry

Where exactly are you seeing the oil? Could just simply be the valve covers leaking.

evmlarry

I'm glad I read the whole post first... d'oh!

BlackVette00

Thanks for the replys, and I HOPE it is the intake or valve covers. But when I open the hood and look in the engine bay around the valve covers I can not see any oil leaking. But when I put it up on a lift and look up around the engine I see alot of oil everywhere but as far as I can tell, I could see oil running down the heads hitting my starter and exhaust. So If I am correct, there would be no oil coming from a head gasket, only coolant? and how hard it it to change a intake manifold gasket and valve cover gaskets?

STL94LT1

Changing to intake and valve cover gaskets on an LT1 is very easy.

Dr. Evil

We've changed intake gaskets on an LT1 (a 92 no less) in the parking lot of the Baymont hotel in Bowling Green during a corvette cruise in event with the most basic hand tools and a trip or two to the parts store......in under 3 hours.
I'd bet $$$$ that its you're intake gasket leaking. Do change the valve cover gaskets whilst in there though.
Use alot of brake cleaner to 'wash' everything down and remove the old oil thats everywhere.

CFI-EFI

The head gasket is underneath the heads, between the heads and the block. If "I could see oil running down the heads hitting..." the the oil would have to run up hill from the head gasket to get to the heads. Try cleaning the engine and then look to see where the oil is coming from. You can even add a dye to the oil that shows up under a black light to help you find the leak. There is no pressurized oil that flows near the head gasket, only gravity drain back oil to the crankcase.



Since both the intake manifold and the valve covers have to be removed to remove a head to change a head gasket, either job is easier than the head gasket job.

RACE ON!!!