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Old 05-12-2015, 03:09 PM   #1
Allanw
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Default Head Gasket questions and coolant in oil.

I suspect we have a head gasket issue on our 29 Tudor.

I am concerned it may be a crack in the valve chamber too though!!!

Symtoms: 3 balls of coolant in the "Rear Main Janitor", about the size of my thumbnail. 3 tiny balls of coolant in the sump - maybe 1/8" (for you imperialists ).

Would I be correct in assuming that the coolant in these locations could have easily come from the valve chamber, because it made it out the rear main in blobs, rather than being mashed into the oil by the pump? This concerns me!

I'm aware of the head gasket Torque settings (stages up to 55#, and retorque it 200 times in the first 90 minutes )

IF we're lucky, and it's just a head gasket somehow getting to these locations, which head gasket do I use? I will be having the head planed, but not the block. I know lots recommend the copper gasket with copper permatex spray, and other recommend the "modern" with very clean surfaces.

We've got a stock motor, and I just want a long term reliable solution.
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Old 05-12-2015, 03:23 PM   #2
Mike V. Florida
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Default Re: Head Gasket questions and coolant in oil.

We can spend a lot of space with all the places the water could come from.

If it were mine I would remove the head and inspect the gasket.

The engine needs to be leveled wherever it is necessary, the head or block if either is not flat you are wasting your time.

Felpro gaskets have worked fine for years. There is also the one with the silicone in it that seems to have mixed reviews, (I think the problems are not following instructions).
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Old 05-12-2015, 06:23 PM   #3
Allanw
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Default Re: Head Gasket questions and coolant in oil.

Thanks Mike,

I know it COULD come from anywhere... but am still concerned it's going to be a big problem :-(

I will pull the head soon - we've drained oil and coolant already.

I'm assuming it's easy to break a stud removing them? I wondered about pulling them to do a little surfacing on the block, but worry they are likely to snap
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Old 05-12-2015, 07:34 PM   #4
glenn in camino
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Default Re: Head Gasket questions and coolant in oil.

Maybe you drove through a puddle and some water splashed into your driveway janitor.
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Old 05-12-2015, 08:41 PM   #5
Big hammer
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Default Re: Head Gasket questions and coolant in oil.

Can you get Bars stop leak or try pressure testing coolant system?
Just a thought :-)
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Old 05-12-2015, 08:54 PM   #6
Allanw
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Default Re: Head Gasket questions and coolant in oil.

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Quote:
Originally Posted by glenn in camino View Post
Maybe you drove through a puddle and some water splashed into your driveway janitor.
It has green antifreeze in it

Quote:
Originally Posted by Big hammer View Post
Can you get Bars stop leak or try pressure testing coolant system?
Just a thought :-)
I'm not too concerned about doing a headgasket on it - it has a tiny bit of dampness on one edge sometimes, so it's orth doing it anyway - not like it's a hard job, and I don't have to pay for the machine work

Thanks guys
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Old 05-19-2015, 04:20 AM   #7
Allanw
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Default Re: Head Gasket questions and coolant in oil.

Well, I had time to help pull the head today.

Turns out the head gasket is blown on the rear edge of number 2 - Half the piston is VERY clean .

Unusually for Dad and I, it's probably the lesser of the evils that could have caused this!

Only one head stud broke, and that was at the top end anyway, so I'll get a full set of studs along with a copper gasket

My mate Darron will crack test and plane the head... We'll probably find it's badly cracked or something - everything so far has gone way too smooth .

Cheers
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