Weeping head studs

[Rudolph]

I had my 1942 Mercury rebult by a well-known shop but it leaked water from the head studs, wile re torquing the head i removed each stud one by one and applied a cylinder head stud sealer to the threads, I ran the engine on water for a couple of months but now I have Castrol antifreeze it weeps ever so slightly around a few of them when the engine is cold, no bubbles in the radiator or oil, no water in the oil, has Best Gastkets head gaskets should I ignore it? Or put some poo in the raidator?

[Rudolph]

Actually its weeping all round the gasket

[Rudolph]

I am going to replace the gaskets and give them some head gasket spray, i cannot get them off tho because of the thread sealer on the studs

[Flathead Fever]

If they ran the wrong tap into the block's stud holes, they might have messed up the interference fit threads, The original studs and block threads are an interference fit. The threads are slightly different between the studs and the block, that is what originally made them seal. That happened to me on the first flathead I did and that happened to a neighbor too. Even with the old standby, Permatex non-hardening sealer they leaked. I finally cleaned the holes and the studs really well and put them in with blue Loctite and that sealed the threads. It should not hurt anything since the blue Loctite is made to be removed. Never use the red on anything unless you want to heat it with a torch to break the seal. It is not made to be taken a part.

[3Dueces]

Gee Whizz! It would'nt happen to be from that shop in California?

[Tim Ayers]

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It happens. My new flathead is doing it to. I'd run it a few heat cycle and torque the heads to see if it stops.


If it doesn't, I'm going to run some sodium silicate in the system to help seal things up.

[Rudolph]

I couldn't find any head studs and the shop made some, i put locktite high temperature thread sealer on them but they still leaked, another shop sed put high temperature gasket maker on them, he dose it with the Chevrolet engines

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

I had my 1942 Mercury rebult by a well-known shop but it leaked water from the head studs, wile re torquing the head i removed each stud one by one and applied a cylinder head stud sealer to the threads, I ran the engine on water for a couple of months but now I have Castrol antifreeze it weeps ever so slightly around a few of them when the engine is cold, no bubbles in the radiator or oil, no water in the oil, has Best Gastkets head gaskets should I ignore it? Or put some poo in the raidator?

I can tell you what works on a 300 hp flathead circle track
engine and I am quite sure it will work on a street engine.
I lost track of how many engines I have built but I have never had a
weeping stud or weeping gasket.

1 - Use a copper head gasket. Spray both sides with aluminum
paint just before assembly and let paint dry 5 minutes
before installing.
2 - Chase the block threads with a STANDARD tap. Be sure the
hole is ABSOLUTELY clean before assembly. Chase the threads
on both ends of the studs with a standard die nut, EVEN IF THEY
ARE NEW STUDS.
3 - Check each stud to see that it will screw in BY HAND to the
bottom of the hole.
4 - Roll the studs on a flat surface to see that they are not bent.
5 - Take the first stud and generously apply black high temperature
RTV ( NO SUBSTITUTES) to the block thread and screw it in by hand till
till it bottoms. Then, back it up 1/2 turn. Wipe off any excess RTV
around the base of the stud.
6 - Repeat for the rest of the studs.
7 - LET THE BLOCK SIT FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE PROCEEDING.
8 - Check the gaskets against BOTH the block and the heads to be sure
there is NO overhang anywhere. The fire ring must end up between two
hard surfaces.
9 - Wipe the fine thread on the studs with an oiled piece of cotton.
DO NOT GET OIL ON ANY OF THE GASKET SURFACES!
10 - Install the gasket and the head. Install a 1/8 thick HARD machine
washer on each stud. Use washers even on cast iron heads.
11 - Install hard high nuts and run down snug. Torque head using standard
sequence in 20 lb increments to 60 ft.lb.
12 - Retorque heads after each heat cycle till no further gain.

[Rudolph]

I will give that a go, I got some Worth high temp black silicon and some VHT head gasket spray, block and heads have been decked studs are new but i need to clean them, I damaged the gaskets so need to get new ones, i hope i can do that tomorrow

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

I will give that a go, I got some Worth high temp black silicon and some VHT head gasket spray, block and heads have been decked studs are new but i need to clean them, I damaged the gaskets so need to get new ones, i hope i can do that tomorrow

Forget the "head gasket spray".
Use the paint. Besides all else, it is cheaper.

