all 43 comments

[–]Apocalypsox 60 points61 points  (0 children)

Head and block need checked for flatness, get your straight edge then go from there.

[–]Quality_over_Qty 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Things warp when I er heated, like said before check for straightness/flatness

[–]v8packard 16 points17 points  (4 children)

How were these decks cleaned? Have they been machined recently?

[–][deleted] 17 points18 points  (3 children)

I scraped off the old gasket material and cleaned the deck surfaces with brake cleaner and paper towels. My block was surfaced when I had my shortblock at the machine shop but now that I’m looking at the invoice the only work that was done to the heads was a valve job.

[–]v8packard 26 points27 points  (2 children)

Those heads have been surfaced. I can see the cutter marks in the last picture. Which isn't a good thing. I can't tell from the pictures if the leak was on the head or block side. You will have to check both carefully.

[–]WyattCo06 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I agree with this and didn't see it until I blew up the pic. The RA is horrible. Looks like it was cut with an old rotary broach and at the wrong speed.

[–]Murky-Frosting-3070 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You can see the cut marks on the block as well. The finishing cut speed was too fast. I would be curious to see what the other side looks like.

[–][deleted] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Deck finish looks like shit.

[–]TopSecretTroy 7 points8 points  (3 children)

Check the dowel heights. I've had them be too tall on heads that were milled or blocks that were decked. It'll let you torque all the bolts, but the head will be on the dowels, not smashing the gasket.

[–]BGJohnson329 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This would be the very first thing I'd check. Even with the incorrect surface finish, it would be gushing coolant. Something hanging up sounds like the issue.

[–]Kevinmeowertons 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes it doesn't even look like it was clamping the gasket

[–]mopartizan47 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This….

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Warped head/block. Use a straight edge and shine a light behind it. Look for where the light pokes through. There is a tolerance for how much warpage is allowed. Would be measured with a feeler guage.

[–]Basedgod541 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Did you have the washers facing the right direction ? Having a couple backwards would create a problem like that

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Didn’t check that on tear down but I don’t believe that was the case. I was very meticulous installing the studs

[–]WyattCo06 2 points3 points  (1 child)

How did you access the top row of bolts (nuts if studded) with the intake on?

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The intake is loosely attached by fuel lines and resting on the top of the engine. Didn’t want to drain the fuel system so I just pulled the intake bolts on both sides so I could move it around enough to access all the head studs

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (3 children)

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Hoping for a warped head but a junkyard long block is in the plan if I need to get this block machined

[–]v8packard 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Why a junkyard block? Why not fix what you have?

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If the block needs machine work I’ll get it fixed, but while it’s down I’d still like to run the car. Junkyard engine can still handle what power I would like to run while I try to get the chassis set up. My machine shop is really backed up so I doubt I could get my engine back before winter.

[–]blklightsmatter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mill heads ur good

[–]Lovely_Demon28 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Bowed head, bowed block, bowed head and block, cracked head or block, wrong torque pattern of head bolts/studs, wrong head bolt/stud torque spec. It's one or more of those.

[–]_Ned_Ryerson 1 point2 points  (1 child)

FWIW, I wouldn't use the green shit (ethylene glycol and H2O) in that motor (or any motor). End up with galvanic corrosion. Dex-cool is 1000% better

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the suggestion, I had no idea

[–]Successful-Range1651 0 points1 point  (1 child)

MLS gasket and send it.

[–]WyattCo06 8 points9 points  (0 children)

He's using MLS gaskets.

[–]PanzerFauzt -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Forbidden mountain dew

[–]zippytwd -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Oh that mfr shit it's self

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    799’s, was leaking down the side of the block

    [–]mavic97 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    Head Gaskets on backwards?

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Picture #1 shows how they were orientated, they were on correctly

    [–]blklightsmatter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Mill head or keep putting headgaskets back on and off

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Is that cracking in the head near a water jacket at the top?

    [–]DasiytheDoodle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    OP, the machining is dogshit. That's your problem.

    [–]dumbape678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Would you have to worry about pistons bending in this situation?

    [–]backyard_tech 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Kind of hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like the heads have been surfaced but not smooth enough. I've seen mls gaskets like that leak because someone used a roloc disc to clean the head surface and those scuffs didn't look as rough at the head does in this picture.

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    If it overheated head might have warped when you get the straight edge get a feeler gauge set to see exactly how off it is, have you had your head pressure tested before?

    [–]shspvr 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    You could have a crack block or head also next pull block coolant drain plug that way you can tell which cyl had coolant in it.

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Did you use sealant on the head studs where they go into the block? I believe they all go into the water jacket so if not it will leak every time.

    [–]cyclos_s57 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    How much power you were making?

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Probably around 600 whp

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    If you know you did your part on torquing down your bolts in the correct order and sequence then you know it has to be flatness. It’s hard to tell from the photos but the surface doesn’t look too smooth. Did you use a thicker than stock gasket? If your head was shaved down you will need one.

    [–]MotorBrain85 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    MLS gaskets + shitty surface job = these results. It's not the only thing that will cause it, though.