Think I blew a head gasket?

[Pronto]

Found it.

 

[Flyin Brian]

So I pulled the intake off so far and it looks like the gasket blew to the inside also. See picture. There was a little bit of RMI-25 visible in a few spots in the lifter valley so some coolant did get into the oil. I did not find any coolant at all in the oil when I drained it nor have I seen any coolant anywhere else besides in the lifter valley in the back corner near number 6. I kept the oil I drained from the filter in a glass beaker and there is no separation at all. Now the question is do I need to pull the motor out and tear it completely down?? I found nothing at all in the oil filter so would I not see material in the filter if I have a damaged bearing? I will probably pull the head off tomorrow after work.

 

[jasjamz]

Heads. You will pull both heads and replace both gaskets correct?
Did you notice any change in oil pressure after the incident?

 

[Flyin Brian]

Correct. I am planning on replacing both gaskets. I drove the car for a few minutes to get it home after the gasket blew. No decrease in oil pressure and the coolant temp did not increase. In looking at the log I noticed that after the gasket blew the knock sensor started registering some noise on the way home. That worries me some. Years ago I broke a main cap at the track and it registered on the knock sensor on the 30 mile drive home from the track. Did not find the broken cap until I tore it down. Many years ago my friend had a trans am with a blown head gasket that we drove for months before tearing it down. It formed such an emulsion that it looked like the valve covers were packed with brown mayonnaise. No bearing damage when we finally tore it down but that was a very long time ago when I was dumber. I hope that the knock signal on the way home was just due to the sound of the air escaping the cylinder.

 

[BEATAV8]

Tough call, but I think with the knock sensor talking its probably best to go through the whole thing.

 

[jasjamz]

If it has a girdle, yank the motor, pop the pan off and look at #6 bearing.
No girdle, yank the motor, pop the pan off and look at #6 bearing.
Or just replace the gaskets, say a prayer, and light foot it for a month after its done because you didn't ... yank the motor, pop the pan off and look at #6 bearing.

 

[Mike T]

So I pulled the intake off so far and it looks like the gasket blew to the inside also. See picture. There was a little bit of RMI-25 visible in a few spots in the lifter valley so some coolant did get into the oil. I did not find any coolant at all in the oil when I drained it nor have I seen any coolant anywhere else besides in the lifter valley in the back corner near number 6. I kept the oil I drained from the filter in a glass beaker and there is no separation at all. Now the question is do I need to pull the motor out and tear it completely down?? I found nothing at all in the oil filter so would I not see material in the filter if I have a damaged bearing? I will probably pull the head off tomorrow after work.View attachment 239537

Sorry if I missed it but why is the head surface so rusty by the water port ? If you just pulled the intake it looks like it wasn't sealing.

 

[Flyin Brian]

I was afraid you were going to say that. If I remove the rod caps one at a time to inspect and re-torque them it won't upset anything right? Same with the main caps or should I look at them at all?

 

[Flyin Brian]

Sorry if I missed it but why is the head surface so rusty by the water port ? If you just pulled the intake it looks like it wasn't sealing.

I am not sure why the rust is there around the port. Will have to look into that further.

 

[Mike T]

I am not sure why the rust is there around the port. Will have to look into that further.

If you look really close at the photo it looks like water was seeping all the way over to the intake port. The #6 intake port looks rusty just in front of the valve.

 

[Flyin Brian]

Could have been but all my intake ports look rusty. I think that is remaining from when I was running race gas that polluted my oil and rusted up the insides of my motor. My last re-build was a freshen up and the heads were not hot tanked so the rust may be remaining from that. Could be from the E85 as well.

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

I'm in the same boat as you right now. As much as I hate to I'm pulling the motor. I've already dropped the pan on mine and looked at the 3 main cap bearing and it's like new. I never milkshaked my motor and my head gasket failure is nothing compared to yours. I just have a leak around the water port by #6 cylinder. No firing ring failure.

I just want it on the stand so I can do the job better, not to say it can't be done in the car but I also want to make sure my intake lines up with the heads properly etc. I was fighting my intake too so the only way for me to do this right and be done with it is to pull it.

Good luck with the job and hopefully you didn't hurt the motor.

 

[Flyin Brian]

I'm in the same boat as you right now. As much as I hate to I'm pulling the motor. I've already dropped the pan on mine and looked at the 3 main cap bearing and it's like new. I never milkshaked my motor and my head gasket failure is nothing compared to yours. I just have a leak around the water port by #6 cylinder. No firing ring failure.

I just want it on the stand so I can do the job better, not to say it can't be done in the car but I also want to make sure my intake lines up with the heads properly etc. I was fighting my intake too so the only way for me to do this right and be done with it is to pull it.

Good luck with the job and hopefully you didn't hurt the motor.

Thanks,
By the time I remove everything needed to pull both heads with the motor in the car I am about 11 bolts and a couple of wires away from removing everything needed to pull the motor. I can borrow a hoist and I have a stand. Way easier to install heads and headers with the motor on the stand anyway. I guess I will be starting that process this week. I will tune for absolute zero knock in the future!

 

[BARRACUDA1968]

That's my plan this week too.

 

[jasjamz]

Which pumps are you using on your double pumper? Twin 340s flow a ton if you want to upgrade.

 

[Flyin Brian]

Which pumps are you using on your double pumper? Twin 340s flow a ton if you want to upgrade.

I believe I have the Racetronix G7X with dual 255's. Will probably want to go dual 340's when I go to 120 or 160 lb injectors someday.

 

[turbo89]

Thanks,
By the time I remove everything needed to pull both heads with the motor in the car I am about 11 bolts and a couple of wires away from removing everything needed to pull the motor. I can borrow a hoist and I have a stand. Way easier to install heads and headers with the motor on the stand anyway. I guess I will be starting that process this week. I will tune for absolute zero knock in the future!

Just remember .. KNOCK on E85 .. is WAY WAY different than KNOCK on 93

 

[Flyin Brian]

Ok, I got it out and apart. Number six definitely blew out in a few places. Everything else looked good. I did find a very small amount of water in the pan. I have only pulled off the number 6 rod cap so far. It really does not look too bad to me. Slight wear pattern but most of the motors I pull apart have seriously worn bearings so I don't know what a bearing with about 1000 miles on it should look like. I am going to take the bearing to my builder today if I can to see what he thinks. Bearings are Durabond I believe. There were no metal particles anywhere. Inside of pan and everything else has a bit of rust from my oil pollution issue on a previous build years ago. Question now is do I replace the rod bearings? Should I pull a main cap off? Attached pics of head, gasket, block deck, oil pan, rod cap side bearing, and rod side bearing.

 

[BEATAV8]

Get a straight edge and a feeler gauge and check the head and the deck for straightness. It's probably OK but best to check it.

Also look closely at injector #6 and see if there's anything in the filter basket. I would send the set to Chuck to get checked and cleaned make sure there's nothing funky going on.

 

[bison]

Those rod bearings should have been chamfered before install. The head surface isnt smooth enough for those gaskets. Definitely saw some unhappy combustion events looking at the insert in the connecting rod


BPE2013@hotmail.com