Pushrods Making Contact with Headgaskets

[GNDriven]

Has anybody ran into this..

I am working on a friends Buick. I was going to replace the intake gasket, for it was leaking coolant, when I found the pushrods are rubbing the headgasket on both sides. One on the pushrods has a mark were it was spun, showing were it is making contact. A portion of the headgasket is flexed down a little I think from the movement of the pushrods.I believe the headgaskets are Cometic. Has anyone ran into this? Is this a real concern?

I wonder if I should change the headgaskets, but I not sure the next pair of Cometics will do the same. This is a stroke motor does not have many miles on it, but I have put a few hard passes on it.

Thanks

 

[turbo nasty]

That looks like SCE copper headgaskets and just trim it with some aviation snips to clear the Pushrods.
Have you verified valvetip geometry and clearance on the pushrod holes in the heads as well?

Was it a factory intake thats ported?

 

[GNDriven]

Hey...

Yea this is a ported stock intake, I am pretty sure from Champion. SCE huh? Do they make a gasket that fits a oversize valves? How can you tale? As for the heads they clear just fine. This car has been running for 6 months. Do you think I should change them?

 

[GNDriven]

It would be cool if I can just trim the gasket

 

[turbo nasty]

How do you know the intake was causing the milky oil?


Pretty sure SCE is the only company that makes Copper HG for the LC2.

Has the heads been retorqued?

 

[GNDriven]

Found the part of the intake that was leaking. I also did a compression test and found no leaking cylinder, which gave me some confidence the headgaskets MIGHT be ok. I know it could still be compromised from a water jacket, but there was solid proof the intake was leaking.

 

[GNDriven]

Yea I thought Cometic for thats what he said was installed. But your right, I do not see any layers in the copper. So I am guessing the best thing to do here is change them to Cometics huh?

 

[GNDriven]

I am going to call SCE

 

[GNDriven]

Anyone seen this before?

 

[turbo nasty]

If it was a screwed up intake for sure then replace it, probably a 1200 felpro will do but the valley pan style port matched to the intake and heads will keep the oil splash off the intake .....do a retorque on the headbolts just to be sure and roll.

Thast what I would do. Oh yeah and trim the HG too. Make sure his alky pump is PERFECT no vanderley Methanol aka pumpkilla

 

[GNDriven]

I am going to call weber tomorrow, and see what they say about the uneven head studs also. Some of the head studs were flushed with the top of the head nut (no threads sticking out of the jam nut). I am concerned about this as well

 

[WSLN 6]

I had the same pushrod /gasket issues with Cometics last season.

 

[EVIL]

unless the pushrods are also touching the intake i can't see how the intake is the cause of this!

D

 

[GNDriven]

OH no the intake is not the cause. I pulled the intake because there was water in the oil. I was cleaning the surfaces of the heads and noticed the headgaskets were making contact with the pushrods. I spoke with a SCE rep who was knowledgeable with the Champion heads and Buicks in general and he said the gasket, he is going to pass the info to the engineering department t make notches.

 

[novaderrik]

trim the gaskets. it's not a sealing area.