head stud leak

[billmccandless]

just finished installing the newly rebuilt motor into my wife's 86 gn.
i used ARP head studs and assembled the motor with the utmost care and attention to detail. i used Permatex thread sealer with teflon on the studs into clean threads.
Saturday i ran the motor for about 30 min at a fast idle before driving any distance (no leaks).
ran the motor another 30 min on sunday (again no leaks).
tonight i got home from work fired, it up let it warm up, drove it up and down the street a time or two and then backed it into the garage for some prettying up work.
30 minutes later there were TWO puddles under the car, from head studs it seems.
what are my options now????
yank the motor or just remove the studs and reseal them?
glad to be part of this board. can't contribute much but enjoy learning new stuff about a car i bought new just didn't really take care of.

 

[6PacktoGo]

Rather than attempt to rewrite an old post on this, I'll just advise you to do a search in this forum for the many posts I've done regarding head bolts, head stud, and head gaskets. There must be half a dozen.

I will tell you this: using teflon sealer on the studs won't work, they need to be installed with 271 RED Loctite. Again, all of the instructions should be found easily by doing a search of this forum for the subjects above.

Welcome to the boards, and I hope you enjoy the car, the boards, and the community.

 

[EightSecV6]

Not to discount what Alan said but we have had great success using Teflon sealer on studs.????????????? If you have a couple that are seeping, pick up some of the GM sealant tabs for aluminum heads at your local dealer and put them in the radiator, your problem will be over.

 

[HellOnWheels]

Leaking studs

Bill,

Just got finishing a rebuild on my 87 using ARP head studs, and for the first time I got talked into re-torquing the studs and for the first time I got coolant seepage around the studs!! Do it the easy way, get some of the GM sealant tablets toss 3-4 of the tabs into the radiator and go for a 5-10 drive...no more seepage. The worst part for me was having to "band-aid" the problem as opposed to pulling the engine and doing it all over again. You can bet your bippy I won't re-torque the next time!

Good luck,
HellOnWheels

 

[billmccandless]

you are the third person in the last two hours to recomend the tablets. might give them a try. still need to retorque the heads tho. just my preferance.

 

[billmccandless]

well Hell you're the fourth!!!

 

[Nick Micale]

Like Bill, I use teflon sealer or the GM brush-on sealer and have no problems with studs or bolts. Every head gasket job get the GM sealer pellets before start-up.

On street-driven stock head gaskets, we usually do re-torque with the engine on the stand after 24 hours. With the steel ones, it is a must after a heat cycle as well.

Jerry, yours is the only re-torque leaking I have heard about. Maybe it since the pellets were not installed initally................?

 

[HellOnWheels]

head stud leak

Nick,

You are right about the GM tabs they are working. This is the first set of head gaskets that I've installed that leaked they are a lso the first set that I've re-torqued. Thank God for GM tablets:>).
The thread sealant that I used is the Permatex non-hardening type and I've never had a leakage problem...until now.



HellOnWheels