Can heads be retorqued after gasket leak?

[GNRick]

Engine builder installed Cometic head gaskets a couple years ago. After a few trips to the track, I brought the car to my regular mechanic for some non engine related work. He said my head gasket was leaking on pass. side and I should go back to engine builder. Since it is no longer under warranty, I would like to fix it cheap if possible. Could the head just be retorqued? He used ARP bolts, not studs. I had not retorqued it after the Cometics were installed. I asked the engine builder if they should have been retorqued at some point and he said no. So what are my options? Thanks!

 

[getchasum]

Is the gasket itself leaking or is it coming from around the stud? If it's coming from around the stud/s drop some GM sealent tabs in it and she should stop leaking, worked for me.

 

[GNRick]

Is the gasket itself leaking or is it coming from around the stud? If it's coming from around the stud/s drop some GM sealent tabs in it and she should stop leaking, worked for me.

That is exactly what the engine builder asked me. I didn't have the car with me when I went to talk to him. However, I did ask my regular mechanic and he said it was definitely the gasket. I've been too lazey to check it myself, but I trust his opinion.

 

[Phoneguy]

I was told to re-torque mine by loosening bolts one-at-a-time in the proper order and re-torque and then add sealant tabs. It was hell to get them to seal but they finally did. If I have to do it again, I will not be using Cometics gaskets. HTH
Bryan

 

[GNRick]

I was told to re-torque mine by loosening bolts one-at-a-time in the proper order and re-torque and then add sealant tabs. It was hell to get them to seal but they finally did. If I have to do it again, I will not be using Cometics gaskets. HTH
Bryan

Bryan- it sounds like I have the same problem you had. Were yours leaking? I guess I don't understand why I couldn't re-torque them, assuming they aren't blown. Any other opinions out there?

 

[Phoneguy]

Rick, mine were leaking at the outside edges of the block, nothing internal at all. I could drive the car, come home to park it and watch the water dripping out. Jack Cotton said to drive the car and heat cycle them. Get them hot, let them cool, get them hot... then re-torque. It took several heat cycles with the sealant in to get the leaks to stop. Major pain-in-the-butt. All seems to be ok now. Give Jack a call he is pretty cool to work with
I really don't think it is possible to blow a Cometic gasket but I could be wrong.
Bryan

 

[bison]

Rick, mine were leaking at the outside edges of the block, nothing internal at all. I could drive the car, come home to park it and watch the water dripping out. Jack Cotton said to drive the car and heat cycle them. Get them hot, let them cool, get them hot... then re-torque. It took several heat cycles with the sealant in to get the leaks to stop. Major pain-in-the-butt. All seems to be ok now. Give Jack a call he is pretty cool to work with
I really don't think it is possible to blow a Cometic gasket but I could be wrong.
Bryan

Id retorque when cold and add some GM coolant pellets. I always let the gaskets sit torqued overnight on the engine stand then re-torque next day. Then after running the car under low loads id let it cool over night and re-torque one more time. Ive seen cometics fail with the stock head bolt configuration. Never with the extra fasteners though.

 

[toofastforyou]

If the gasket is displaced (by too much boost), chances are that it won't return back to it's place and retorquing the head bolts won't do any good...It might work though if they leak at the stud...remove the stud, put some sealer and reinstall...It's possible that it'll solve the problem...

Claude :smile:

 

[TURBOV8R]

Would think back to way after 2 years what was different that it blew out now.Had similar problem once with a Small block but was soon after a rebuild,heat cycling works well or reseal the studs as mentioned b-4. As a side note though some manufacterers don't suggest re-torques,sometimes it don't hurt to double check.

 

[ChavoLC2]

If it works why not

It's worth a try why not . AND If it works don't fix it! You might get lucky and not have to pull head. You'll be able to get a little more torque by tightning after heat cycling, I'd tighten the head bolts while still warm.

 

[GNVYUS 1]

I'm having a similar issue with my Turbo Talon, cylinder compression is all the same yet the back of the block leaks especially after boosting. I am going to retorque first and see what happens, if anything it will cure it, if not, time to swap gaskets.

 

[SMS]

Here is one success story! Good luck.

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/ge...sion-blowing-out-head-need-advice-please.html

 

[GNRick]

Here is one success story! Good luck.

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/ge...sion-blowing-out-head-need-advice-please.html

Thanks! I printed it out and will show it to the engine builder who installed the Cometics.

 

[gbsean]

cometics require everything to be perfect flat...make sure heads and deck were done