V6 Head gasket question

Yesterday after crawling all over the car for 3 hours and burping the coolant over and over I finally opened the engine filler cap and removed the thermostat.  Once the pressure in the coolant system was gone I saw never ending tiny bubbles in the coolant.

Piss!

That means new head gaskets are in my future.

It seems like it almost stops when the coolant is under pressure.  So I told Michelle to keep the revs down and limp to work till we get around to fixing it.  She did today and it was fine.

I've checked the dipstick over and over and there is no coolant in the oil so far.

My question is what about torquing the head bolts another 5 foot pounds all around?  It might just buy us a few months which we could use to save up some cash.

And if I do this, can the valve covers be taken off without removing the intake?

DG

^^^ a caddy 4.9 withOUT the above will have all sorts of troubles!

Try them - or try the barsleak stuff. 

Unfortunately, cylinder into water jacket (and I gotta tell ya - of all the 2.8's I've done - I've never seen that!) it probably won't work.  Really only works if the waters trying to escape.  Damn physics.  15psi of jacket pressure meeting a couple thousand psi of combustion pressure.  You know who's going to win THAT pushing match!

There are ones out there that are designed to be put in the cooling system and after the engine has been ran, so the cooling system is hot, and the engine off, the tiny bit of coolant that will push back into that tiny hole and over time seal it up.   Lordco does carry it, and I myself might be buying it for the 4.9.  I forgot to put the above mentioned GM tabs the last time I moved this engine around and into the 87 then proceeded to drive it.  This is a major No No on an engine that has an aluminum block with floating steel sleeves.   Some of the caddy guys say the barsleak stuff is the same or better than the GM Tab's and in the past I have had problems with the tabs in the Fiero, as they clog up in the thermostat housing. 

Personally I would look for something better than either product.  I can't remember the name of the one I am thinking of, I just remember seeing it at the Scott Road Lordco near Dr. Fiero.

Well I went to Lordo (Still Creek) and talked to my guy.  He pointed me to one of the best products on the market and said it should work seeing as my problem is just getting started.

What have I got to lose?  It's really thick goo so I'm going to remove the thermostat and shove it in little bit at a time.  I'll run it at idle in the driveway till it gets as warm as it's going to get and then let it cool down for an hour or so.  Then do it again and again till I see no bubbles.

Wish me luck!

DG