[Rudolph]

This is the only engine that i haven't used spray on the gaskets and its the 1st one to give trouble

[Phil Gillespie]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

This is the only engine that i haven't used spray on the gaskets and its the 1st one to give trouble

Copper or composite head gaskets????
Composite are a one off and will delaminate when head is removed.
Phil NZ

[19Fordy]

Use a thread chaser, NOT a STANDARD TAP.
Read all this, especially the section about:
TAP LIMITS PRODUCT LIMITS AND CLASS OF THEREAD.
https://www.newmantools.com/taps/taptech.htm#cla

[Rudolph]

The engine was only built a few months ago, threads are really clean, i was able to screw all the studs in my hand, they have Worth silicon on them now

[Flathead Fever]

Originally Posted by Phil Gillespie

Copper or composite head gaskets????
Composite are a one off and will delaminate when head is removed.
Phil NZ

The thig about copper gaskets on a street engine that will be assembled for years is the electrolysis between the copper gaskets and the aluminum heads. Modern Factory engines with aluminum heads use composite gaskets for that reason and they can last 300,000 miles. Also the aluminum heads and cast iron blocks have different expansion rates that the composite gaskets are designed to handle. On a race engine use copper gaskets to handle the high cylinder pressure and on a street engine use the Felpro composites. They come with a sealer on them that activates when they get hot. Edelbrock recommends the Felpros with their new heads. We used them at work on the modern cars with aluminum heads. Look at the old aluminum heads that ran copper gaskets and they are eaten out around the coolant passages. Look at a modern engine with aluminum heads and composites gaskets with over 100,000 miles on them and there will be no sign of corrosion at all.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Flathead Fever

The thig about copper gaskets on a street engine that will be assembled for years is the electrolysis between the copper gaskets and the aluminum heads. Modern Factory engines with aluminum heads use composite gaskets for that reason and they can last 300,000 miles. Also the aluminum heads and cast iron blocks have different expansion rates that the composite gaskets are designed to handle. On a race engine use copper gaskets to handle the high cylinder pressure and on a street engine use the Felpro composites. They come with a sealer on them that activates when they get hot. Edelbrock recommends the Felpros with their new heads. We used them at work on the modern cars with aluminum heads. Look at the old aluminum heads that ran copper gaskets and they are eaten out around the coolant passages. Look at a modern engine with aluminum heads and composites gaskets with over 100,000 miles on them and there will be no sign of corrosion at all.

Engines that were run with plain tap water will have corosion.
Engines with proper COOLANT will have NO corosion.

[Tinker]

You could run anti-sieve on the threads will do the same thing and less issues. Over time you will be able to remove them too. Torque and run it.



If you are getting no coolant in the oil and compression numbers are solid. Let it ride. Run it. Could be they chased the block with straight taps vs rolled. Over time they will gum up.

I'm assuming they are weeping not pouring out coolant.

I like the spray vht and/or copper spray for gaskets. Fine coat and less mess then a glob of rvt.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by Flathead Fever

The thig about copper gaskets on a street engine that will be assembled for years is the electrolysis between the copper gaskets and the aluminum heads. Modern Factory engines with aluminum heads use composite gaskets for that reason and they can last 300,000 miles. Also the aluminum heads and cast iron blocks have different expansion rates that the composite gaskets are designed to handle. On a race engine use copper gaskets to handle the high cylinder pressure and on a street engine use the Felpro composites. They come with a sealer on them that activates when they get hot. Edelbrock recommends the Felpros with their new heads. We used them at work on the modern cars with aluminum heads. Look at the old aluminum heads that ran copper gaskets and they are eaten out around the coolant passages. Look at a modern engine with aluminum heads and composites gaskets with over 100,000 miles on them and there will be no sign of corrosion at all.

Ya my thought process has been copper spray for headgaskets. Composite mostly because they are very good. Always with aluminum heads. Copper gaskets only with iron heads. But I've never experienced ill effects other wise, as I'm always messing with things.

[Rudolph]

I just have normal ford truck heads on the Mercury, I got a new set of the best gasket copper fiber type.


I put copper spray on the gaskets of my 1938 motor and that ran antifreeze for meany miles with no problems. Those heads settled down on about the 3rd re torque.

[Ronnieroadster]

Pete excellent description on how to do this. Simple and effective.
Thanks for the info.

[Rudolph]

Its back together now and all torqued down, silicon on the UNC threads and copper spray on copper compensate gaskets, I spent alot of time making sure everything was right, I will let is sit for a few days then heat cycle it and re do the nuts will using just water, have to drain the water each night as its winter here now

[Rudolph]

Did the 2nd heat cycle and re torque and got a few more degrees out of the nuts but felt more solid, I will go for a drive and give it a 3rd re torque

[Rudolph]

https://youtube.com/shorts/WTKDkhmV--0?feature=share

[Rudolph]

I have fitted the 2nd set of best gaskets head gaskets with copper spray but water is percolating through the gasket inbtween the copper and fiber. Its really pissing me off

[koates]

Maybe the heads or the top of the engine block is not flat. Pull the heads again and test with a metal straight edge. Only do your re torqing of the head nuts after the engine has completely cooled, never whilst hot. Otherwise use some radiator stop leak in the coolant for a try first. Regards, Kevin.

