After Replacing Head Gaskets; issues

[jhornsby3]

Hope all had a great Christmas and have a great New Years,

So here's the issues. I replaced the head gaskets on the pick up. Took some time to get up the cash as the heads were cracked(no supprise) and needed replaced. Got two heads from a shop that was new castings with good valves and all. The guy built up a 93 block and put it in his 86 pick up. Had cavitation at the front of his block and did not have it decked, Leaked coolant and broke the crank at right at 4k after build. Then he went gasser.

So I bought those heads and had a friend help me put things back together. Got the passengers side done by myself and all went together great. Tourqed the heads the stated 20, 55, then 1/4 plus. On the drivers side, with the help, got the head started down and the gasket was bent at the top where the rods go in. Took the head back off and look it over. All seemed good. Then going back on with the head he gouged the top back of the head into the gasket gouging the silver coating off the gasket from the #5 cyl to the #7 cyl. I didn't think anything of it so proceded to tourqing. Went to 20 then 55 and marked the bolts. He took them to close to the 1/4 on some and to right at the 1/4 on others. Again didn't think anything of it. Replaced all the fluids let sit over night. Now the next morning it started hard and blew white for a few minutes. Cleared up and I ran it for about 4 hours at high idle shut it down and watched things for any cooling leaks. Nothing. Got up to go to work and it started hard, like with a punch. Like crank a couple times and woomp it fires and idles rough for a few seconds. Got 25 miles and the low coolant lite comes on, toped it off and comtinued the last 35 miles. no issues. That night get in and the same start up and it steams alot. More than starting on a cold night. In traffic it steams when at a stop or slow idle down road. Got home and it was down on coolant about to bottom of bottle and no pressure in the hoses. Exhaust has the smell of the Water Wetter(amonia smell). Now I'm thinking that it needs to come back apart but I want some advice of those that are in the know before I procede.

Anybody have a clue or have seen this before.

John

 

[vail426]

Sounds like coolant in the combustion chamber. Starting with a punch? I hope it was not hydrostatic lock. Steaming does not sound good either. You know what you gotta do... Why did you replace head gaskets?

 

[jhornsby3]

Sounds like coolant in the combustion chamber. Starting with a punch? I hope it was not hydrostatic lock. Steaming does not sound good either. You know what you gotta do... Why did you replace head gaskets?

The passengers side let loose one night on my way home from work. Stopped to get a fresh can of Grizzly and when I started it up, it was blowing steam like a son of a gun. Tore it down to find the fire ring gone on the pass side.

 

[WarWagon]

Looks like you already know what went wrong. Destroyed gasket on install.

Did you use new head bolts? These stretch during install and can only be used once.

Did you check the used heads for flatness after taking them off a blown up engine? Esp with a coolant leak!? Block?

Check for cracks in the bores?

What does the oil look like?

 

[jhornsby3]

Yes I used new head bolts

Yes the heads are flat and were checked by the local shop before he sold them to me.

My block was streight with my streight edge placed on it.

No cracks in the bores that I could see. Wiped the bores real good to get any crap that fell in or around them while things were being torn down.

The old oil was clean no coolant. The fresh oil is clean with no cooland in it.

John

 

[WarWagon]

If you want to you can determine the trouble side if the engine will hold coolant. Pull the coolant crossover off. Start engine and see what side bubbles first. Exhaust crossover as well if it is steaming out the exhaust. This has a risk of hydro lock.

This could help with only tearing down one side of the engine and one would suspect the side that the gasket got nicked on. But you may as well be sure.

 

[jhornsby3]

I planned on that side being replaced. I'm going to pull the glows and see if there is any coolant to pas before I take it apart. Just to be sure. The thing that still has me baffled is the no pressure in the cooling system. The first time it went the hose got hard quick. This time it stays soft even after some time running.

John

 

[WarWagon]

Well it held for a little bit.

You now have a large leak in the cooling system and loss of coolant. Why would anything build pressure with a hole/leak in it?

You have doubled checked for coolant on the ground or dripping on the hot exhaust... Only one other place it can go...

