Cometic head gasket installed now leaking water/oil

[TTipe]

I have GN1's. I took the cometics apart, cleaned them off and applied Hylomar to all surfaces (shims & bladders). I also chased the bolt holes and used Permatex high temp sealer on the studs. I was going to go with steel shim gaskets however there was a concern about galvanism and scratching the deck surface of the heads. I should fire this engine in a couple of weeks. Hopefully it does not leak.

 

[Chris McDade]

My water leak stopped. I fired the car up again tonight. But, I do have oil leaking onto crossover pipe. Any suggestion for oil leak. It's definitely coming from the head gaskets.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[vacuum 6]

If you're not seeing the dipstick lower I wouldn't worry about it. If you're not leaking oil you're not making HP.

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

My water leak stopped. I fired the car up again tonight. But, I do have oil leaking onto crossover pipe. Any suggestion for oil leak. It's definitely coming from the head gaskets.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

I hate to tell you but probably not. I've retorqued twice. Made sure it wasn't the intake etc. Mine still leak. I did get it to quit on one side of the motor by smearing the right stuff down the head gasket from the intake. I did that to the other side and it just stayed behind the sealer and eventually found its way out. I'm pulling my motor and pitching the cometics. I know guys make them work and I use them on a different motor with no issues but it's too much messing around if they leak again. Going to use felpro and be done with it. Good luck. I fought the oil leak all summer and decided to give up.

 

[Chris McDade]

Well oil leak is still there. Water leak gone. I'm gonna live with the leak for now. I will take it to the track before I pull the heads again.

I'm pretty sure I'm done running these gaskets. I will go back to RJC.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

I'm in the same boat. I made it to the 1/8th mile track once this year and planned to run the 1/4 before the track closed but didn't make it. I'm going to pull mine this winter and either try the RJC's or Felpro. I ate a crank seal already too so not sure what's going on at only 1500 miles??

I will say that after making about 5 passes at the track my oil leak slowed down. Not sure why but may have put a little more heat in the motor and cured the copper spray some??? Dunno but it still leaks. Drove it yesterday and smelling oil at stop lights drives me nuts. It's a shame too because it's running strong at 22 psi and the tune is pretty good. I had been running 18 psi and decided to turn it up some. I also installed a boost controller and now if I lay it to it at 25 mph it will blow my drag radials off all the way through second gear and opens up my sunroof shade.

Don't remember if you used the copper spray or not but maybe just drive the thing for a while and see what happens. Try a re-torque and put some heat in the motor. Maybe go to a hotter thermostat for a while and put some boost in it. I did a LOT of research in this cometic issue and one guy had his motor seal up after about 1200 miles. I tried it with mine and like I said I slowed it down based on the oil spots under the car but I didn't get as lucky. Another guy said he almost got his stopped by adding Lucas oil stop leak. I didn't want to try that fearing it would lead to other issues. My rear main seal doesn't leak so I was worried about that stuff swelling up seals that weren't leaking and causing them to fail eventually.

Good luck with it and hopefully some miles and a re-torque will help you out.

 

[turbo nasty]

Never seen cometics that dont seep oil on a tr

 

[vacuum 6]

If you're using open breathers and/or no PCV that's most likely the oil smell.

 

[turbo89]

Never seen cometics that dont seep oil on a tr

They aren't all people make them out to be .. I don't know what the craze is ... the graphite OEM type has gone low 9's easily without issue .. in the 10 second zone the
GM graphites work perfect ... a lot in the torque methodology .

 

[turbo nasty]

I for one am not a fan of all the graphite and grit that blows into the engine with a factory style gasket tho. Some look at it like a fuse....yeah maybe but if you have a slight blemish in your tune...pop there goes the gasket where as a cometic will not blow and in that instance it may have not hurt a thing (knock usually beats up the rod bearings for starters) in the bottom end where a factory style gasket well...its a mess..
I don't mean knocking popping and pinging holding mega lean holding it on the floor for a 1/8th or something. At elevated boost levels the factory gaskets aren't very forgiving. Yes yes I know keep your tune in check IMO a more race and beat on TR needs cometics.

 

[vacuum 6]

It's a hard call. Maybe run graphites at lower boost levels < 25?

 

[TurboBuRick]

There is always someone in the 9's with a stock crank and graphite head gaskets. We all cracked and blew that shit years ago.

There is not a more durable head gasket than mls. RJC's are good too. Both have been proven to perform but you will be retorquing them as well. The adhesive has it's pro's and con's.

 

[Chris McDade]

A little update. I have about 100 miles on the car now. I've made a few street passes with it @ 24psi. Car is running strong. No water leak now. Oil leak has slowed way down. I guess I will live with the small leak. Oh, no retorque yet.

Going to the track in a couple of weeks. I will let you know how she does. Thanks

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

Good to hear. Get a re-torque done asap and put some heat in the motor.

Mine slowed down a lot too but my leak is not livable. Softball size puddle everywhere I park.

Good luck I hope you get it sealed up.