And while I know a lot of you guys probably have certain engines down due to frequent head gasket replacement or time spent in a field, let's talk about the engines that made it so simple even a first timer could get it done in a relatively short amount of time. And I guess for the sake of argument, let's leave air cooled engines out of this.
D series Honda. Suzuki G13.
Ford 2.3 Lima, has to be the easiest.
The 1.8l that GM put in the Pontiac Sunbird and it's siblings was pretty easy. Good thing too. We replaced a lot of them.
First one I ever did was on a DOHC 2.0 1997 Dodge Neon 5-speed manual. My wife drove that car awhile, then sold it cheap to a lady at work who drove it, then let her two teenage boys drive it after that. I got reports that the car was still running years later.
2.2 or 2.5 dodge. We called it the “Lift and Slide”.
Release timing belt and head bolts. Use cherry picker to lift head just enough to get old gasket out. Slide new gasket in.
No removing manifolds, disconnecting electrical connections, fighting anything else.
Doing it the right way, getting the head machined and cleaned, nets around ten percent more life out of the head gasket than the lift and slide.
45 minutes in and out. I love those engines.
B21/23, Volvo. There's a coupe of intake manifold nuts you need to use a universal joint to undo, and the wire on the coolant temp sensor is a wee bit hidden. Back in the old days, when I was in practice, the head could be on the bench in 45 minutes. Carbureted car, 30.
Incredible. Nice guys.
Fiat twin cam.
Release belt tension, slide it off the cam pulleys, undo throttle and choke, remove downpipe from exhaust manifold, take off head bolts and lift off the head with manifolds and carb by yourself
My recollection is that Datsun L series engines were really easy when it came to headgaskets.
Jay_W said:My recollection is that Datsun L series engines were really easy when it came to headgaskets.
I dunno man, my L series in the 240z and the 510 require removal of the timing cover as well. A real Unecessary PITA IMO.
Hyundai Beta engines were DOHC but only used one cam gear for the timing belt. It might be a 2 hour timing belt change max. Extremely easy and there is a great amount of space to get to everything needed. The head isnt much more difficult after that.
The Ford 2.3 is also another one that is stupid simple.
Junghole said:Jay_W said:My recollection is that Datsun L series engines were really easy when it came to headgaskets.
I dunno man, my L series in the 240z and the 510 require removal of the timing cover as well. A real Unecessary PITA IMO.
Nope. Thay need a stick between the timing chain to hold the tensioner in place, and a bracket made from 1 by 2 and a bolt to support the cam sprocket if you want to roll the engine over.
I was going to suggest L series engines too.
VW ABA 2.0 8v. If you wanted, you can do it without taking the exhaust manifold off and just lifting the head up, toweling things off, and send a new gasket in there without looking 
2.3 Lima was my choice too. Always RWD with a good amount of room to work (even the turbo ones,) and can probably be done with very few tools. I've replaced several of them in XR4Tis over the years, lol.
I like any of the engines with provision to retain cam timing when you remove the head. Good example - classic Jaguar straight 6 - slide the sprockets with the chain still on them forward and secure them and remove head. Drop head back on and line up timing marks, screw it together and away you go.
The flat head 4 cylinder in my 47 Willys cj-2 took about 15 minutes. No push rods or anything to deal with.
Sorry didn't see the OHC requirement.
In reply to cdowd (Forum Supporter) :
Folgers said:2.2 or 2.5 dodge. We called it the “Lift and Slide”.
Release timing belt and head bolts. Use cherry picker to lift head just enough to get old gasket out. Slide new gasket in.
No removing manifolds, disconnecting electrical connections, fighting anything else.
Doing it the right way, getting the head machined and cleaned, nets around ten percent more life out of the head gasket than the lift and slide.
45 minutes in and out. I love those engines.
VW counterflow engines are the same, except it is a lot easier to R&R the timing cover and the valve cover than a 2.2/2.5.
Floor jack under the exhaust, is what I have always been told.
I always found many of the earlier BWM engines pretty easy. M20 is pretty simple.
cdowd (Forum Supporter) said:The flat head 4 cylinder in my 47 Willys cj-2 took about 15 minutes. No push rods or anything to deal with.
I was thinking flathead stuff, too. I used to do valve grinds on old Ford farm trucks, and there was an awful lot of head bolts to do up and undo. Then, find an old one that uses studs... try to lift an old rusty head off 21 studs all at the same time.
Junghole said:Jay_W said:My recollection is that Datsun L series engines were really easy when it came to headgaskets.
I dunno man, my L series in the 240z and the 510 require removal of the timing cover as well. A real Unecessary PITA IMO.
Agreed.
My vote is a 4g63 since I did it enough that I could be fast at it. ziptie the timing belt to the cam gears and hang it from a bungee on the hood and get to work.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Reinstalling the timing cover is a rookie move. The top half of the cover was usually long gone by the time I was involved.
On the last few I’ve done, the plastic was brittle enough to just grab and pull it off.
Im not sure how many of those cars are left. Kinda sad. They were nice and easy to work on, and good cars in their time.
In reply to Folgers :
I left the cover off on my Golf because it looked cool.
Then the belt wore through a fuel line.
I put the cover back on....
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