While dad and I have the front clip off, we decided to do one more torque of the headbolts. It’s the third round on the cast iron heads at 60lbs. We noticed yesterday we had a drip from the crossover exhaust pipe and today we pulled the pipe and the drivers side manifold. We are leaking coolant out of the center exhaust port.

My first thought is a cracked block but I realized later today that at least one head bolt goes into the middle exhaust port. Thoughts on the issue? I already have a line on another block but the chore of going through another rebuild is almost overwhelming. Spirits are down 😩

JB

 

One of the bolt holes into the crossover is a blind hole. If you shaved the heads too much, you could be bottoming that bolt, either cracking the passage or not getting a true torque reading.

Before you hit the panic button, not too uncommon for there to be a crack there, and frequently taken care of with any of a number of stop-leak products.

 

Nice cutaway and i concur with you on the panic button.
I never gave it thought but surfacing the head and block could easily alter the length of the bolt to bottom out, or just not torque properly

 

I can't take credit for the cutaway, an old timer on the HAMB who obviously has a big power bandsaw and a bunch of bad blocks cut them up 6 ways to Sunday. Very informative!

 

Cracking the block due to a long bolt makes me sick. I should have checked that more carefully. I am hoping it’s just a bad head gasket, it never has really sealed well and me continually torquing has probably disturbed the thread sealant. Getting another block lined up now in case I really did crack it like a numbskull.....not in good spirits

JB

 

What kind of head gasket did you use, composition or copper?

 

It’s a copper gasket, has always weeped since install.

JB

 

With copper gaskets the tacky spray a gasket Permatex sealant doesn‘t hurt. Did you use it?

 

Yes I used copper coat

JB