The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Head gasket leak

I took my newly rebuilt 235 out for a ride tonight and saw the same spray of coolant on the firewall that I saw the other night. Originally I thought it was overflow from the radiator. However on further inspection I noticed that the head gasket is leaking coolant on the spark plug side of the motor. It is a very small leak (just a very slight line of tiny bubbles of coolant) but appears to be along the whole side.
There is no foam in the oil and I can't see any oil in the coolant (I know that is unlikely)

I will contact the shop tomorrow to see if I need to re-torque the head but I will likely make them do it.

I know the old style head gaskets needed to be re-torqued after running a few hours but I don't know what kind of gasket they used...you would think they would have told me that.

The head was milled (at least he told me he milled it. I don't know if they resurfaced the top of the block.

It is a shame the engine runs great... I hope this is not a harbinger of things to come.

Anyone have this issue in the past?

Rich

new or old style head gaskets should always be retorqued.
Keep your fingers crossed otherwise it might be a crack.
Good luck!

Andy

It is definitely leaking along the gasket line ... I really hope a re torque will remedy this

I will talk to the shop today and re torque if they recommend it otherwise I will bring it to them as I do not want to void my warrantee

It is just a bummer ... Well I can adjust the valves while I have the cover off any way


Rich

Depends on the manufacturer if the head gasket should be retorqued or not. And if you have to retorque, that is done after the engine is at operating temp, not after the customer has taken the vehicle.

If it is leaking, I doubt torquing it again will fix it.

Roy
I installed the engine myself. I just had them do the machining and the assembly.

I called the shop today and the mechanic seemed concerned that I had a leak but he said "Don't touch it. Bring it in and we will fix it. That's why you. Have a warrantee."

I was dissappointed that he seemed concerned. I hope it is something simple. I don' want the truck in the shop an extended period of time while they fix it. It is getting to be show season

Okay. I understand better now. But you shouldn't have a coolant leak that soon after starting the engine up.

I doubt that retorquing the bolts will help.

Perhaps there was just simply a flaw in the gasket that wasn't apparent on assembly, and didn't show up until the system was warm.

Sounds like the shop that put it together is willing to take care of it.

Regardless of the type of head gasket, that engine head should be re-torqued. If you did you would find that some of the values would have dropped quite a bit.

Not all head gaskets need to be retorqued. Depends on the type and manufacture of the head gasket.

http://www.federalmogul.com/en/Afte...neKits/SealedPowerEngineKits/GasketSets/

I would agree with Roy. You need to check with the manufacturer. Take the offer from the shop. If'n I don't install it I wouldn't warrantee it. That's a great deal!!!!

Humble Newby

What I can say from experience with my 216 is that with a modern head gasket, re-torquing after the initial running revealed values that were down 20 ft-lbs. I have experienced that the seveal times I have had it apart. The gaskets were the composite type with the metal rings.

I am happy (but embarrassed) to say...I found tiny weep on my regulator gauge going to the heater core. It was a drip every few seconds and it was being blown back along the head gasket line by the fan and probably seeping in under the edge of the gasket and then boiling off due to the block heat.

I replaced the valve with the regular nipple and low and behold the bubbling slowed and stopped over the course of a few minute ride.

The engine runs great but does not seem to have much power. I probably need to readjust the valves.

Do new rebuilds typically gain power as they wear in? I would imagine the rings need to seat and such or should I be looking elsewhere for a power sucking issue.

Relieved but blushing
RB53

Don't be embarrassed. That's a good find, easy fix. Might double check the timing, valve adjustment, point adjustment to see about the power issue.

We are all happy for you. Now you can enjoy your new engine.

I think I need to do some carb work. At higher RPMs the engine heaves. I think it is running out of gas due to too lean a mix, as the RPMs drop their is enough gas as the RPMs increase their is not enough gas , etc...

Plugs are clean and a little light in color...the other engine always ran too rich... I guess that was not the carb as I always thought

I have a pertronix ignition so no points but will check valves. Timing is currently right on the ball...so to speak. Would timing cause the heaving not enough advance maybe?

I have a another Carter YF to rebuild. The one on the truck is really a piece of junk. I will rebuild the other one this weekend

Thanks all for the well wishes and advice. Tinkering is much more fun than tearing down.

RB53