The Ford Barn

burly · 04-14-2023, 12:03 PM

Hey guys, freshly built 59 block, 3 & 5/16, merc crank, potvin 3/8 cam, new Edelbrock heads. Fired up fine. Good oil pressure. Left side 160 degrees. Right side 180 degrees and climbing fairly fast. Won't idle. The Longer it ran the rougher it seemed to get. Valvetrain seemed slightly noisier on right side. Shut her down after a couple minutes. Head Seeping coolant on right side. Any ideas greatly appreciated? Thanks fellas!

TJ · 04-14-2023, 12:19 PM

I would suspect a bad head gasket on the right side.

marko39 · 04-14-2023, 12:39 PM

The seepage may stop after you torque the head bolts a few times. Check compression and hook up a vacuum gauge. Got to start somewhere. What carb are you running?

burly · 04-14-2023, 01:06 PM

Running a single 97 until I get it broke in.

Ole Don · 04-14-2023, 01:19 PM

Did you have the block decked to insure a good gasket seal? Are the heads new, or swap meet parts?

burly · 04-14-2023, 01:23 PM

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Yes block was decked and yes heads brand new.

petehoovie · 04-14-2023, 02:24 PM

What kind/type of head gasket material?

Flathead Fever · 04-14-2023, 03:38 PM

Pull the plugs on that right side and look for a shiny plug from a coolant leak. Years ago, I was over at Al Sharps house (Sharp speed equipment), He had just built a 3 3/8, flathead for a '40 pickup and it overheated when first started. They had pressure tested it before the machine work but when they bored it they hit a pin hole from a rust pit on the back of the cylinder. It was so small they didn't see it. When you machine those large bores, you should pressure check the block again.

Is the head seeping around the studs or the edge of the gasket?

burly · 04-14-2023, 04:05 PM

Speedway big bore gasket set. Leaking around studs.

deuce_roadster · 04-14-2023, 08:28 PM

Did you put sealant on the threads of the studs that go into the block? I retorque the heads 3 times right off the bat, warm it up, shut off and let it sit overnight, retorque warm up shut off and leave overnight, repeat. After the 3rd retorque, run it longer. It is normal for one side to be maybe 5 degrees hotter than the other due to the crank throwing hot oil in that direction. Aluminum heads you torque cold.

burly · 04-14-2023, 09:19 PM

Yes, I think it was permatex thread sealant.

burly · 04-15-2023, 10:37 AM

Thanks to all who responded!

Bored&Stroked · 04-15-2023, 02:41 PM

If the gasket set is the one that is a Speedway brand, I would probably change them over to BestGasket GraphTite gaskets.

Speedway makes a "clone" of the Best Gasket GraphTite gasket - and I do NOT like the quality of their fire-rings. Also, some of their gaskets are the wrong thickness (like the timing cover gasket). I let them know a couple years ago about the issues - have no idea as to if they changes/fixed their issues or not.

burly · 04-15-2023, 08:43 PM

Appreciate the heads up!

macdonge · 04-16-2023, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

Did you put sealant on the threads of the studs that go into the block? I retorque the heads 3 times right off the bat, warm it up, shut off and let it sit overnight, retorque warm up shut off and leave overnight, repeat. After the 3rd retorque, run it longer. It is normal for one side to be maybe 5 degrees hotter than the other due to the crank throwing hot oil in that direction. Aluminum heads you torque cold.

Ditto!

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Rudolph · 04-19-2023, 02:13 AM

Tempture will be slightly different on one side always

deuce_roadster · 04-19-2023, 08:42 AM

Probably the head gasket. I have never had any trouble with Best brand gaskets. If one side radically gets hot faster you might test the thermostat on that side to make sure it is opening completely by putting it in a pan of water and watching it on the stove.

Tim Ayers · 04-19-2023, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

Probably the head gasket. I have never had any trouble with Best brand gaskets. If one side radically gets hot faster you might test the thermostat on that side to make sure it is opening completely by putting it in a pan of water and watching it on the stove.

I had the same issue with water coming up the studs via the threads. I ran some liquid glass in the system and it stopped.

Curious if you are running thermostats? If so, are they new or the old-style "barrel" T-stats. If running stats, did you test them before installing them?

I have a similar motor (albeit a little bigger) and run the Potvin 3/8ths cam. I really like it. Performs well.

Not sure about the noise coming from the right bank. Are you running adjustable lifters?

