360 LA getting oil in #3 cylinder.

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I knew I could count on you guys. Thanks.
On to the next ordeal (for me and my arthritis) getting the headers out of the way so I can get to the head bolts. Hope I don't have to take the motor mount loose. Wishful thinking.

View attachment 1716056734May be Wednesday before I start that.
header pipe to flange looks broken in this pic
 
header pipe to flange looks broken in this pic
That's an illusion. That is a bracket under the bolt that had a plastic piece on the end to hold the plug wires. It won't be going back on there. I bought a set of MSD 8.5mm with straight boots on both ends along with a different MSD cap and rotor. These angled plug boots only made sense on #5 and #7.

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I have everything loose from the head. I removed the exhaust pipe from the header. I may be able to access all the head bolts except the one under the center exhaust ports.
Next, I dropped the power steering pump to access the driver's side motor mount bolt so I can raise the motor a little.
As I try to not F up anything, I have several questions.
# 1. Will the passenger side motor pivot enough that I don't have to loosen the big bolt?
#2. Will the console automatic shift linkage be ok to jack up the motor a little.
#3. Is there anything else I shoud be aware of?
It still may not move enough before #8 header pipe contacts passenger inner fender.
 
Finally... got that head off. Head gasket is blown. Now to figure out why. There are a couple of dents or scratches on the block right where the fire ring sits. I don't know if that would cause it to blow out but I would bet it's not ideal. I haven't pulled the gasket off the head yet. The caliper reading is the largest I could measure of the #3 cylinder. Heads are #3769974.

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Finally... got that head off. Head gasket is blown. Now to figure out why. There are a couple of dents or scratches on the block right where the fire ring sits. I don't know if that would cause it to blow out but I would bet it's not ideal. I haven't pulled the gasket off the head yet. The caliper reading is the largest I could measure of the #3 cylinder. Heads are #3769974.

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Looks like it was pinging.
 
Looks like it was pinging.
Detonation?

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Here are the dents in the block I was referring to. Those spots on the piston are coolant and oil from a rag I used to wipe everything off.
 
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Detonation?

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Here are the dents in the block I was referring to. Those spots on the piston are coolant and oil from a rag I used to wipe everything off.

That’s usually detonation. The marks in the block are good, but usually when a gasket fails from something like that it keeps digging the mark deeper.

Fire from combustion just eats away the block. You see that mostly on cylinders 3-5 and 4-6, right between them.
 
All those pit marks are from detonation/pinging.
The pushed gasket allowed that cyl to vacuum oil from the valley.
When it goes back together.. start at 20 initial and limit the full advance to only allow about 8-10 degrees of timing for about 28-30 total. Then do a cranking compression test to figure out what timing for octane used.
For 91 octane 175 will get by ,180 or so is ragged...190 is less than 25 total and dangerous for parts. That's just my advice.
 
The pushed gasket allowed that cyl to vacuum oil from the valley.
When it goes back together.. start at 20 initial and limit the full advance to only allow about 8-10 degrees of timing for about 28-30 total. Then do a cranking compression test to figure out what timing for octane used.
For 91 octane 175 will get by ,180 or so is ragged...190 is less than 25 total and dangerous for parts. That's just my advice.
Thanks. I believe the head gasket was already blown when my brother in law bought it. At idle there was a little smoke coming out of the valve cover breather. There car has a lopey cam and fairly loud exhaust but it sounded pretty good. I drove it to his house and it felt like it had pretty good power but there were some vibrations that seemed to come and go at different speeds and seemed to smooth out when the mashing the gas pedal down. The transmission wasn't shifting properly so there was lots to sort out in 12 miles.

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The previous owner had adjusted the timing with an old timing light that I read somewhere may not work with MSD. I got a new MSD timing light and initial timing is 10° but I don't know where all it could have been. I have a new MSD timing tape to install on the balancer. The MSD distributor doesn't appear to me to have any advance built in. I'm guessing it must be in the MSD ignition control box which I am not yet familiar with.
 
Take a good look fellas; OP says that's oil and water.
I want to agree............
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Especially since the same piston elsewhere looks like this:
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And the valves in that chamber like this
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I've seen a lotta detonation evidence in my vocation, but never one like this..............
 
