is this a bad head gasket?
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,903
Likes: 1
From: Cleveland, OH
is this a bad head gasket? Fresh rebuild...stock basically (forged pistons)
Car runs at 225-230 degrees . I drove this thing for 150 miles back home and it held these temps. Here is what it does:
Fill the radiator......it comes up to temp and then woosh water spraying out of the radiator. Cut the car off...refill....and immediately restart and 2-5 minutes later..woosh out of the radiator. I've seen head gaskets really send bubbles out of the fill neck but this doesnt do that. Just sits there flowing and then a geyser. Almost wonder if i have some trash in a water jacket blocking flow to a cylinder. Any ideas? When it cools i plan to pull the plugs. I assume a leaking cylinder will have a white color to it. Again i drove it 150 miles and it doesnt pressurize the coolant system enuff to overflow...not even under 5 psi of boost. That's what has me thinking trash maybe
Car runs at 225-230 degrees . I drove this thing for 150 miles back home and it held these temps. Here is what it does:
Fill the radiator......it comes up to temp and then woosh water spraying out of the radiator. Cut the car off...refill....and immediately restart and 2-5 minutes later..woosh out of the radiator. I've seen head gaskets really send bubbles out of the fill neck but this doesnt do that. Just sits there flowing and then a geyser. Almost wonder if i have some trash in a water jacket blocking flow to a cylinder. Any ideas? When it cools i plan to pull the plugs. I assume a leaking cylinder will have a white color to it. Again i drove it 150 miles and it doesnt pressurize the coolant system enuff to overflow...not even under 5 psi of boost. That's what has me thinking trash maybe
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,903
Likes: 1
From: Cleveland, OH
Re: is this a bad head gasket? Pulled plugs on passenger side and they are fine BUT when doing a coolant system pressure test, the rear bottom headbolt is leaking around it. I have studs and they were torqued to 70/25 lbs...ARP recommended 66/22. Anyway, i didnt think these went into water jackets so i didnt use sealer on the threads. Was I wrong? Should i try to torque them some more before pulling the head?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,986
Likes: 1
From: Centrifugal City
Re: is this a bad head gasket? I know when I was talking to my C5 mech about ARP head studs and water jacket sealer he was like, of course you have to use sealer they are right down in the water jacket or something like that.
Re: is this a bad head gasket? There is no need for sealer on the LS1 heads. No intrusion into the water jackets. I only use oil on the threads when i put by bolts in (aftermarket bolts).
Sounds like you may have a bolt/stud not torqued enough. When I did that, I would lose coolant around the bottom edge of the head and it would act much as you described.
Unfortunately, the gasket is prolly toast by now. You should pull the head IMO. Every time I did, the all metal gasket was burnt at the point it was leaking.
Sounds like you may have a bolt/stud not torqued enough. When I did that, I would lose coolant around the bottom edge of the head and it would act much as you described.
Unfortunately, the gasket is prolly toast by now. You should pull the head IMO. Every time I did, the all metal gasket was burnt at the point it was leaking.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,903
Likes: 1
From: Cleveland, OH
Re: is this a bad head gasket? After I get the exhaust manifold off, I see it's leaking at every bottom bolt. I just dont understand how thats possible as i rechecked the torque before i started pulling the head.
TECH Regular
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 410
Likes: 0
From: Madison Heights, MI
Re: is this a bad head gasket? I don't know what kind of gasket your using but Mr. Gasket had a bad batch of cylinder head gaskets go out. They didn't have a coolant passage open enough on one side of the gaskets. The car would run fine until you got on it then it would over heat. So if you used Mr. Gasket take them off and look for a covered passage.
Trending Topics
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: stone mtn,ga
Re: is this a bad head gasket? never assume anything when it comes to working and putting together an engine <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
Hope it goes back together good for ya! How hard is it taking the heads off with the turbo system on there?
Hope it goes back together good for ya! How hard is it taking the heads off with the turbo system on there?
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,903
Likes: 1
From: Cleveland, OH
Re: is this a bad head gasket? I did the passenger side which has the stock exhaust manifold and no turbo stuff. I got home at 5pm with the head and was driving by 9 so not too bad for a rookie. Car runs good but sounds like a damn diesel...worse as it gets warm. Knocking quits at 2500...i dunno what that is as i cant seem to locate it
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,903
Likes: 1
From: Cleveland, OH
Re: is this a bad head gasket? Got the head off...passenger side and was NO PROBLEM at all to get off the studs. I didnt remove anything that wasnt necessary to get the head off. I think it is a head that was not decked. I got these heads from a friend with the valve job already done and ASSUMED they were decked. My stright edge says they are higher off the block in the center than the ends. Head is at shop now for a clean up pass. Check this out...
Cometic says their head gaskets are reuseable!!!!! Jason said one guy has used them 15 times! He told me to do a light dusting with copper spray and put it back on. We'll see this evening. Bet your *** I'm gonna pressure test it before the intake/exhaust go back on
Cometic says their head gaskets are reuseable!!!!! Jason said one guy has used them 15 times! He told me to do a light dusting with copper spray and put it back on. We'll see this evening. Bet your *** I'm gonna pressure test it before the intake/exhaust go back on