How do you change the head gasket on a 1993 Mercury Cougar 3.8 V6?

Answer 1

i just changed mine last weekend end. First of, youll need to drain the coolant, remove the pluenum, alternator, power streering pump ac compressor, and everything else that is in the way, such as fuel lines(depressurize the system by unplugging the rearmost sensor in the left side of the trunk. once everything is out of the way, unbolt the exhaust manifolds, remove the rocker arms and push rods(check for wear in the rocker arm fulcrums. Then, unbolt the head bolts from the intake, where the manifolds were, and then from where the rocker arms were. DO NO PRY THE HEADS OFF! You should be able to remove the head by wiggling it up and down. Once removed scrap all traces of dirt and gasket from the mating surfaces and it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a valve job done while the heads are out. Once all the gasket materials are cleaned off, be sure to get a straight edge and check each head for warpage across each cylinder and lengthways across the head. Now when you are ready to install them, make sure you have new head bolts or you will wind up with the same problem. apply gasket sealant to the mating surface where the block, intake, and cylinder heads meet. finger tighten all of the bolts first. Tighten sequences and torque specifications are critical and can be gotten from your auto parts store. Just do not rush this job. Once the heads are back on, everything else can be reinstalled. Its going to be a good hard days work at least, maybe two.