Hi folks.
My 1958 Fleetside with 235 engine is leaking coolant from the head gasket at the back of the motor.
I think it's a bit of a Frankenstein motor, not the original from 1958.
Block casting:3837004 F56Y at distributor, with milk can solid lifters. Has extra oil line in lifter area to central head bolt, and external oil line from oil filter to central head bolt as well.
Cylinder head: 3836848. Rebuilt with new valves, guides. Surface was cleaned up. Not sure how much was taken off by machine shop. Maybe .010" ?
Once the engine warms up and coolant is under pressure from rad cap, it starts a steady drip coming out rear passenger head gasket area.
In talking with an older neighbor who worked as a mechanic at the local Chevrolet dealership, he remembers a recall back in the 50's where some motors didn't have the head bolt holes drilled/tapped deep enough, especially the rear drivers side (he thinks).
When I put my rebuilt head back on, I did put a 1/2x13 tap down the bolt holes to clean them up, but with a regular tap, not a bottom tap.
Rather than take the head back off, I'm wondering if I could take out the bolts one at a time and re-torque them, and add a washer to the back 4 bolts or so to make sure that the head bolts are not bottoming out.
Any harm in this approach? Any hope that this might help? Don't want to crack the head. Or do I need to take the head off, and put in a new gasket. I have a spare Felpro fibre gasket, if I have to take it all apart.
John.
