Since I took my car out from winter storage, it's been one thing after another. The latest adventure started last night after I did some tweaking on my idle, took it for a spin and put it back in the garage. I smelled coolant. Popped the hood and look around the best I could, it was pretty hot, and didn't see anything. I got up and noticed my driver's side exhaust pipe was a little lower than the other, I'm **** that way, so I got out my wrenches, lay on the ground behind the car and started to move the clamps around. That's when I noticed the smell of coolant in the exhaust pipe. The passenger's side didn't smell of coolant, but it is there in the driver's side. I checked the head gasket under the headers and it was wet, but not pooling. I pulled the plugs and they were all fine, maybe a little white, but not bad. And the oil is fine so it hasn't gotten to the crankcase yet.
I reused the cometics after I pulled the heads the second time for more work. I put them back on dry.
Just wanted to report this because I've answered some posts in the past that I've reused them with no problems.
My advice now would be to buy new ones, or at least spray them if you remove them.

 

You may want to shoot your oil out for analysis just to confirm its not getting in there.

Good luck.

 

I think I will. I'm going to do a full change and oil filter as well when I change the gaskets. It will happen the week after this, and the car will sit until then. I can drain the oil until then. Do you have a suggestion for a good oil analysis place? It's Redline 5w-30. TIA.

 

Blackstone labs.

 

We are having the same problem with those gaskets also. We haven't reused them, they were brand new and are have the same problems as you stated. What's the real deal here?

 

Redline is difficult to interpret. Send it to Blackstone, but request the #46 "Dyson" analysis which is $40. Other option is to contact Terry Dyson directly. Terry will let you know what is going on, I have him review my oil analysis every year. He also specializes in Redline as the composition from the used oil analysis can be misleading.

 

Did you re-check the headbolt/studs torque after heat cycling the motor?

 

Wow, that's good to know. Thanks. I will call them today. It's a good thing I spec'ed the oil or I might have gotten an incorrect analysis. Once again the forum saves my butt.

 

I used the GM bolts and put Sharpie lines across them. As I understand it, once they are in they are torque to yield and should not be moved. The lines say they havn't started to back out. Also, they have a threadlock on them. They held up fine for longer the first time around, that's why I reused them.
FWIW, I beat them up little because I used them as spacers when I notched my pistons, so they were on and off quite a bit. No big torque settings, just snug, but I should've listened to that guy on my right shoulder when he told me to buy new ones, not the guy on the left one telling me to screw it. I'm pretty sure I caught it in time, but an oil analysis will also help.

 

You reused the stock head bolts??

 

Sorry to hear of this. Read my reaponse to 2c5s. My situation is a little extreme in that I had them off and on a lot and might have worn the Viton off in doing so. If I'm fortunate and my oil is ok this shouldn't be more than a long day's work. It will even give me the opportunity to check that the head isn't warped and the guides and seals are ok.

 

Oh, no. Sorry to mislead you. I reused the gaskets. New bolts always, and a thorough cleaning and de-lousing of the holes with a fluted bolt-hole cleaner, home-made as per ls1howto.

 

I re-used my Cometics. I use copper spray sealant and I have ARP studs... no issues so far....

 

Well, I'm putting new ones on now and spraying them too. I am thinking of ARP studs. I was wondering about clearing the cowl with AFR heads. They ARE milled .030" How was your clearance?

 

I am running AFR heads with ARP Studs and no problems at all with removing/installing the heads with studs.

 

Roger,
I'm running the AFR's with ARP studs and no problems with clearance. Although you got me wondering if I should get new Cometics when I put my 224/228 back in with Morels. I sprayed them last time with great results, but I'm wondering if I should do it again or get new ones.
Tony

 

Well, Roger, the little man on my shoulder told me to get new Cometics. So I just ordered them. Thanks for sharing. Tony

 

. Yeah, now he's telling me to get studs, AFTER I ordered bolts. What's a guy supposed to do?

 

No clearence issues at all...