To Re-torque or not

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wayneswirld2

wayneswirld2

I need a vacation...
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Austin, Texas
I've seen "some" discussion over retorquing the head after the 1000 mile mark, but nothing definitive. Here's the basics of MY situation; 1980 stock block, 1967 .050 milled stock head. Has roughly 500 miles on it and I'm getting an oil leak from what looks like between the head and block. Not a little, ALOT. Enough so as I don't wanna drive the thing across town.

I know most aftermarket head gaskets are considered no-retorque, but wonder if I'll do more harm than good if I do retorque the thing.

Wayne
Austin, TX

By the way, this motor is in our '65 Dodge crew cab truck.
 
I use felpro head gaskets for most of my builds and they are no re-torque gaskets, but if you have a leak where the oil feeds the rocker shafts, I don't know if a re-torque will solve it. Or is it leaking down from the valve covers?
 
Oil sending unit could be leaking and following the head gasket too!

Post a picture of that 65 Crew Cab.
 
If it is leaking from the head gasket that badly,a retorque ain't gonna do the job. That said, it is highly unlikely the head gasket is the culprit. Most if not all composition head gaskets nowadays are non retorque gaskets. The ones that need retorquing are the steel shim type.
 
Considering that the valve cover is some aftermarket thin flimsy crappy one I'd say it COULD be coming from there. Has a new oil sending unit, which is located on the bottom of the motor, so I'll rule that out. I can see fresh traces of oil on the little bit of ledge that the top of the block forms between the head and block, and it seems to start right behind where the alternator bracket bolts to the block. CAN'T see behind that bracket without removing it.

Since I'm sorta laid up for a couple weeks recovering from having my apendix removed last Saturday morning I guess I have the time to sort this out...not like any REAL work is going to get in the way!

I installed the new 7" street rod headlights and '65 Cuda front turn signals just before the apendix blew out, and they look GREAT! Now to wire up the turn signal....wonder if I should stay with the amber bulbs or just go with white?

Wayne
Austin, TX
 
I installed the new 7" street rod headlights and '65 Cuda front turn signals just before the apendix blew out, and they look GREAT! Now to wire up the turn signal....wonder if I should stay with the amber bulbs or just go with white?

Since you're wanting to go with the "New Tech" look why not use the Sylvania Silver Star bulbs that look blue but light up amber???
 
Has new spark plug tubes. I think I've decided that I'm going to install a stock valve cover on it with a new gasket and see what happens. Since this engine isn't going to stay in the truck very long it really DOESN'T have to be all prettied up...

Wayno
Austin, TX
 
Grimreaper, I think I'm OK with the bulbs I've got. Just wondering what would look better asthetically in the turn signals, amber or white.

Wayno
 
RE torque 5 lbs higher than before,I have stopped leaks a couple times with no bad side effects.I dont care what a gasket maker says.I allways re torque when the cover is off,cant hurt.Mark
 
godfatherofchry said:
whaaaaaaaaaat:hello1:is this a HEMI !!!!!!!
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yep... its beat up, cut up, and Malnourished... called a slant LOL


madmax/6 said:
RE torque 5 lbs higher than before,I have stopped leaks a couple times with no bad side effects.I dont care what a gasket maker says.I allways re torque when the cover is off,cant hurt.Mark
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AMEN:burnout:
 
OK, I know it ain't an A-Body, but it'll be TOWING and A-Body, and some folks have been askin' for a few pix of the beast...so here ya go.

Wayno
Austin, TX
 

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Love the headlights! Im gonna get some of those for my valiant eventually. As for turn signals. I too say silverstar bulbs. they are amber and they are also much brighter than regular bulbs. i use them in the taillights on my 64 because with regular bulbs, you cant hardly see the brake lights during the day. BY GOD you can definitly see them with the Silverstars
 
I had a horrendous leak in my motor. It was smoking so bad it filled the cabin with smoke. It looked like the heads to me, but it was the valve covers. I have Mopar Performance aluminum covers that have no flex. After changing the gaskets twice I put a straight edge on the head surface and I could slide a penny under it. The OE stamped steel covers probably would flex and conform to the uneven surface but the aluminum can't. I ended up with a lot of silicone and a 24 hour curing period. They haven't leaked yet and I run 50-60 psi when driving. I am betting VC leak over a head leak.
 
Mopar to ya said:
I have Mopar Performance aluminum covers that have no flex. After changing the gaskets twice I put a straight edge on the head surface and I could slide a penny under it. The OE stamped steel covers probably would flex and conform to the uneven surface but the aluminum can't.
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I have been dealing with the same thing on the 383 in my Newport. It always leaked a bit at the rear with the factory steel valve covers. I switched to Crane aluminum covers a few years ago, but no help. I tried silicone gaskets a few months ago, since others claim the leaking is a heat issue. It then leaked terribly, dripping right on manifold and making my car a mosquito fogger. I found the gasket surface on the head wasn't flat, dropping about 1/8" at the rear (from a straight-edge). The rear is where the oil pools and there is flashing in the casting that blocks the drain valley. In trying tightening it more at the rear first, the rear corner snapped off when I tightened the front nuts.

After my 3rd or 4th pass this year (several in past years), the leak is tolerable with a rubber gasket and the aluminum cover (welded the corner back on). I still have the traditional slow seep at the rear but no more fogger. I found the real culprit (I think) in causing the fog was the oil fill cover. If you don't get it positioned just right, oil will seep by and run down the cover. I had to catch it in the act when I saw a few drops on top of the cover. That is an issue with after-market covers with no baffles to deflect the flinging oil.

For those who are rebuilding heads, I recommend asking the machine shop to mill the gasket surface flat, as in modern cars. Then you can use a stiff aluminum valve cover and silicone gasket. Also have them grind down the flashing in the casting so the oil can drain back freely. That is my plan.

Re can a head gasket cause an external oil leak? That was a major problem in the Chrysler 2.4L engine (Mitsubishi design?). Our Voyager started that just after the warranty at 39K miles and got unbearable by 95K. By then they had a fix in the Multi-Layer-Steel (MLS) gasket which became production ~2000. A strange head gasket leak. No cylinder or coolant problem, just oil from a passage to the outside.
 
I found the real culprit (I think) in causing the fog was the oil fill cover. If you don't get it positioned just right, oil will seep by and run down the cover. I had to catch it in the act when I saw a few drops on top of the cover.
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I double gasketed mine. It fits nice and tight now and no leaks. Sounds like we are brothers in leaking Mopars.
 
Wayno, thats a damn fine looking truck you have. those pie plate grilles are my favorite, hard to find them that straight. i love those old sweptlines. is that an old military truck? i know most of them were utiline (step) beds with slant sixes and crew cabs.
 
64Lucy said:
Love the headlights! Im gonna get some of those for my valiant eventually. As for turn signals. I too say silverstar bulbs. they are amber and they are also much brighter than regular bulbs. i use them in the taillights on my 64 because with regular bulbs, you cant hardly see the brake lights during the day. BY GOD you can definitly see them with the Silverstars
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Talk to slantsixdan fore you waste money on junk headlights. He can turn you on to some that actually WORK.
 
StrokerScamp said:
Talk to slantsixdan fore you waste money on junk headlights. He can turn you on to some that actually WORK.
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x2 chuck the dude i got the 1st cuda had them in his show bcuda and they didnt work any better then the ones u got in ur val i would talk to him b4 u get any thing :tard:
 
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