There may come a time when you have to replace the head gasket in your Buick Regal. The head gasket sits below the cylinder head on the engine block. Most of the components situated near the upper section of the motor need to come out of the vehicle to locate the head gasket. If you have a 1998 Buick Regal, it came equipped with a 3.8-liter engine, and when you replace the head gasket, you must ensure you follow the correct loosening and tightening sequence for the cylinder head bolts.
Raise the front section of the vehicle with a floor jack and support the Buick with jack stands. Drain the motor oil into a drain pan and the coolant from the cooling system into another clean drain pan. Relieve the fuel system pressure and disconnect the negative battery cable.
Write the name of each component situated near the motor on a piece of tape and stick on the car parts as you detach and remove from the car. Remove, unfasten or separate the upper engine parts, including the radiator hoses, power steering pump, ground wires, attaching bolts, manifolds, ignition coils, brake booster vacuum hose and drive belt.
Disconnect the electrical connections, including the crankshaft position sensor connector, engine coolant temperature sensor connector, radiator fan switch connector, exhaust gas recirculation valve connector and intake air temperature.
Line the marks on the crankshaft with the camshaft pulley to position the engine to top dead center. Lift the camshaft pulley out of the vehicle and slide off the timing belt.
Remove the eight bolts from the cylinder head in the reverse order of the tightening sequence. The cylinder head bolts numbers on the top row for the tightening sequence are 6, 2, 3 and 7. The lower row bolts numbers are 5, 1, 4 and 8. Remove the cylinder head and then the old head gasket. Trash the head gasket.
Clean the gasket mating surfaces with a scraper. Put a new head gasket on the engine block. Assure the head gasket faces up with the word "Top," "Front" or "This Side Up." Align it with the guiding dowel pins for the correct position.
Position the motor to top dead center by lining the marks on the on the crankshaft along with the camshaft pulley. Remove the camshaft pulley and glide the timing belt off the assembly.
Tightening the new cylinder head bolts in the correct sequence mentioned in step 6. Tight each new bolt with your finger first and then use a torque wrench. Torque to 33 foot-pounds and add an extra 90 degrees with a torque angle meter.
Replace the Buick Regal's parts back in position in the opposite order of installation. Pour new oil in the engine oil reservoir and coolant in the radiator. Turn the Buick Regal on and allow it to run. Look for motor oil and coolant leaks.
