This 512 has about 500-1000 miles on it. I blew a head gasket on the left side. I was told that the gaskets were junk so I am replacing both sides. When I got the right side off I noticed that cylinder 6 looks like it has not been combusting, at least that what it looks like to me. Thoughts? Btw, 8 plug was found to be not plugged in for a while but not 6. It looked like it was on tightly. But it was touching the header and has a crack in the plug wire. Could that have caused the whole problem? How can I prevent that in the future?
Head gasket replacement presents new dilemma?
- Thread starter Kent mosby
- Start date
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doug 371
Well-Known Member
antifreeze cleans everything spotless
beanhead
Well-Known Member
Could have been arcing out and missing. I'd be more concerned as to why a gasket blew on a new build..which gaskets did you use? Some can overhang the bores just a tad on these. I don't see how a missing cylinder could blow a gasket, but...? Did you install the heads? Post a picture of the gasket if you still have it..what a bummer.
The blown gasket was on the other side. Yes I installed them and I found out they were crappy gaskets from 440 source. Cometics are going in. I was trying to infer that the gasket was blown because of this. I was just happy to have found the issue. I will replace the wire and route it better so this will not happen again.
doug 371
Well-Known Member
You must have been getting some antifreeze in that cylinder...only thing I can think of...
512Stroker
We are all here because we are not all there.
Is that plug from 6 or 8?
Number 6 cylinder looks like it was burning but it looks like it may have been lean. Intake leak?
I can recommend Cometic head gaskets I have used them on several builds never have had a issue.
What head bolts were you using?
I have always used ARP head bolts or studs.
Plug was from 6. Arp bolts with arp lube torqued sequentially. What is confusing to me is that the 6 piston is clean and the 6 valves are completely black and different from all the other valves.
I doubt the surface is prepped for cometic.
The Felpro 1009 would work just fine.
I have never had a problem with the old reliable fel-pro set. Was that plug wire from the problem cylinder? If so I think you found the culprit. I agree, antifreeze will steam clean the combustion chamber real good. Look at both 6 & 8, they are much cleaner than the other two. Also note that 2 & 4 exhaust valves are a different color.
Long story but.... I also accidentally had the #8 plug wire disconnected for a while. Thus it would not have been burning as well. The broken wire is from 6. I have too many threads already as my errors keep adding up. The antifreeze leak was between 1 and 3 on the other side. Yes, they were cleaner than 5 and 7. I think the 2 and 4 were the only ones actually firing.
Did you retorque the heads after initial cool down.
That, My friend is my big mistake.... Never knew about that and I did not. I will do so this next time. Such a pain to pull the headers off to do that.... but? Maybe that is just what is needed. I wish that I could just do the bolts under the valve covers. Is that a possibility? So that I do not have to pull the steering column and the R torsion bar, redo the alignment etc....
Ii you didn't retorque, it's too late.
It's apart, just get a pair of Felpro 1009 and put it back together.
Make sure you retorque after initial cool down, very important
It's apart, just get a pair of Felpro 1009 and put it back together.
Make sure you retorque after initial cool down, very important
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