She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

[krisnowicki]

I got it all dressed up, except I cant find the crank pulley and the fuel pump crapped the bed. Now i hope you can see in the pics... by the last head bolt on the port side of the engine there is a tiny ( i mean one drop evey hour) leak of antifreeze.

What would cause this? leaking head gasket? bad decking ?

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

no thread sealer?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

You always need thread sealer on the head bolts or they leak.

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

i just got the long block. I pulled the bolt, after talking to the builder it was very lightly coated wit red permatex. I recoated it with some sealer and bolted. I will let the threads sealer seat then fill it up in the am

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

Good luck.... That or bumped gasket on the install.. Get liberal with the sticky stuff

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

Well I got the engine off ebay, the engine has good compression all around just this little leak. I am guess crinkle in the gasket as I tried resealing the bolt yesterday... Builder said I can return or he will ship a new head gasket down. I am conlficted... I would hate to do all this work only to find out the head isnt level

 

[paw2000]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

Hi was the motor complete with heads when you got it? Reason I ask that, the head bolts look worn, also they are the old style 5/8's size head. Usually head bolts don't get reused, and if this is a vortec style the bolts are 1 time use.

I usually use non hardening permatex number 2 on water jacket head bolts, silicon sealer doesn't work with heads well. Also what was the torque on that bolt? You said it might be bad decking, did the motor go thru a rebuild?

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

engine came complete. Heads bolted on. It went through a rebuild by a machine shop. Heads were complete rebuilt, the crank was 10 under and block 30 over. he said he would give me some cash to swap out the head gasket and if that didnt work he would refund my money and have it shipped back.

I used permatex ultra black, there is no other leak I would have to think there is a kink or something in head gasket. I hope this isnt an unlevel head.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

Dang was it some kind of great deal or something? If you feel like pulling the head and all the work that comes with it.. Looks like the route you are going to have to go with.. If it still leaks, something is cracked.. When you pull the head you can check to see if it is warped.. Bet ya a dollar it's not.

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

If it still leaks, something is cracked.. When you pull the head you can check to see if it is warped.. Bet ya a dollar it's not.

what makes you say that?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

I would remove another bolt to double check.sillycone ,even Permatex should not be used on any head bolts. The coolant can migrate up the threads into the valve coves or leak from the lower head bolts. I use Permatex Aviation liquid available at most good auto parts stores.

 

[paw2000]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

what year is the motor? If the builder is offering head gaskets, ask also for intake as you might as well pull the heads. If you are like me, you are not sleeping well thinking about that leak. Best to pull the head, chase the threads, and reassemble. Better now then in the boat. Also you will be able to spot any potential issues.

If you pull the heads, you can see if the block had machine work done. I would replace the head bolts, new style bolts head 1/2 heads and some have washers under them. My vortec 350 used 1 time use bolts, had to use a special tool to accurately tighten to specs. Head bolt sets are not expensive and then you know everything is good. The bolt in question could have worn threads, or the block cracked at the bolt hole.

A machine shop can check you heads for flatness.

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

this engine is clearly freshly machined... I am going to take the head off I didn't think of changing the bolt, maybe I will try that first before removing the head. But worst case I will change the gasket and bolts the builder offered to pay for everything.

We will see I mean the leak looks to be coming directly from the bolt hole

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

what makes you say that?

Well it may not be... Marine engines seem to exposed to cracking cause of raw water and freezing weather.. I would think the engine builder woulda checked the head for warpage.. I always used the same fella for my machine work so I trusted him and never had a problem.. As far as him messing up a gasket during install.. I have done it.. expensive mistake...

Replace the bolt and see if ya can seal her up... A easy fix is always possible.. Like said above.. clean your treads.. Good luck

? Did you ask for a bored engine or was it what he had???

 

[scoflaw]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

Why would you be so concerned about 1 drop an hour? If it runs good. Unless you really like taking things apart. A couple of tablespoons of silverseal works wonders. I fixed an old motor with that stuff. The external crack in the head was leaking almost as fast as I could pour the water into it.The container claimed it doesn't plug radiators either. 1 drop an hour might just stop on its own.

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

one drop an hour matters to me. I fish 40-60 miles off with 3 -4 other souls aboard I am paraniod,to say the least about maitenance So I will do what ever it takes to stop the leak... I willl get a new head bolt

 

[wallerus]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

Any coolant leak will get worse when the engine is warm.
Pull the head and see what going on in there.
The large head bolts from the older engines can be re-used.
The head bolts on a smallblock chevy must be sealed. When I build one I seal all bolt holes that are exposed the coolant. I.E. waterpump bolts.
Use liquid plumbers dope or loctite 560 (I think) teflon thread sealant.
Run a thread chaser thru all the bolt holes.
Clean the bolts on a wire wheel or replace. Using a thread chaser on a head bolt will usually damage it (due to the stretch).

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

Just letting it go isn't the way.Remove and use sealer.Check the condition against a new bolt.
I've seen bolts used in the marine industry with the ends eaten off from corrosion.
The bolts torqued right? J

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

What pressure rating radiator cap are you using???

Just curious.........

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: She all dressed up... now the worlds smallest A/F leak.

The black Permatex is Not the correct sealer. Use the white Permatex thread sealant that comes in the small tube.
I have some in the shop but don't remember what number it is.
It is in a very small tube and is designed to do exactly what you are looking for.

Here it is.....
http://www.google.com/products/cata...log_result&ct=image&resnum=8&ved=0CEUQ8gIwBw#