 

[jhornsby3]

Yeah I know. Just looking for that second or third opinion to the matter. I'm lucky enough to have Missy Goodwrench a few towns over and have life lined her a few times. It's better to get more info than less. Now to just buck up and go out into the cold to start this job of redoing the job. I sure miss summer. LOL

John

 

[zielinski.family]

Why not go with arp head studs while your in there?

 

[jhornsby3]

The cost and I left the block in the truck. The back bolts on the pass. side would have been a tough one to install. The bolt had to be put in the head and dropped down or the bolt was never going to go in. Plus I can't see paying that much for a fastener. And even though I have a job it's just that a J. O. B. and the pay is not that great. Low pay and a 54 mile commute each way takes up a bit of the money coming into the house. Thus I desided to buy the heads and all the gaskets and stick with the TTY bolts.

 

[Acesneights1]

The cost and I left the block in the truck. The back bolts on the pass. side would have been a tough one to install. The bolt had to be put in the head and dropped down or the bolt was never going to go in. Plus I can't see paying that much for a fastener. And even though I have a job it's just that a J. O. B. and the pay is not that great. Low pay and a 54 mile commute each way takes up a bit of the money coming into the house. Thus I desided to buy the heads and all the gaskets and stick with the TTY bolts.

You got it all wrong. the ARP studs are easier to install with the motor in the truck. don't feel bad though, I was under that impression as well. You picture putting the studs in first and then somehow installing the heads over the studs but that is not the way it works. You drop the head in place with no studs and then install the studs. They have allen key slots in one end and you screw them in and then put the nuts on and torque. I HIGHLY recommend using ARPs. It's near impossible to get a true TTY torque sequence on a few of the back bolts in truck. Summit racing sells them for about 160$ and they ship lightening fast

 

[jhornsby3]

160 on top of the 1200 already spent would have broke the bank. This having to get the new gasket set and fluids has hurt real bad. But that is all in the past year and will not be a factor for the new year. ) When I start building a motor that is the way I'll be going. But yes I thought it was the other way when installing them. But all I have read was with the motor out of the vehicle and on a stand. I am wanting to sell some guns to fund a motor build in the next year. You know, just in case.

John

 

[Acesneights1]

Don't sell your guns, Sell something else. You'll need them in the coming years...

 

[jhornsby3]

Oh, I have enough to spare. You know you put two in the closet and they will multiply like rabbits. ) At least mine have. )

John

 

[WarWagon]

Ask a friend to borrow the lift and engine stand if you need to. It is 100 times easier to do the heads with the engine out of the vehicle. Eliminates gasket damage risk... You have already moved the accessories out of the way for the heads... You have starter and ~20 other bolts left. (Converter, bellhousing, engine mounts)

I use blue or red locktight on the ARP studs in the block to eliminate any leaks. I question my sanity on the red... (First ARP set, parts and funds were low so I used what I had.)

 

[jhornsby3]

Ok so I went out and pulled all the glows and got nothing out of the cyls. Just fuel vapor. No hard starting or slow cranking. Now I'm questioning if the "steam" was from the moisture in the exhaust from sitting through all the very wet weather we had had at that time and rain going into the stacks and just not dryed out yet. That with the below freezing temps in crawling traffic making it seem as if it was coolant leaking. And the coolant being low was due to all the passages not being full and just bleeding out the air. Could this be all in my head at this time? That and not being used to having the stacks in my face and seeing what is "steaming" out of the exhaust? Anybody have a thought on this?

John

 

[handcannon]

I don't know about the stacks, but my experience with a water pump replacement this fall was similar. After filling and burping the cooling system I had the low coolant light come on in about 15 miles. I topped off the system and in about another 15 miles the light came on again. Topped it off again and no more problems since.

Don

 

[vail426]

Did you pressure test the cooling system with the glows out? If there is a internal leak (hd gasket) it will go into the chamber. Then crank and see if it pees.

 

[Acesneights1]

this will sound stupid but is is possible coolant got into the ex system and is burning off ? That happended to my Burb when I did the HG's. It steamed for a good few minutes.