retorque heads to solve issue?

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Clean the area by spraying starting fluid on it, won't or shouldn't hurt the paint. Retorque your heads and keep an eye on the corners of the china rail.
 
jcolman said:
First thing I did check. Its all good.
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Worn old pulleys or to narrow of a belt? Weak battery will cause belt powder also. I kept destroying belts from slipping. The charging system didn't like High RPM's. Put a shut off switch on the alternator and see if the powder/Carbon is still a problem. Or install a strong battery and take it for a ride without the belt.
If that is carbon from combustion you would have a blown gasket that you would hear. Spray starting fluid on the seam at the head while running. If carbon is coming out it will suck the starting fluid in and change RPM's.

You have another problem. Check all parts that turn in front of the motor. Even a Dirty old radiator if painted fins would give off a black soot. Post several pics of the complete engine compartment
 
Oldmanmopar said:
Worn old pulleys or to narrow of a belt? Weak battery will cause belt powder also. I kept destroying belts from slipping. The charging system didn't like High RPM's. Put a shut off switch on the alternator and see if the powder/Carbon is still a problem. Or install a strong battery and take it for a ride without the belt.
If that is carbon from combustion you would have a blown gasket that you would hear. Spray starting fluid on the seam at the head while running. If carbon is coming out it will suck the starting fluid in and change RPM's.

You have another problem. Check all parts that turn in front of the motor. Even a Dirty old radiator if painted fins would give off a black soot. Post several pics of the complete engine compartment
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I'll try spraying some starting fluid at the seam. Engine bay componants are mostly all brand new as is the battery.

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aluminum Flex fans are good to 6000 after that they usually come out the hood. Front or rear mount calipers? Are the plastic dust shields in place behind the strut rods. Just some things to check. Single piston calipers always have rotor contact and drag. The 4 piston calipers do not the free wheel when released. Drive a car in traffic and you will suck in brake dust from other cars also. There is a list of things it could be . Start doing test but I find it hard to believe its from the head gasket.
 
Is this a Cometic head gasket or not? In reality, all head gaskets should be retorqued. Google Cometic head gasket leaks and look at the images.
 
Looking at the photo I don’t believe the OP has any head gasket issues. It appears to me it’s weeping a little oil along the china wall.

As far as retorquing the head gaskets goes I’ve only done it on one engine. It’s currently in my Dart, I painted a mark on the nuts and head, then broke them loose one at a time and retorqued them. Everyone of them moved about 1/8 of a turn past the mark.

None of my previous engines ever had any issues because the heads weren’t retorqued. Having said that I always use Fel Pro 1008 head gaskets. If the gasket manufacturer recommends doing it, that’s what I’d do.
 
Oldmanmopar said:
Does the car have power steering. Also what type of fan blade. Loose rivets? Only trying to help ya.
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I appreciate the advice and help. No power steering yet (I'm getting ready to install Borgeson system) No loose rivets. 5 blade plastic fan.
 
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Oldmanmopar said:
aluminum Flex fans are good to 6000 after that they usually come out the hood. Front or rear mount calipers? Are the plastic dust shields in place behind the strut rods. Just some things to check. Single piston calipers always have rotor contact and drag. The 4 piston calipers do not the free wheel when released. Drive a car in traffic and you will suck in brake dust from other cars also. There is a list of things it could be . Start doing test but I find it hard to believe its from the head gasket.
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Rear mounted 6 pistion calipers. I don't think it's brake dust otherwise it would be everywhere.
 
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All great ideas here, as usual. I tend to agree this isn't a head gasket issue. Tailgating a Cummins. I admit that made me snort.
 
RustyRatRod said:
All great ideas here, as usual. I tend to agree this isn't a head gasket issue. Tailgating a Cummins. I admit that made me snort.
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Just sound boarding here.. but how many mopar head gaskets in the last 20 years have you had to re torque?
Me? 0.
I know some older stuff you do, and foreign.
Indian head detroits I think you had to, iirr.
 
I retorque every time. Stuff moves around. If the OP is running Cometic gaskets that’s what the leak is. Get a mirror on the back of the engine and he will likely see the same thing back there. Any bimetallic engine should have the fasteners retorqued.
 
Thanks guys for all your wisdom and advice. I'm out of town until next week but when I get home, I'll see if I can find the solution based upon all the advice given.
 
Rat Bastid said:
I retorque every time. Stuff moves around. If the OP is running Cometic gaskets that’s what the leak is. Get a mirror on the back of the engine and he will likely see the same thing back there. Any bimetallic engine should have the fasteners retorqued.
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I disagree.
Many manufacturers say not to re torque and that it is unnecessary. To each his own.. but let's not serve our own as if it's a widely accepted industry standard.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Just sound boarding here.. but how many mopar head gaskets in the last 20 years have you had to re torque?
Me? 0.
I know some older stuff you do, and foreign.
Indian head detroits I think you had to, iirr.
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None. I don't even retorque the thin steel ones. Screw um. If they blow, they were going to anyway.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
I disagree.
Many manufacturers say not to re torque and that it is unnecessary. To each his own.. but let's not serve our own as if it's a widely accepted industry standard.
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Right. When I worked at the Toyotee place, none of the manuals ever said anything about retorguing.....even on aluminum head/cast iron block engines. They did of course have their song and dance torque sequence and methods which we did follow. For all them stretchy bolts you know...
 
Aluminum heads should be retorqued after the very first heat cycle when cool.
 
Rat Bastid said:
I retorque every time. Stuff moves around. If the OP is running Cometic gaskets that’s what the leak is. Get a mirror on the back of the engine and he will likely see the same thing back there. Any bimetallic engine should have the fasteners retorqued.
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Maybe 50 years ago, but not now.
I'd hope we wouldn't need to Google this but if we do..read what motortrend says.
Nuff beating this horse .
 
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RustyRatRod said:
Right. When I worked at the Toyotee place, none of the manuals ever said anything about retorguing.....even on aluminum head/cast iron block engines. They did of course have their song and dance torque sequence and methods which we did follow. For all them stretchy bolts you know...
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You talking about the torque to yield bolts?
International used them as well on idi/T
Torque wrench & tq angle finder.
 
Just a thought and I have this at work... A microscope. Take the residual from the block and then compare it to say your belt under the scope. Simple and effective.... I do this technique quite often when I see something on a piece of equipment that seems foreign to the area in question...

GL,
JW
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
I disagree.
Many manufacturers say not to re torque and that it is unnecessary. To each his own.. but let's not serve our own as if it's a widely accepted industry standard.
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never retorqued a head gasket in my life on a small block. Even Cometic gasket headed stuff
 
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