Looks like I have a head gasket leak.
03-07-2011, 10:37 AM
#1
Looks like I have a head gasket leak. I already know what was done wrong on my engine build so lets not harp on the parts used or methods used. We have already had long conversations about these things so here are the facts again. Eagle cast 383 LE2 heads and cam. Bottom end machine work done by a builder in GA, clearance for the stroke done by my Numb Nuts father then cleaned by the builder and assembled by my father. I just found out he did NOT use thread sealant on the head bolts. I have been noticing a lot of steam from the exhaust system on start up the past several times I have run it. It goes away with in a few min and I though well maybe it's just from the exhaust warming up. Today I stopped for gas and after restarting the car I had what looked like a huge cloud of white smoke come out the exhaust. I thought OH well nothing I can do about it now and went home with it. It still had good oil pressure and was running nice and cool. As I pulled out on to the road it went away and when I got home I recreated the same cloud. Turns out it is not smoke but coolant burning into a steam cloud. Has the smell of coolant and not smoke. So I am almost 100% it's a leaking head bolt that has found it's way into the combustion chamber. I just changed the oil in this thing yesterday and I see no signs of coolant in the oil yet. I have been loosing very small amounts of water from the radiator over the past 3 months but the car gets driven only about 1 a week sometimes only once every 2 weeks and I had been battling with a leaking heater hose. To make things worse I am scheduled to go have an evaluation Wednesday for shoulder surgery that could leave me down and out for 3 months.
So here is my question. Even though I see no sings of water in the oil should I pull it and check the bottom end or just swap head gaskets and change the oil again? I have found on my past 2 oil changes these shavings that are like curly fries. I have only found 3 total but I think my father F'd up the clearance on something and I really want to pull it and found out where they are coming from. I have no knocks or odd sounds and the Car has run great though since the new tune from Ion. Even today it runs awesome. What do you think? If I do nothing right now should I disconnect fuel pump and ignition and fog in some oil or wd-40 or something? or just leave it until I have time and a shoulder to do it. I can do it right now even though it will hurt like hell if you think it will f up these valves, I don't want these heads to get damaged anymore so I can reuse them on what ever I do. Give me your experiences and in sight wise old LS1 techers of the LT1 section. lol
So here is my question. Even though I see no sings of water in the oil should I pull it and check the bottom end or just swap head gaskets and change the oil again? I have found on my past 2 oil changes these shavings that are like curly fries. I have only found 3 total but I think my father F'd up the clearance on something and I really want to pull it and found out where they are coming from. I have no knocks or odd sounds and the Car has run great though since the new tune from Ion. Even today it runs awesome. What do you think? If I do nothing right now should I disconnect fuel pump and ignition and fog in some oil or wd-40 or something? or just leave it until I have time and a shoulder to do it. I can do it right now even though it will hurt like hell if you think it will f up these valves, I don't want these heads to get damaged anymore so I can reuse them on what ever I do. Give me your experiences and in sight wise old LS1 techers of the LT1 section. lol
03-07-2011, 11:32 AM
#2
Village Troll 
iTrader: (2)
If you have no coolant in the oil then I wouldn't worry about pulling anything. If it was leaking into the oil pan you'd definitely know it by the look of the coolant. Hard to say where the shavings came from. Perhaps part of the machining and the block wasn't thoroughly cleaned? I wouldn't mess w/ it, but that is just me. I'd just throw a new set of head gaskets on it and drive it.
Unless your father charged you I wouldn't be too hard on him. He saved you quite a bit of money if everything was done right.
Unless your father charged you I wouldn't be too hard on him. He saved you quite a bit of money if everything was done right.
03-07-2011, 12:18 PM
#3
like SSS said if theres no water in the coolant i would just change the oil and do the bolts with RTV.......as for the little shavings........a very common place people overlook that they could come from is the chamfered side of new connecting rods......they tend to create little chips that sometimes have to be knocked off by the assembler.......i've seen this a few times before.....
03-07-2011, 04:40 PM
#6
Thanks guys Yea thats what I will do then I just have to figure out when. Now it's a very small amount that it has actually leaked but should I be worried about the valves rusting if I can not get around to doing this for 5 months? Should I cycle some oil in a spray bottle in there or just leave it?
Trending Topics
03-08-2011, 07:37 AM
#8
Village Troll
iTrader: (2)
Drain the coolant out of the block, take plugs out, rotate engine a couple of revolutions to make sure no coolant is not in cylinders. Spray some WD-40 into cylinders and put plugs back in.
