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04-07-2021, 08:22 AM | #1 |
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Coolant Seepage at front of head
So I got the Roadster running for the year and it has been running great but I am getting a fair amount of seepage at the front of the head. I am running a 6:1 high compression head from Snyders that was checked for flatness. I used a graphite gasket and I run 50/50 antifreeze.
Do you think it is time for a new head gasket? If so, should I go back to copper?
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04-07-2021, 08:39 AM | #2 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
The head was flat, but what was the status of the block? Also what if anything did you use as a sealant for the gasket?
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04-07-2021, 09:32 AM | #3 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
The block was level but has some pitting. I sprsyed the gasket with some permatex copper.
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04-07-2021, 09:52 AM | #4 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
My first question is have you retorqued the head since installation?
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04-07-2021, 09:53 AM | #5 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Do you think there's a chance that the 11 & 13 studs are under-tightened?
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04-07-2021, 10:32 AM | #6 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
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04-07-2021, 10:33 AM | #7 | |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Quote:
I run Graphtite head gaskets with no sealant and no leakage. But I do check my nuts once in a while.
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04-07-2021, 12:59 PM | #8 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Are you certain it is seepage from the head gasket joint? If at the front of the engine, could overflow from the radiator be picked up by the fan and depositing it at the front of the engine? I just went through that on my rebuilt engine, and thought I had a leak until I realized I had overfilled the radiator and it was "seeking its own level." Coolant was being expunged from the overflow pipe, getting picked up by the fan, deposited at the front of the engine, and dribbling down the front of the block. It looked like a leak at the front head gasket joint but fortunately was not. Just a thought.... And the fact that I drive real fast probably kept the coolant from just dropping straight to the ground.
Last edited by Greg Jones; 04-07-2021 at 01:17 PM. Reason: added information |
04-07-2021, 01:05 PM | #9 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
I would retorque the head as a check. Should be done annually anyway. I know you live in a cold area but it is a lot of work to change the head gasket. Consider using water with Prestone Anti - Rust and Water Pump lubricant and drain out during the winter. Ed
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04-07-2021, 04:48 PM | #10 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Greg Jones raises a good point. Are you sure the coolant isn't coming from the water pump? The usual place for these motor to leak from the head gasket is along the passenger side of the block/head above the engine number.
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04-07-2021, 04:54 PM | #11 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
I warmed it up for a good 15 or so minutes. Coolant is definetely leaking from front of head as the car was stationary the whole time. Once it got hot I tried to torque the nuts on the front and got a little off of the water outlet studs and a little on the waterpump as well. Whether or not that will make a difference is up in the air, will have to check tomorrow.
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04-07-2021, 05:15 PM | #12 | |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Quote:
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04-07-2021, 07:30 PM | #13 | |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Quote:
Synchro, You’re from Australia, correct? So, that would be on the driver side for those of us in the USA? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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04-07-2021, 07:34 PM | #14 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Tomorrow I will check the torque cold and start it up to make sure the leak is actually coming from the head gasket and not the water pump.
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04-07-2021, 08:00 PM | #15 | |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Quote:
I once asked a vendor whether they would pay the cost of an engine rebuild if someone here put the con rods on with the scoop facing the passenger side as their instructions said. They didn't even seem to understand the problem.
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04-08-2021, 11:38 PM | #16 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
I was always told the dippers point toward the camshaft or is the camshaft moved to the other side also?
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04-09-2021, 01:40 AM | #17 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
That was my suggestion to the vendor. Water off a duck's back, I'm afraid.
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04-09-2021, 09:06 AM | #18 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
If it's a copper head gasket I always put something like "Indian Head Shellac" in the water passages cutouts. The shellac seals the center soft layer and prevents water from seeping thru the fiber layer.
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04-09-2021, 03:29 PM | #19 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
I got a head from snyders a couple years ago that had a small casting sand hole ,I used a nickel rod and just touched it with welder no more leak,I'm sure snyders would have given me a another but it was easier to repair than to replace
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04-09-2021, 04:33 PM | #20 |
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Re: Coolant Seepage at front of head
Leak is definetely coming from head gasket. No more torque to be had. What next?
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