04-14-2023, 12:03 PM	#1
burly Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bowling Green, Ky. Posts: 228	Fresh build issues? Hey guys, freshly built 59 block, 3 & 5/16, merc crank, potvin 3/8 cam, new Edelbrock heads. Fired up fine. Good oil pressure. Left side 160 degrees. Right side 180 degrees and climbing fairly fast. Won't idle. The Longer it ran the rougher it seemed to get. Valvetrain seemed slightly noisier on right side. Shut her down after a couple minutes. Head Seeping coolant on right side. Any ideas greatly appreciated? Thanks fellas!

04-14-2023, 12:19 PM	#2
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,037	Re: Fresh build issues? I would suspect a bad head gasket on the right side.

04-14-2023, 12:39 PM	#3
marko39 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: harpursville ny Posts: 1,040	Re: Fresh build issues? The seepage may stop after you torque the head bolts a few times. Check compression and hook up a vacuum gauge. Got to start somewhere. What carb are you running?

04-14-2023, 01:06 PM	#4
burly Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bowling Green, Ky. Posts: 228	Re: Fresh build issues? Running a single 97 until I get it broke in.

04-14-2023, 01:19 PM	#5
Ole Don Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: St. Michael, Minnesota Posts: 1,713	Re: Fresh build issues? Did you have the block decked to insure a good gasket seal? Are the heads new, or swap meet parts?

04-14-2023, 01:23 PM	#6
burly Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bowling Green, Ky. Posts: 228	Re: Fresh build issues? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Yes block was decked and yes heads brand new.

04-14-2023, 02:24 PM	#7
petehoovie Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 8,156	Re: Fresh build issues? What kind/type of head gasket material? __________________ The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... *"Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!"* "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0 Last edited by petehoovie; 04-14-2023 at 05:24 PM.

04-14-2023, 03:38 PM	#8
Flathead Fever Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,095	Re: Fresh build issues? Pull the plugs on that right side and look for a shiny plug from a coolant leak. Years ago, I was over at Al Sharps house (Sharp speed equipment), He had just built a 3 3/8, flathead for a '40 pickup and it overheated when first started. They had pressure tested it before the machine work but when they bored it they hit a pin hole from a rust pit on the back of the cylinder. It was so small they didn't see it. When you machine those large bores, you should pressure check the block again. Is the head seeping around the studs or the edge of the gasket?

04-14-2023, 04:05 PM	#9
burly Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bowling Green, Ky. Posts: 228	Re: Fresh build issues? Speedway big bore gasket set. Leaking around studs.

04-14-2023, 08:28 PM	#10
deuce_roadster Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Shelton, WA Posts: 3,800	Re: Fresh build issues? Did you put sealant on the threads of the studs that go into the block? I retorque the heads 3 times right off the bat, warm it up, shut off and let it sit overnight, retorque warm up shut off and leave overnight, repeat. After the 3rd retorque, run it longer. It is normal for one side to be maybe 5 degrees hotter than the other due to the crank throwing hot oil in that direction. Aluminum heads you torque cold.

04-14-2023, 09:19 PM	#11
burly Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bowling Green, Ky. Posts: 228	Re: Fresh build issues? Yes, I think it was permatex thread sealant.

04-15-2023, 10:37 AM	#12
burly Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bowling Green, Ky. Posts: 228	Re: Fresh build issues? Thanks to all who responded!

04-15-2023, 02:41 PM	#13
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,070	Re: Fresh build issues? If the gasket set is the one that is a Speedway brand, I would probably change them over to BestGasket GraphTite gaskets. Speedway makes a "clone" of the Best Gasket GraphTite gasket - and I do NOT like the quality of their fire-rings. Also, some of their gaskets are the wrong thickness (like the timing cover gasket). I let them know a couple years ago about the issues - have no idea as to if they changes/fixed their issues or not.

04-15-2023, 08:43 PM	#14
burly Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bowling Green, Ky. Posts: 228	Re: Fresh build issues? Appreciate the heads up!

04-19-2023, 02:13 AM	#16
Rudolph Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: North island Newzealand. Posts: 272	Re: Fresh build issues? Tempture will be slightly different on one side always

04-19-2023, 08:42 AM	#17
deuce_roadster Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Shelton, WA Posts: 3,800	Re: Fresh build issues? Probably the head gasket. I have never had any trouble with Best brand gaskets. If one side radically gets hot faster you might test the thermostat on that side to make sure it is opening completely by putting it in a pan of water and watching it on the stove.