Head Gasket Questions

Posted by Steve Mackinnon On 2009/4/19 21:18:41

Put about 60 or so miles our 1939 Packard 120 today for the second time this season. About 5 miles from home I experienced rough running and power loss, almost like the car is running out of gas. Made it to a gas station a couple miles away and filled up, but about 1/8 of a mile down the road power loss seemed worse. The car seemed to run rougher and finally, on an uphill grade it seemed to lose almost all power. I could not initially restart it. So we called AAA for a lift home.

I thought it was the fuel pump but when I got it home I did get it running and noticed some drops of something being thrown from the tailpipe, and the car was still running rough with barely enough power to manouver around in the driveway. Moisture does not have much of a gasoline smell and I am thinking it is antifreeze & oil. I also see, at the back end of the block, a simillar fresh residue near the back most middle nut on the head. So I am 90% sure this is a blown head gasket. Tough to tell if the oil is "milky" or not, but I am pretty sure that the stuff the exhaust is throwing out is a mix of antifreeze & oil.

So, my questions are:

1) Is this the most likely issue and

2) How hard is it to do this job at home? It does not look terribly difficult but I am trying to decide if it is better sent out. Also, is there a better technical guide than the 1938-39 shop manual? It gives the torque specs but no torque sequence, and no dissasembly/re-assembly steps.

3) If I do decide to do this is there a recomended gasket for this car and are there any specific issues to look out for doing the job?

4) Is it necessary to remove the hood to do this?

Thanks, Steve