So, I'm not sure what to do, pull the head back off? Or? I'm gonna go to the junkyard and look at the one inline 6 they got that they say is new, if nothing else ill get the wiring and distributor. I'm gonna grow worst case, block is cracked and or head.

 

Unlikely it is the block. Much more likely the head. You obviously have a leak, so unless you can find that it is from the thermostat housing or radiator hose connection and running back onto the side cover then you will have to pull the head.

 

I'm just a bystander here, but here is what I would do if I had your problem and had received all the good advice that you've gotten:

1. I'd fix that head gasket first and foremost. Between the visible coolant leak you've got and the fact that your issues started after you changed the head gasket, that's almost certainly a major component of your problems. If I had any question about the condition of the head I'd get it checked, but otherwise I would just redo the gasket job from the beginning, paying very close attention to the installation process from cleaning the mating surfaces to the proper tightening order and torque values for the bolts. If it leaked again I'd get the head checked out regardless.

2. Regardless of whether step #1 fixes the immediate problem, I would complete the Duraspark conversion process. Not only might it improve the performance of your truck (it may be running like crap even without the current issues and you just don't realize it, because it's always been that way for you), but it will put your truck into a recognizable, standard configuration. That will not only make it easier for you to troubleshoot problems down the line, it will also make it easier for others to help you as well.

Anyway, that's my two cents. Good luck however you approach it.

 

Reps for that Matthew!

 

I guess i'll do the dreaded task of pulling the head... As much as I hate too

 

Yup, gotta be done. Assuming you've checked and it isn't the thermostat housing or a radiator or heater hose then it must be either the head gasket or the head itself. If you did a good job replacing the head gasket then we are down to the head being either warped or cracked. Pull it and have it checked.

 

It's coming from the head, I may have installed the gasket wrong, I didn't do the proper torque order, I don't know if that has an affect on it or not, but I used a feldpro gasket. I'll pull it off inspect it for cracks and warping, it's possible I didn't clean the surface enough when I installed it. This would be my first attempt at it, so I probably messed it up. I'll try again. If the gaskets still good, can I reuse it? I've done it on lawn mowers, worked great.

 

99% of lawnmower engines don't have coolant going through the heads and gasket. You're wasting your time trying to re use a head gasket on an car engine.

 

If you didn't originally send the head out to be resurfaced and magnafluxed (checked for cracks) you pretty much need to pull the head, send it out, Scotch-Brite the block mating surface and use a new gasket. Anything else is pissing in the wind... ~Bill

 

X10! Please don't reuse the gasket. You are only going to have more woe and probably no one will be willing to help you.

In fact, let's just get this done once and for all: The only gasket that should be reused is the air cleaner gasket, although sometimes I reuse a carb base gasket. Beyond that, don't ask - just replace it.

 

lol, I wont reuse, it but I just had a guy time it for me, seems to run ok, idk, It still seems to be a lil rough. but it dosen't backfire, as of now, I stuck the b***h to the floor, revved up decently fast, no hesitating. and no backfires. and he told the head needs time to seal, it hasn't really been ran enough to seal it. He said to wait 50 miles or so of driving, idk if thats true, but its been drove a mile in total, maybe after the change. so I think i''ll just finish the truck, paint and reassemble, ect. drive it a lil while, see what happens. Then if it still is losing coolant out the head, OFF WITH THY HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (lol)

 

Scotch brite the mating surfaces on an open engine? better hope nobody tries that and gets scotch brite fibers down between the pistons.

 

Why not? Been doing it for 30+ years with not one issue...does it really need to be said to stuff a rag in the bore or valley any time you work on an open engine? ~Bill

 

The head should not be leaking from Day 1, there is no time needed for it to seal. I agree with the others, remove it, have it checked, and do it again correctly.

The tightening sequence is specified for a reason - you want to apply pressure as evenly across the head as possible, and the criss-cross sequence & staged approach accomplishes that... you do them all in 3 stages, e.g. Stage 1 to 50 lbs, Stage 2 to 65 lbs, Stage 3 to 85 lbs. (or whatever the torque specs are, I'm giving those numbers as illustrative examples only, look in the book for the real numbers).

 

On a single cylinder Briggs it isn't crucial what order is used to tighten the head bolts. But on a head as long as the 300 has it is major. MAJOR. Worst possible would be to tighten the ends and work to the middle, at which point it would be impossible to get the middle cylinders to seal. So, what order did you use?