I think I know the answer…

[RGAZ]

73 duster stock. Engine runs fine but losing oil pretty fast all of a sudden. No smoke, white or blue, out the tail, but passenger side of engine is soaked in oil. I assume head gasket? Confirm

Notice the oil spray on plug wires, that is new, also torsion bar was new and clean a day ago.

RGAZ

 

[missing linc]

Possibly oil pressure sending unit or filter not sealed.

 

[Hyper_pak]

Agreed on sending unit, but, don't jump to conclusions.
Valve cover gasket, oil filter gasket, PVC clogged, etc.
Clean it well and run it to find the trouble.

Greenwood??? My folks were from 96!
Still have family living there.

 

[Murray]

Spark plug tube "O" rings.

 

[missing linc]

I thought valve cover gasket too, and I have seen oil spray from the fuel pump.

 

[Demonracer]

Spark plug tubes, aka "Drool Tubes"! LMAO

 

[RustyRatRod]

The valve cover gasket, spark plug tube o rings and oil sender are way higher possibilities than the head gasket. The oil tends to run down and collect on the block ledge that protrudes out from under the head and makes it appear the head gasket is leaking. Head gaskets rarely leak oil.

 

[RGAZ]

Found the leak. I almost didn’t believe it, but two spark plugs were so loose the drool tube could spin just touching it. It was bad. Pulled all plugs cleaned tubes and head and we will see if that does it. I have new tube seals coming.

One thing, the plugs have washers on them and I thought they aren’t supposed to because the tube acts like a washer. I assume that is what allowed them to loosen on their own. Agree?

RGAZ

 

[RustyRatRod]

Found the leak. I almost didn’t believe it, but two spark plugs were so loose the drool tube could spin just touching it. It was bad. Pulled all plugs cleaned tubes and head and we will see if that does it. I have new tube seals coming.

One thing, the plugs have washers on them and I thought they aren’t supposed to because the tube acts like a washer. I assume that is what allowed them to loosen on their own. Agree?

RGAZ

With drool tubes, the plug washers get removed.

 

[slantsixdan]

With drool tubes, the plug washers get removed.

…on '63-'74 heads, yup, you remove the metal ring washers from the plugs. On '60-'62 heads, you use the washers.

Plug tube seals cook to death in their hot, oily location, and they have been getting less available as replacement parts at parts stores and websites, which has led some people to try substituting round plumbing-type O-rings (or worse).

If your plug tube seals are hard and crunchy instead of soft and chewy, permanently deformed into a triangular cross section, replace 'em. They start out as a square-cross-section O-ring, size № 218, so the actual-real OE-duplicate item is this in Buna-N rubber (good in most oils, good to 212 °F), or this in Viton rubber (good in a wide variety of oils and chemicals, up to 400 °F).

Or if for some reason you wanna get extra super de luxe about it, there's this Viton X-section ring.

 

[andysauto1]

…on '63-'74 heads, yup, you remove the metal ring washers from the plugs. On '60-'62 heads, you use the washers.

Plug tube seals cook to death in their hot, oily location, and they have been getting less available as replacement parts at parts stores and websites, which has led some people to try substituting round plumbing-type O-rings (or worse).

If your plug tube seals are hard and crunchy instead of soft and chewy, permanently deformed into a triangular cross section, replace 'em. They start out as a square-cross-section O-ring, size № 218, so the actual-real OE-duplicate item is this in Buna-N rubber (good in most oils, good to 212 °F), or this in Viton rubber (good in a wide variety of oils and chemicals, up to 400 °F).

Or if for some reason you wanna get extra super de luxe about it, there's this Viton X-section ring.

Good to know

 

[RGAZ]

Drool tubes confirmed. All 6 are leaking badly even after I cleaned them up. New ones next weekend.

Thanks guys,
RGAZ

 

[TrailBeast]

Drool tubes confirmed. All 6 are leaking badly even after I cleaned them up. New ones next weekend.

View attachment 1716360686

Thanks guys,
RGAZ

I was going to mention how clean the head is under the tubes, but you found it.

 

[jos51700]

And that's why they're drool tubes

 

[Murray]

"O" rings should be replaced each time plugs are changed.

 

[volaredon]

And that's why they're drool tubes

And that's why I put a peanut head on my motor/ 6 less leaks to worry about

 

[RustyRatRod]

I never had trouble with them. I just maintain as necessary. Where's the headache?

 

[volaredon]

If I didn't have a peanut head sitting here I wouldn't have had a problem running the drool tube head. But since I had a choice at the time, and knowing that the valves were the same and combustion chamber design was pretty much the same,it just seemed easier to run with what I did at the time. I paid it forward as I gave away the 2 drool tube heads I had sitting here, shortly after that. So some body got the advantage of the lighter head.... And I got less chances of an oil leak. I still have 2 peanut heads here ...

 

[RustyRatRod]

If I didn't have a peanut head sitting here I wouldn't have had a problem running the drool tube head. But since I had a choice at the time, and knowing that the valves were the same and combustion chamber design was pretty much the same,it just seemed easier to run with what I did at the time. I paid it forward as I gave away the 2 drool tube heads I had sitting here, shortly after that. So some body got the advantage of the lighter head.... And I got less chances of an oil leak. I still have 2 peanut heads here ...

My unicorn head "happens" to be a peanut head....but if it weren't I wouldn't care one bit.

 

[jos51700]

And that's why I put a peanut head on my motor/ 6 less leaks to worry about

I've heard that the performance was noticeably reduced with the later heads. Is that true?

 

[volaredon]

Nope. There was a change around 67/68 that I remember, was always told to use 68 up head for better performance, which includes both drool tube and peanut head.
It's in the articles section at the /6 site as well as in Dutra's book.... Not much difference in any of them. I think the drool tube heads are lighter, so there's that.. clean up the porting and it matters less.

 

[barbee6043]

They use phrases like drool and goober head for reasons !!

 

[Ragmanx]

…on '63-'74 heads, yup, you remove the metal ring washers from the plugs. On '60-'62 heads, you use the washers.

Plug tube seals cook to death in their hot, oily location, and they have been getting less available as replacement parts at parts stores and websites, which has led some people to try substituting round plumbing-type O-rings (or worse).

If your plug tube seals are hard and crunchy instead of soft and chewy, permanently deformed into a triangular cross section, replace 'em. They start out as a square-cross-section O-ring, size № 218, so the actual-real OE-duplicate item is this in Buna-N rubber (good in most oils, good to 212 °F), or this in Viton rubber (good in a wide variety of oils and chemicals, up to 400 °F).

Or if for some reason you wanna get extra super de luxe about it, there's this Viton X-section ring.

Are you sure about this advice - " On '60-'62 heads, you use the washers." ?
Thank you

 

[barbee6043]

Are you sure about this advice - " On '60-'62 heads, you use the washers." ?
Thank you

That is what I have always been told. I have had only one '62 slant/

 

[Killer6]

I've heard that the performance was noticeably reduced with the later heads. Is that true?

No, other than being slightly heavier, they are basically the same. If anything, the short side of the pocket comes with a better form as cast, so there is a little less work if You're doing a pocket blend w/stock valve sizes. Chambers, sizing etc. pretty much the same, I haven't had a hydraulic '80's head to look at/make a mold/take measurements of.