Presuming that it is the infamous GM V6, you have my sympathies.  I have done intake gaskets on a few of those and they are a pain.  Read the list for special tools you may need.....

What is in it for an engine? Vortec 4.3 or something else? Have fun working through the doghouse .

MachTJ wrote:

What is in it for an engine? Vortec 4.3 or something else? Have fun working through the doghouse .

Don't believe the Venture has a doghouse. Isn't it a transverse FWD?
 

MachTJ wrote:

Ah yes the 3.4, we get alot of those heads in the shop for pressure test and resurfacing. I have pressure tested a bunch, and still have not seen one cracked. The exhaust studs are prone to breaking during removal. It's usually not a big deal to remove them. Definately recommend resurfacing the heads if they check out good. Also don't over torque the rocker arm bolts, certain years there have been problems with the bolts taking out the threads in the aluminum head. Lastly I recommend using a Felpro head gasket set. It may be called a problem solver set. What it does is replace the factory plastic/ rubber insert intake gaskets with a steel gasket with rubber gasket material on both sides.

I ran into an issue when i did intake gaskets on my buddies grand am, and i used Victor Reinz intake set. I ended up doing the job again the following year because the stupid plastic gasket with rubber insert failed again. Even with the metal tabs that are supposed to prevent over tightening, its a crappy design. So I went with the Felpro set and its been 7 years since I did the job the second time and no problems.

    I was going to have them checked for cracks and resurfaced.   I had the Intake Gasket replaced under warranty at 120K  They wouldn't do the head gaskets.   Should of paid the extra to have the heads done too.  I have 186K on it now.    I did see the Cheaper set of gaskets for $68.00 including the head bolts on Ebay...LOL   Im going to buy the $133 Felpro and buy the head bolts too.   I just want to get it running again to sell or hand it down to the next kid in line that gets there Drivers License.     Ill watch the tightening of rocker arms.  I see some of the torque specs are in inches.  I think my torque wrench is in pounds.  The heads are torqued to 44 then you have to do another 90 degree torque  Why wouldn't they just have the proper tourqe and be done with it?   Ill have to watch that too.   Thanks MachTJ! 
 

Last edited by Steve69 (7/22/2015 2:42 PM)

My son's Scion had a bad head gasket.  The book said 9.4 hours... took me 25 hours.  The factory service manual and youtube video were a necessity.

6sally6 wrote:

Blue Devil head gasket sealer in a bottle.....is your friend. I used it on my daughters Saturn and it worked for over a year and several thousand miles. Costs about 50.00 bucks and guaranteed to work.

  Im a day to late.  I have that Pile all ripped apart...
 

Way to go. Sounds like mission accomplished.

Was the pile of left over parts very big? 

Steve69 wrote:

Bolted to Floor wrote:

Way to go. Sounds like mission accomplished.

Was the pile of left over parts very big?

  LOL!   I had one 2 inch 15MM bolt.  For the life of me couldn't figure where it went.   thrippled check the Alternantor and Motor mounts and everything was in its correct place.  So that had me stumped.
 

ALWAYS something is left over.
 

MachTJ wrote:

So was the VW rabbit inside the engine or is that what the van looked like after you put it back together? 

  I dont know where that pic came from...LOL 
 

jkordzi wrote:

How do you keep those pistons so clean?

 
Antifreeze!

Brents65 wrote:

jkordzi wrote:

How do you keep those pistons so clean?

 
Antifreeze!

Antifreeze for sure on the Left Cylinder #1.  The valves and the piston were really clean so I figured thats where the head gasket must of blown.  The Head gasket was cracked near there too.