Spark plugs. You want to make sure there is no liquid in the cylinders. Liquid does not compress.

 

I am getting half and half suggestions here. Has anybody ever heard of something like this ever happening, or am I the first to admit or be that careless?

 

ok, so tighten the head bolts properly.

pull the spark plugs and turn the engine by hand with the starter off to drain the coolant?

is that all?

 

No, there has been worse trust me. As for the 50/50 split, go to sleep and address the issue in the morning. We've all given our honest opinions on the issue you presented. Nothing is gonna happen tonight most likely. Start fresh in the morning and you'll know what to do. BTW you live in Sierra Vista? If so do you know Tony that has the gray Z06 he used to have a cobra?

 

tony is a buddy of mine. good guy. I guess I'll sleep on it tonight and see what gives in the morning. Thanks

 

Next time you see him slap him in the mouth and say hi from Jay in Maryland. LOL don't slap him actually but that's cool. Small world.

 

It only takes a few minutes to tighten those head bolts the rest of the way. It takes hours and hours to replace the gaskets. Id try the easy way first, and if it still leaks then worry about pulling the heads. Im imagine the car was leaking enough so that it wasnt run very long. If its was only a few seconds or even a minute or two, probably didnt warp anything, however wether the gaskets will seal correctly remains to be seen.

 

What have you really got to loose? Go back outside and torque them to spec, and just see what happens. Yes, this is hands down the most critical seal on your engine (besides piston rings), but even still I'd say go for it!

Keep in mind we're all just giving our opinion. If you want to try it- go for it. It's not like you can hurt it at this point.

Ben T.

 

 

He can still blow a head gasket and trash the bottom end. As bad as it sucks to do it. I would probaly at least replace the gaskets or if I was looking for a good excuse to go forged I would just torque them down and hope it blew up. Either way good luck with which ever route you choose.

 

Tear it all back down, DO NOT JUST TRY TO RETORQUE THE BOLTS!!! If any coolant worked it's way down a bolt hole, you will crack the block if you try to retq them! You need to tear the whole thing back apart and redo it right from the start.. and do not start the car again,drain oil and refill before doing so, you most certainly did get coolant in teh oil, and the cylinders could have alot in there now too.

I don't know of anyone that has ever done this, but I'm sure you aren't the first.

 

Another user recently only torqued his head bolts 76 degrees and was leaking from the hed gasket. He then went back and torqued the rest of the way and has been running without problems (last I read).

 

I think I am just giving up on this one. This car is a damn money pit anyway and I am just going to return it to stock and sell it.

 

Man, don't give up just yet. I know how you feel. Last summer I build a 408 for my 68 Chevy C-10 put it in and started it one time to do the cam break in. Then when I tried to start it again the damn outer bolt hole for the starter broke off. I just let it sit for a couple of weeks then pulled it back out, started saving money and did it all over again. Point is, this **** is supposed to be fun, when you get frustrated just walk away from it for alittle while then go back and do what you have to do.

 

I'll buy your heads Man just take it back apart and put new gaskets on and torque them down I know it sucks but you won't regret it when you get it running again.

 

Don't sell the car, that's not going to solve the problem. You were anxious to get your head/cam setup running, and overlooked a step. I know someone that forgot to fill a brand new motor with oil and started it... you can only guess what happened there. hang in there man.. you'll get it running, just take it back apart and start again... you won't regret it the first time you lay 200 feet of rubber on the road, and dust off that pesky car that you raced a couple times and lost to ( like we all don't have one of those around )

 

you're right guys. I just got so damn fed this morning and I said **** it. The thing is I don't have a garage, so I have to go to a buddies house 20 minutes away each time a need to work on the car. I guessI will start the tear down process again.

 

I have no garage either.. that's why I'm spending 25K to put a 24x24 up... that's alot of mods I could be doing for 25 grand.. but the garage to work in is a nessassary thing.... if you own your home and have room.. I'd think about it. it will pay for itself in the long run time and time again, and is a nice way to add some value to your property that is useful.

 

i know the 20min drive feeling.

try doing a LS1 swap into a 91 camaro at a friends house.... thats over 1 hour away... one direction.

total PITA... atleast now that i moved, hes only 20mins away... be glad.



now heres what i would do, and WHY:


first off, take the heads back off.. i know it kills ya to do this, but it must be done..
the headbolt holes very likely have coolent in them... because of that, you can NOT NOT NOT tighten them.. if you do, you will force the water agienst the block... water does not compress, and it will crack your block.
i would not reuse the head gasket if its graphite.. if its the MLS gasket, i would.
i would reuse the bolts. while they are torque to yield, you did not bring them to the yield point yet.. they havent been streched, so they're still good... now if you DID tighten them past that inital ~22lbs, i would then replace them.

drain your oil into a clean container... if there is coolent in there, you can see it that way.
no worries if there is.. trust me, ive seen and done much worse.
change it and the flter like normal. btw, the water should be at the bottom of the pan, so it should be draining out first.

now, you're back where you started... put the gaskets down, put the heads on, and now follow the normal directions, inital torque in one pass.. mark your bolts with a sharpie, then do your degrees... do one head at a time.

then reassemble... put on the intake, headers, ect.... sure its alot of bolts, but having done it once before, you'll find its no big deal.

DONT FORGET TO REFILL THE OIL since you drained it.. lol
make a checklist of everything you think you might forget as you're working... then check it off before you turn the key..

good luck, and be happy... sure it was a learning experiance, but you learned your lesson without major engine damage.

 

I am having the car towed to my house as we speak. I don't have the garage, so I guess I will have to make do with a carport. I'll keep you guys posted