I've recently rebuilt and installed my spare engine for my 05 f-250 (302256 miles on original engine). After driving it to work (32 miles) I noticed a couple wet spots on the ground under it. After further inspection, I found it was oil leaking from the head gaskets at the back lower conners. Got it home and put it on the rack, cleaned the area of the oil and started the engine. With engine running I noticed the multi-layers of the gaskest were vibrating only in these two spots then oil started coming from the gasket. So got under the hood and pulled everything out of the way and removed the driverside valve cover and checked the studs for proper torque. They were all at 210 lb-ft except the lower rear stud (about 1/4" turn before reaching 210 lb-ft). This was checked multiple times prior to installing the valve covers during the rebuild/pre-installing in the truck. The layers did not seem to be vibrating anymore until the engine started getting up to temp. The leak did slow down. Has anyone encountered this issue after a rebuild? What may have gone wrong? Faulty gaskets? Did I miss something during the head install? A buddy helped install the heads so they could be lowered onto the block evenly and carefully. New Head torque and the 3 step sequenced followed. Initial start-up with ficm relay removed, watch scan gaugeII til ips reached above 500psi. Installed relay and started up after a seconds. Let engine come up to temp then took on a 10 mile trip. Will try to post pics/video when I put truck back on the rack. Sorry for the long thread but trying to include as much info as possible.

Thanks!

Rebuild List:
Heads milled 0.008"
Block milled 0.005"
Cylinders honed and mic'd (machinist inspected. well within specs, no boring needed)
Crank inspected and polished
Innovated Machine & Supply 0.020" spacer shims
Copper Gasket Adhesive between block and shim per manufacture specs.
Felpro MLS Head Gaskets 0,041"
ARP 2000 studs toqued 210 lb-ft
Mahle Gasket Set (no head gaskets)
Mahle std rings
Mahle/Clevite Cam, Crank and rod bearings
Low pressure oil pump
STC replaced with all metal parts
Stainless Steel screen for HPOP
IPR, crank and cam position sensors
Glow Plugs and Harness
Injector Harness
Water pump
Fan Clutch
Dummy plugs and down tubes
Ball Tubes
ARP Balancer Bolts
Exhuast manifold bolts and spacers
Melling hydraulic lifters

 

FelPro gaskets are 0.062", not 0.041", 0.010" thicker than stock to make up for light deck or head machining. I can't think of one person whom I talked to or read online that would recommend a shim or the copper spray with this motor. I personally don't see how a shim would achieve the sealing that is necessary. 0.008" is a lot to take off of these heads.

 

0.041" is what was listed as the thickness from one of the websites I came across while looking for the gaskets (did not purchase from this website). No thickness info was on the packaging. The shims were recommended by the machinest. There is a thread here somewhere I've read that shims were used. Have not been able to find it again though. Also found a website that highly recommends them if your heads and/or block have been machined and states they have had great results. I will post the link to the website once I locate it again. I know.......can't believe everything on the e-net! The oil is not leaking between the shim and block nor the shim and gasket. At best I can tell, it's not coming from between the head and gasket either. I did read in the tech folder "how to fix 6.0 oil leaks" of a post where this indicates a blown head gasket. I can't imagine the gaskets have blown with only 42 miles of running and not loading up the engine.
https://www.littlepowershop.com/6-0-...h-head-gasket/

 

I am still thinking on that head stud that far out of torque. 1/4 turn seems a lot. Are these leaks in that area? You could have done a bad torque sequence and the gasket give. Tightening it probably did slow the leak but the gasket is still compramised.

 

Yes, that is a lot of rotation.

Direct from FelPro Engineering, They not only confirmed it for me from the design specs. but pulled one out of inventory. I measured the ones I had too.





The only reason an automotive machinist would use a shim was if they were not going to, or could not, dress the top of the valve stems the exact same amount they removed from the head. Dressing the valve stem is done when you also dress the valves.

 

I definetely agree that the gaskets are compromised! We checked the final torque multiple times while engine was on the stand before installing the valve covers. Is it possible the heads may not have been setting firmly on the gasket when begining the torque sequence? That was the only stud that was not at proper torque. I've not check the passenger side yet. Will mostlikely wait til the cab is off to check it.

 

If the head wasn't sitting square and flat through 3 cycles of tightening and popped in place after running, I would assume more studs would be undertorqued.
But anything is possible.

 

We measured them with a set of dail calipers before installing and we did not get 0.062" but it was in the low 0.050"s. I'll measure them and post pictures. I'm not happy with machinist and would not be surprised at them not mentioning the need to dress the valves. Had to take block back to have it milled. It was in to bad of shape to put gaskets on! My freind that uses them all the time called and asked why they did not mention the block needed to be milled. They responded "no one mills these blocks they just put the gaskets and heads and not worry about it". They came highly recommended and suposedly the best in town.

 

Just throwing ideas around. Trying figure out if I did something wrong or I recieved a bad set of gaskets or whatever else may have caused it . Don't want a repeat of this issue! Will be purchasing another set of gaskets and a new torque wrench just in case it's the culprit!

 

Did they have the part number shown in the photo? Not a part I would measure with dial calipers.

 

I just pulled one of the two I have left and they measure at the OE stock thickness, 0.052". I don't have the earlier set I had. So something is going on.

This is going to turn into a S***storm.

 

Yes (Fel-Pro 26374PT). We have machinist where I work. Will see if I can borrow a mic to check them with.

 

Forgetting about if they are 0.052" or 0.062", all of the Powerstroke gaskets have sealant on both mating sides and in the inner layers of the laminate from all the gasket manufacturers. At an early stage, Jarod from Kill Devel recommended using the copper gasket spray but altered that stance. I know of no one since who has recommended it for a Powerstroke application. Or shims on a Powerstroke. It will be interesting to see who does, but they are used occasionally in gas engines, which has much lower combustion pressure.

The stock Ford gaskets I've measured are 0.052". I was surprised the Felpro were higher when they said they were.

 

Just a shot in the dark here. Besides all this good information, did you blow out each stud hole before installing the studs? Did you use a lot of oil or anything on the threads? You could have fluid in the block threads causing false torque values if you didn’t. (Edited)

 

That's a good point, Mac.