How to Remove the Head Gasket From a Kia Sportage

by Kyla Chele Cambrooke

Like many other vehicles, there is a chance that your Kia Sportage can get a blown head gasket, for a multitude of reasons. Some causes include a hot engine, non-compatible gasket design or damaged bolts. When you remove the head gasket, you have to pull apart and take out numerous vehicle parts located toward the top section of the engine.

Step 1

Allow the Kia Sportage to rest overnight to ensure that it is cold. Disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery terminal. Take off the radiator cap to drain the coolant into a pluggable clean container. If the coolant is clean, you can reuse the fluid.

Step 2

Remove or detach assemblies, hoses, covers, belts, bolts and cables: air duct, engine cover, air cleaner assembly, intake air hose, accelerator cable, intake manifold, power steering tank belt, fuel hose, power steering container, spark plugs, exhaust manifold and timing belt.

Step 3

Remove other components, including positive crankcase ventilation tube, camshaft sprocket, auto tensioner and oil control valve and filter. Disconnect the water tube from the water pipe.

Step 4

Undo and take off the 10 head bolts in a certain pattern with a hexagon wrench. Do not reuse the old bolts. Install only new bolts when you replace the unit. Consult a Kia Sportage service manual for the correct sequence. Raise the cylinder head off of the dowel pins. Pry the old gasket off of the cylinder block with a screwdriver. Remove the worn gasket. Clean and sanitize the entire cylinder and gasket surface.

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