292 Heads leaking

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Dec 7, 2014 | 08:20 PM

skidoorulz

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Jan 2014

Posts: 1,541

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From: Billings Montana

292 Heads leaking

I rebuilt the 292 in the truck I am restoring and the heads have seeped anti freeze from the get go. I put some Blue devil in the system and it seemed to stop the seeping. Today I went out to the shop and looked under the truck and there were drops of anti freeze on the floor. I crawled under and sure enough the heads are seeping again. We have had 2 cold spells where the temp dipped to -15 and I am sure expansion and contraction has caused then to seep. Anyone have suggestions on a different set of head gaskets I can use to stop this problem??? I have retorqued the heads twice also. I did not use any sealer around the water ports when assembly was done but did copper coat the head gaskets. Have never rebuilt a Ford motor only have done Mopar, chevies, AMC's, John Deere and snowmobile engines and have never had this issue. HELP!!!!!!!

Dec 9, 2014 | 04:08 PM

charliemccraney

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2003

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Steel shim gaskets can leak if the surfaces are not almost perfectly flat. What type of gaskets are you using?
If you are using steel gaskets, try a set of composition gaskets, instead. Best Gasket are great, you can find Felpro locally.
Were the block and head deck surfaces milled or at least checked and found to be flat?
Could the leak originate from the intake flange and is dripping in a way that it appears to be the heads when it is not?

Dec 9, 2014 | 04:32 PM

1960fordf350

More Turbo

Joined: Feb 2010

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From: parma

did you put headbolts in right. The center headbolts are shorter than the ones on the end. I blew a headgasket on my 292 and it was that reason it did. Luckily guy didn't force the longer bolt in shorter hole causing rupture in the block. He had used block sealer also. It lasted about 3 years cause truck never got that hot. It blew when I got it hot coming back from a show with about 1,500lbs on the flatbed. Just changed the gaskets used fel-pro,, and its been good ever since.

Dec 9, 2014 | 05:36 PM

skidoorulz

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Jan 2014

Posts: 1,541

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From: Billings Montana

I used composition gaskets. I got the overhaul set from Felpro. The deck and head were not resurfaced but the machine shop checked for warping. It is not leaking on the intake side. It is in the exhaust side and looks to be coming out of all 4 areas where the water passages are in the block. I put the 2 long bolts in the holes that the Ford shop manual said they go. I do not remember which holes as this has been a 4 year project and motor was done almost 3 years ago.

Dec 9, 2014 | 07:49 PM

skidoorulz

Thread Starter

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Jan 2014

Posts: 1,541

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From: Billings Montana

Just read my shop manual and it says the 2 outside bolts are to be the longer ones. I take that as 1 on each end of the head in the valve spring row. I am absolutely sure it was done by the book.

Dec 9, 2014 | 08:24 PM

charliemccraney

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2003

Posts: 2,389

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It would not hurt to double check, given the circumstances.

Another possibility is that the bolts are simply worn out and are not keeping tension on the gasket.

If the deck is flat and you're using good gaskets, then it's probably not clamped together properly. Double check that all of the bolts are installed correctly and if they are, try a new set of bolts.