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Thnx A.J.
OP - I do apologize, I didn't see where you explained it being water, on really closer inspection, I see it could very well be .
Good luck !
 
I just wiped that piston top with a couple of paper towels.

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Thanks. I believe the head gasket was already blown when my brother in law bought it. At idle there was a little smoke coming out of the valve cover breather. There car has a lopey cam and fairly loud exhaust but it sounded pretty good. I drove it to his house and it felt like it had pretty good power but there were some vibrations that seemed to come and go at different speeds and seemed to smooth out when the mashing the gas pedal down. The transmission wasn't shifting properly so there was lots to sort out in 12 miles.

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View attachment 1716058536The previous owner had adjusted the timing with an old timing light that I read somewhere may not work with MSD. I got a new MSD timing light and initial timing is 10° but I don't know where all it could have been. I have a new MSD timing tape to install on the balancer. The MSD distributor doesn't appear to me to have any advance built in. I'm guessing it must be in the MSD ignition control box which I am not yet familiar with.
In the msd's advance plate there is an advance bushing. Black is the shortest @18*.. I reccomend you make one from a small nut...and with a nice course nicolson file and some vice grips..dial it to just fit 'pill shape or oval'. Test and see what it gives you...then file a little off if necessary. That's what I have done for many years.
 
I was just reading the MSD distributor manual online. I see I overlooked the centrifugal advance up under the rotor. I'm learning a lot about many different things all at once.
In the msd's advance plate there is an advance bushing. Black is the shortest @18*.. I reccomend you make one from a small nut...and with a nice course nicolson file and some vice grips..dial it to just fit 'pill shape or oval'. Test and see what it gives you...then file a little off if necessary. That's what I have done for many years.
Thanks. I'll check it out when I get to that point.
 
I took the passenger side head off to see how it looked. The gasket wasn't blown out anywhere like cylinder #3 but, there were several places where there was carbon across the fire ring. The Fel-Pro 8553 gaskets were installed.
Both heads are at a race engine machine shop to be checked and cut if neccessary.
I am planning to use the Fel-Pro 1008. I am also planning to use new ARP head bolts.
 
@crackedback offered some bushings he made for MSD distributors that were less than the 18 degrees. I don't know if he still offers them or not. I tagged him so maybe he'll chime in.
 
Got the heads back from getting deck cleaned up. I got the Fel-Pro 1008 head gaskets. I also picked up a can of Permatex Copper Spray-A-Gasket but now I'm wondering if I should really use it. These head gaskets feel like they have a rubbery silicone surface.

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And do these tabs need to be snipped off the head gasket where the intake mounts? Or leave them to hold intake gasket in place?

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If you clean your block and heads with laquire thinner you won’t need the copper coat. Did you put a straightedge on the block?
 
If you clean your block and heads with laquire thinner you won’t need the copper coat. Did you put a straightedge on the block?
Yes. The worst place on the block now is .0015" low. I wiped the cylinder walls with thin layer of motor oil, turned the crank, did it again several times until back at start position. Then cleaned deck twice with acetone.
 
Yes. The worst place on the block now is .0015" low. I wiped the cylinder walls with thin layer of motor oil, turned the crank, did it again several times until back at start position. Then cleaned deck twice with acetone.

I usually avoid Acetone because of its effects on the body and my sloppiness but I’m guessing that should do the job.
 
And do these tabs need to be snipped off the head gasket where the intake mounts? Or leave them to hold intake gasket in place?

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Been a while for me but I never snipped those off. After mounting the head, the side intake gasket may rest on them when you are positioning it. But I believe I always folded that tab down into the china rail gasket (if using) before intake install. Same if using RTV on china rail. If you have insufficient clearance on the china rail, then those tabs would have to go.
 
Been a while for me but I never snipped those off. After mounting the head, the side intake gasket may rest on them when you are positioning it. But I believe I always folded that tab down into the china rail gasket (if using) before intake install. Same if using RTV on china rail. If you have insufficient clearance on the china rail, then those tabs would have to go.
I will be using RTV on the china rail. Hopefully, a good coating of RTV on that tab should seal everything.
 
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