Coolant leak on W2 heads

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yellow rose said:
I just got off the phone. My notes said we were finding broken heads because evidently, some of those heads didn't have the dowel hole drilled deep enough. That dowel pin would hold the head off the deck and crack the head under the port above the bolt holes.

If you have a leak between the head and the block and the head isn't cracked, you may have a dowel that is just a skosh long and is holding that end of the head up enough for a leak and not fracture the casting.

I knew there was a reason we were seeing those heads fracture.

Hope this gives you something to look at.
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Thanks very much for this information
 
I sure hope there isnt a cracking issue.

Are you running Cometic gaskets or Felpro
 
You might want to pull the heads and check the dowel clearance before retorquing .
I know its a hassle
 
Latest update,
I took my engine builders advice and heat cycled the engine a couple of times, then took for a trip on the highway. This was last evening, upon return home, there was sweat at head gasket area that I wiped clean. Today it is absolutely clean and dry. So far so good. Fingers crossed!

I did pull all plugs and cranked over prior to firing. Was no fluid, radiator level has not changed. In total, the leakage would not have been more than a thimble full, if that.
 
So I am confused ... if it has been on the road for 1200 miles it should have been through many heat cycles already. Whats different about this heat cycle ?
 
mbaird said:
So I am confused ... if it has been on the road for 1200 miles it should have been through many heat cycles already. Whats different about this heat cycle ?
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I cant answer that definitively. All I know for sure is that randomly the leak began after two years of use, while the car had been parked and not started for a month and a half. Now after driving it a couple of times the issue has not presented itself again. I'm not saying whatever the issue is, that it is resolved. Currently the leak has stopped. For now the plan is to closely monitor, and use the car. Our season I so short here i would like to use the car providing i am causing it no harm. If the leak returns, the heads will come off.
 
a little insurance retorque the heads I back of a 1/4 turn first- use the FSM order
a can of stop leak
and antifreeze in the radiator not just water
 
I might be nervouse about retorquing after seeing heads that cracked due to the dowel holes not being quite deep enough.
There was a set for sale lately that one was cracked because of this.
I know its a pain and I would rue the thought of pulling a head but ....
 
mbaird said:
I might be nervouse about retorquing after seeing heads that cracked due to the dowel holes not being quite deep enough.
There was a set for sale lately that one was cracked because of this.
I know its a pain and I would rue the thought of pulling a head but ....
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I agree completely, I will not be retorquing at this point with the info we all have now. If leak stays put great, if not heads come off.
 
Their was a leak and it stopped, I don't own a pair of W-2s, but after hearing what yellow rose found out I'd be pulling them to check out that possible dowel pin problem. Just my 2 cents worth.

Jeff
 
jeffnmo said:
Their was a leak and it stopped, I don't own a pair of W-2s, but after hearing what yellow rose found out I'd be pulling them to check out that possible dowel pin problem. Just my 2 cents worth.

Jeff
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Actually, I'm also very seriously considering it.
 
I think that would be a good thing, I would hate to see you lose some nice parts over something so simple.

Jeff
 
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