head gasket

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72ScampTramp

72ScampTramp

Scamp Tramp
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Should I replace one or both? I believe the drive side is blown. Pulled the front driver plug and water poured out. Funny as I had just pulled the plugs to check them and clean and nothing then and i havent even driven or gotten it to start since then.
 
I don't feel it is necessary to pull both heads, but if you are that far into it it is nice to pull the other side and check out condition of your top end clean up everything and torque down two new gaskets.
 
Engine is rebuilt? Why pull both? I would remove the bad one, look at it to determine WHY that cylinder filled with water. If you can't tell for sure where the gasket is blown, I would have that cylinder head checked for cracks. Then if you still can't determine the source of the leak, check the cylinder for a crack. Magnaflux that cylinder if you can get the stuff to check it. Then determine if the the other side needs to come off. But this is way I would approach it.
 
MY BAD... I did not see your last post about your motor being new .I would not pull the other side I don't see a reason
 
I know its not the best theory. But i just had both heads and block done and maged. Put it together and a little run time. Which is why i figured head gasket. Only way I will find out is to pull it down i guess.
 
If one is bad what makes you think the other is safe if they were probably made on the same day with possibly the same defect?
 
72ScampTramp said:
Why both whats the theory there? Gaskets are new and so is the motor. less then 5miles
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Keep asking till you get someone to agree with you. Why even ask then?

New motors don't just fill the cylinder with water. Slam it back together with a quick head gasket & you're likely to hydro lock the motor & ruin it completely. Better figure out what's going on, then decide what to do.

Running stock 40 year old head bolts? Only torqued initially? Heads & deck both surfaced? Head gaskets over hanging bore? All those things would require both heads at least to be pulled.

Just another opinion....
 
you bring up an interesting point. I did the initial torque of the heads. Would it be worth going back and retorquing to see if that be an issue?
 
I wouldn't go back into the engine without pulling both heads and having them pressure tested. Trying to build a car and be a cheap *** will get you hung everytime. My God Josh, you're only talking about a little more labor and TWO more gaskets (other head gasket and exhaust gasket) to do it right. Jesus man. What's the matter with you?
 
If you're using stock bolts, I torque them at least twice. Once the next day & once more after it's been fired up. Not that we really should be using stock bolts but I've done it in the past. New arp bolts w/ both the heads & deck surfaced & you could probably get away with a single torque.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I wouldn't go back into the engine without pulling both heads and having them pressure tested. Trying to build a car and be a cheap *** will get you hung everytime. My God Josh, you're only talking about a little more labor and TWO more gaskets (other head gasket and exhaust gasket) to do it right. Jesus man. What's the matter with you?
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No reason for calling Josh a cheap *** or whats wrong with him?He,s been doing a fine job on his build with his budget and time.Give the guy a break for asking a question and wanting to learn with more than one opinion.:wack:
 
pettybludart said:
No reason for calling Josh a cheap *** or whats wrong with him?He,s been doing a fine job on his build with his budget and time.Give the guy a break for asking a question and wanting to learn with more than one opinion.:wack:
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I know. He's done a great job. We've batted PMs about this today and I told him so. Just trying to make him see that it wont cost much more to make SURE there's nothing he missed the first time around. I'm not into giving people bad advice. IMO, telling someone to replace one head gasket is bad advice.
 
Agree with Rob ,on this one. 40.00 worth of gaskets well worth peace of mind ,and psi testing the heads. Beats building /patching a short block.My honest .02.
 
If he has no issues with the other side, why pull it? If that head gasket is sealed up good, you can only repeat the results or create a problem. If it ain't broke don't " fix it"
 
If it's given you no reason to worry - do a compression test on the good side. If they are similar and good enough for a cold engine - I wouldn't touch it. Just me but if it's not giving you reacon to think there's a problem - it will be very difficult for a person with limited experience to see something.
 
Was there any porting done?

And

Take a good look at the intake gasket.
Cylinders at the ends of the block can get coolant from an intake leak at the water jacket.
 
Thanks for the replies. The heads were ported before i got them. Not full port by any means. Before the build the block was cleaned checked and machined. The heads were also cleaned checked and machined. Checked I mean magged. As of now it is only the #1 cyl. I suspected to do this properly ill need intake gaskets, head gaskets and header gaskets too. As of now the pass side gives me no indication of a problem.


Trailbeast im sure im wrong on this but I was under the impression the intakes werent an issue on BBs. Since that is first i suppose i could check that first.
 
It is not critical Josh, no.
 
Big block intakes have no water passages in them. You might get a vacuum leak from it but no coolant. I would take a good look at the side with the issue as others have said, but if I found anything to be wrong with the head gasket, I would pull the other side and change it since it's so much work to tear it all back down again if the other side fails.


Trailbeast im sure im wrong on this but I was under the impression the intakes werent an issue on BBs. Since that is first i suppose i could check that first.[/QUOTE]
 
Josh, were the threads chased out on the block before you bolted the heads on? If not I would do that before you put it back on.
 
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