Think I blew a head gasket?
Think I blew a head gasket? We'll the other day I did some adjusting on a manual boost controller that a buddy of mine gave me. The car was originally tuned on 10.5lbs of boost but my tuner said he had it set on the fatter side for a little more boost. After putting the controller on it was making about 11lbs and we noticed that the vacum was low. After tightening down all the clamps we turned the boost to 13lbs and thats when we blew the gasket, we pulled to the side and the engine was covered in oil and coolant. I put in coolant and carefully drove the car home and noticed the loud leak coming from the driver's side area? What do you guys think happened? the car has ARP head studs on it torqued down to specs.
Originally Posted by Frost
what was the timing at during that pull? What is your static CR again?
Originally Posted by trans2000am
maybe just hopefully lifted your head but i dont see that happening on just 13 pounds plus you have studs
That loud leak you hear is the exhast exiting between the head and the deck causing the head to erode away. hope you have an iron block or you may have eroded some of the deck away also 
Originally Posted by koolrayz
That loud leak you hear is the exhast exiting between the head and the deck causing the head to erode away. hope you have an iron block or you may have eroded some of the deck away also
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You drove it after blowing the gasket out. You can hear the exhaust exiting the area the gasket gave out. the hot gasses at high velocity exiting between the head and the deck WILL erode away metal. I had it happen to me. I blew the gasket around the 1/8 mark. got out of it, baby'd it back to the trailer and drove it off the trailer into my shop. pulled the heads and eroded a 3/8 wide groove into my head. I have an iron block so it only damadged the head. Im not the only one this has ever happened to and its not the end of the world. youll have to get the heads welded and a cleanup cut afterwords.
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Originally Posted by koolrayz
You drove it after blowing the gasket out. You can hear the exhaust exiting the area the gasket gave out. the hot gasses at high velocity exiting between the head and the deck WILL erode away metal. I had it happen to me. I blew the gasket around the 1/8 mark. got out of it, baby'd it back to the trailer and drove it off the trailer into my shop. pulled the heads and eroded a 3/8 wide groove into my head. I have an iron block so it only damadged the head. Im not the only one this has ever happened to and its not the end of the world. youll have to get the heads welded and a cleanup cut afterwords.
Originally Posted by ChevyChad
How could this happen with head studs torqued to spec? 
That is scarry! What A/F ratio were you at when that happened?
That is scarry! What A/F ratio were you at when that happened?
When I had the car tuned it was at 11.5.
Originally Posted by cablebandit
you got the head i bet....like he said...weld up and surfaced....not expensive.
The block looks like its ok so all I need to do is have the head repaired. 
Originally Posted by Ping King
did you retorque the head studs after the initial torque?
I'm planning on getting the head repaired would that be a good idea or would I be better off just buying a new one.
if i remember correctly they need to be retorqued after a heat cycle or two..you may want to do a search on it. they prolly stretch after the thermal expansion and need to be retorqued.
there are quite a few people who blow head gaskets after the few few hard runs when installing a motor with head studs.
there are quite a few people who blow head gaskets after the few few hard runs when installing a motor with head studs.
They need to be loosened a half turn and retorqued after a few heat cycles.
I personally think it's insane to run a high boost (anything over 10#) without a wideband and excellent knock control. It's detonation that'll blast through an otherwise stout setup...
Jim
I personally think it's insane to run a high boost (anything over 10#) without a wideband and excellent knock control. It's detonation that'll blast through an otherwise stout setup...
Jim
