new member repairing headgasket

[v3r5racer]

Hellow everyone, I'm new on this forum, and hope to contribute as much as take. BUT, for now, I must take:-)

I own 2 freelanders, an 02 and 04 models. I really like them both and take great care of them.

My 02 is my "beater", meaning I really push it. I frequently use it on the eastern slopes of the sierra's 4 wheeling, in water, rocks, dirt, mud and snow and it has never failed me. In fact, I have a great story abouts its ability offroad. I was on a fishing trip, early July last year, and decided to drive up to Leavitt lake at the top of sonora pass on the 108. The 4 wheel trail ( an EASY trail, at that), was still partially snowed over. I decided to push it anyway. About two miles in, after a couple creek crossings, I came to a spot in the trail that had a fairly large snow bank crossing. On top of that snowbank was a dodge 3500 4 wheel drive rig. He had gotten stuck by attacking the bank straight on, and was bottomed out on center. The driver was busy shoviling around and under the truck when I asked if he needed a tow out. He just kinda looked at me as if he was thinking, "thanks pal, thats a cute little rig, but too small". I could see him trying to search for a polite way to ut it, and then decided to hell with it, I'll tow him anyway and proceeded to move my freelander in front of his rig ( to do this I needed to drive over the same snow drift he was stuck on), once in posistion, I took out the thick nylon tow straps I carry, and hooked his rig to mine...about this time his buddy was out video taping the show as he said " I have to get this on tape, its like an ant towing an elephant!". Well, puting about three feet of slack in the tow strap, I put the freelander in 1st gear and did a steady acceleration, using the strap as a sort of "rubberband" to "snap" his truck over the hump. A second later, smiling soo large his face looked frozen, the driver started to shake my hand, saying he would never have believed it if someone told him. Freelander -1, Dodge 3500 -0.

Anyway, the 02 recently started to overheat ( started, but never got hot, at least by dash indication) one day, so I pulled over and thought it might be just a cracked resevoir tank....I was in a drive thru getting lunch when it started to show steam...so I pulled over and had lunch while it cooled, then added water to get home ( about two blocks, never got hot)....saw bubbles in the resevoir, along with oil sludge...so, took it to a friends shop, we looked at it and both decided to pop the heads. I'm a Porsche Mechanic by trade, (building race cars and crewing them), so I was worried about the proceedure or tools. I did the job according to the manual, and now comes the question......./Will she hold? I have heard that once it blows, you can never get them sealed again. I made sure the cylinders never moved in the liners, check the deck on both banks of cylinders to assure proper height etc etc....just a little worried about them not sealing again.

Anyone know anything on this?

THanks!!!

John