walks

Lost a head gasket a few weeks ago. Replaced with a .020 over 12v gasket and ARP studs. Had the head surfaced and block is flat. It has been a week or so since i got it back together and it appears that it is now leaking in the back driver corner. Anyone have any ideas of what it could be besides the new head gasket?

mrush99

Yeah if its not the valve cover its the head gasket nothing else back there.

walks

Thats what i was afraid of. No oil from the valve cover, it's nice and dry. Just don't know why it is leaking. It has maybe 500 miles on it.

BigErksG2

how many retorques did you do on the new gasket? you really need to heat the thicker gaskets up and smash them good a few times to get a worth while seat. you may be able to torque it back down and get it to seal again.

walks

I let it idle up to temp and run for a half hour without driving. Than i let it cool down over night and re torqued it. I drove it easy for 5 days and then re torqued again. I was thinking about about checking it this weekend to see if any of the studs move.

kawi600

I thought usually its coolant that blows out the back on passenger side. Weird.
thats not good =(

Fueling around

injector return line?

walks

Already checked that, but it's not diesel it is oil.

Mike Holmen

I had a oil leak back there once or twice. I bet one or more of the head bolts/studs didn't get torqued up. Is the head fully on the locating dowel? Or sometimes the head hangs up and doesn't quite fit into position. Tough luck buddy. I went thru five head gaskets last year. This year, so far just one.

walks

So i pulled stuff apart to get a better look this weekend and the head gasket is gone. Blew out the front again. This one made it 2 months. Not sure what to do. Thinking about pulling the motor to surface everything and doing a rebuild and fire ring. Any suggestions, hints, tips would be appretiated. Thanks Guys.

Mike Holmen

Why did you put in a 0.20 thicker gasket? You just dropped you compression ratio as your adding extra volume to the top of the piston. The compression ratio is calculated by the compressed volume divided by swept volume. The compressed volume is the combustion chamber in the top of the piston and the head is flat.

I would try another gasket. You using orings or stock head? What studs you using. What torque you putting on the studs/bolts?

walks

used that gasket because head has .017 off it from being warped the last 2 times.

BigErksG2

I retorque on a hot motor... metal is more malleable when it is hot so it should yeild a better seal when it is still hot because the gasket and head can conform better.