[Bored&Stroked]

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If you continue to have some weeping, use some 'Ceramic Seal' from Moroso and follow the instructions to the letter - works great to seal up things like this. Another term for it is 'water glass' - and you can lookup some posts related to it on the Barn.

[Hughes Automotive]

If you are losing just a few drops I would just put some stop leak in it.

[Flathead Fever]

Originally Posted by Pete

Engines that were run with plain tap water will have corosion.
Engines with proper COOLANT will have NO corosion.

I remember seeing an early 1930s Prestone ad and a gallon of antifreeze was big bucks back then. If you lived where it didn't freeze, I bet most people didn't spend the extra money. I have 24 blocks out in the garage and every one of them look like they ran water only at one time. I have never seen one that looked like somebody properly maintained the cooling system The coolant passages are the first thing I look at when buying flathead blocks. If they have pits in the block behind the water pumps, they will have pits on the backsides of the cylinders. When you bore them, you risk running into one of those deep pits.

I still see people running straight water in vintage engines??? You never see used aluminum heads that are not eaten by electrolysis because people ran copper gaskets and no antifreeze. Brake fluid and the "green" coolant should be changed every two-years but hardly anybody does it. Even me, and I was ASE Master mechanic for 30-years.

[tubman]

Re : Brake fluid (DOT3/4) life. I always wondered about this, and after some research, found out moisture absorption is the main contaminant of these fluids. It seems that as long as the moisture level in the fluid is below a certain level, the fluid is OK. Because of this, I bought a brake fluid moisture level meter that measures water content. I have used this for the last 15 or so years and have found that the brake fluid in cars used such as these (decent storage, reasonable usage etc.), stays well below the minimum moisture level for about 10 years. So, rather than changing the brake fluid at some set interval, I test my cars every spring before the season and flush and refill those that start to approach the minimum level. In my opinion, every two years is way overkill, so FF, you can rest assured that you are OK.

[corvette8n]

I didn’t even know a brake fluid moisture meter even existed, what does it look like and which brand works the best.?

[tubman]

Originally Posted by corvette8n

I didn’t even know a brake fluid moisture meter even existed, what does it look like and which brand works the best.?

I got mine from Amazon. It is no longer available. However, this one is similar and can test DOT5 as well as conventional DOT3/4 (the one I have doesn't).

https://www.amazon.com/Qiilu-Digital...792M3HJY&psc=1

[corvette8n]

Originally Posted by tubman

I got mine from Amazon. It is no longer available. However, this one is similar and can test DOT5 as well as conventional DOT3/4 (the one I have doesn't).

https://www.amazon.com/Qiilu-Digital...792M3HJY&psc=1

Thanks I added it to my Amazon wish list, my daughter asked for my Christmas list today.

[Rudolph]

I got some ABRO super seal, its an American made product with sodium silicate with fine copper in it, its a very small bottle and it sed after 15 mins running drain it out. It seems to have sorted it.

All the engine shops sed they run a sealer in a rebult side valve, one shop sed they ran a sealer in anything old.

[Ol' Ron]

Pete, is that 300 HP flathead blown or nitro?? Can't find the aluminum paint around here anymore, It doesn't have aluminum in it anymore!! I never had this kind of problem after I started using the 45ft lbs for 3 heat cycles.
Gramps

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

Pete, is that 300 HP flathead blown or nitro??
Gramps

Either race gas or alcohol.
No blowers or nitro allowed in vintage circle racing.

We are O-ringing our blocks now so head gasket goop/paint is not needed.

[Rudolph]

Its still weeping a very tiny amount of coolant, if i painted something onto that conner with a brush it would stop

[Rudolph]

Its only when the car has been sitting for a week, it never dose if its running

[Ol' Ron]

I'm hoping my new intake port modification will improve performance some what. It;s a version of jWL guide design. Not sure how well that worked because of all the other mods. But he never got anyway near that much power. be interesting to see the mods.
Gramps
PS I got 235 hP at 4500 RPM on 3.5 lbs of boost tho. Street engine runs every day!

[Rudolph]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

I'm hoping my new intake port modification will improve performance some what. It;s a version of jWL guide design. Not sure how well that worked because of all the other mods. But he never got anyway near that much power. be interesting to see the mods.
Gramps
PS I got 235 hP at 4500 RPM on 3.5 lbs of boost tho. Street engine runs every day!

That would urinate on most modern cars