Head Gasket Part 2

[Large Arbor]

Well what started as reasonable became more laborious. The drivers side #8 cylinder head bolt was not accessible no matter what I did so the engine is coming out for all new gaskets. I would post pics but everything is oily and dirty. The engine will be pulled Sunday and then the fun will start. All for a leaky head gasket. I did find that #2 and #5 exhaust ports had leaks through the exhaust gaskets. Lots of tedious little things to do to make it right, lots of cleaning, but I want it done right so that's the plan. Transmission is out. Engine will have to come out through the passenger side of the vehicle. Copper coated exhaust gaskets ordered. The cleaning process is also taking time. I am wondering if I should re-do the oil pan gasket and seals to dry up some of the leaks. The intake had cork gaskets on the fron and rear and they leaked. I suspect that was where most of the oil was dripping from.

Phil

[1795]

Phil,

If you are not already planning on doing so, I would suggest that when you replace the intake manifold that you use RTV on the front and back instead of the cork gaskets. Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead. Make sure that there is no warpage on the heads and check the block to see if it was properly decked to begin with.

Good luck and keep us posted with pictures.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

Well what started as reasonable became more laborious. The drivers side #8 cylinder head bolt was not accessible no matter what I did so the engine is coming out for all new gaskets.

Phil, do you mean bolt #8, which is the lower, all the way to the front, head bolt (at least in the torque sequence on my Edelbrock heads), or do you mean cylinder #8, which is all the way to the back? What's in the way of the bolt?

[lippy]

Phil,
I recently pulled the heads off my car (ERA 797) with the engine installed. It was no problem, likely because I have studs that can be removed with the heads on the block, so the heads can then be removed. Do you not have studs? If not, I recommend you get the ARP head studs. They will make this work much, much easier in the future.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by lippy

Phil,
I recently pulled the heads off my car (ERA 797) with the engine installed. It was no problem, likely because I have studs that can be removed with the heads on the block, so the heads can then be removed. Do you not have studs? If not, I recommend you get the ARP head studs. They will make this work much, much easier in the future.

Note that his car is before the "big change" that took place with car #731. Now I'm just guessing, but it could be that pesky footbox is in the way and that got modified with the 731 and up cars.

[Large Arbor]

Patrick is correct. I have ARP studs in the block with ARP nuts which I think is different. The #8 cylinder bottom right head bolt would hit the foot box as well as the head when lifting off of the studs. I will try to post some pics tonight. It won't be that big of a deal to pull since I am this far along. It's the old "one thing leads to another!"

I bought a tube of the Motorcraft TA -31 for the intake so is the consensus to use that instead of the cork, which seemed to leak like a pig!

Sage advice is always appreciated as my learning curve is steeper than most of you.

I cannot even get a extension on socket on the head bolt. Even if I could, I could not lift the head up high enough to clear the stud. No worries as it has given me the opportunity to polish all those hard to get to aluminum places!

[Large Arbor]

A couple of pics for what it's worth...

[Large Arbor]

One more...

[CarGuy427]

I just did this. The motor mount on the frame is slotted. Loosen the one big nut on each side and then pick up one side of the engine with a jack underneath the car. The engine will tilt quite a bit, enough to get to that bolt. You will have to take the trans bolts out on the trans crossmember and remove the hydraulic clutch assembly that bolts to the bottom left of the block. Remove the tunnel and related parts too. May have to take off lines from above the oil filter housing if you have that set up. The point is that you tilt the engine enough to get to that stud nut, or bolt if you don't have studs. Hope this makes sense. It's actually easier than it sounds. It permitted me to remove the head nut on the stud, then to remove the head since I could not remove the studs as they were too tight. Works for the other side. Nothing damaged and it sure beat removing the engine and the associated risk. Needed my heads redone mostly. Good luck.

[patrickt]

Well damn, that is indeed a tight fit.

[Large Arbor]

Car guy,

I will give that a try on Sunday! Thanks for the post. I was scared of pulling the motor. Had visions of dropping it on the Fiberglas.

Phil

[Dwight]

try Cometic head gaskets. I would order them from Keith Craft

FORD FORD BIG BLOCK FE Cometic Head Gaskets - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing


I have great success with Percy's laminated aluminum header gaskets. They work when copper, Fel Pro, Mr. Gasket and many others failed.
They are the only header gasket I will use. Sometimes my flanges are so warped that I have to use one and half Percy's gasket.

But they hold!
I don't know if Percy's make one that will fit you heads but you need to check them out.


Percy's 66053 Header Gaskets Aluminum Ford FE 332 428 Rectangle Port | eBay

[blykins]

Head studs can actually put a big hurtin' on you on some cars with tight engine bays. It's a little more work since you have to back every stud out to have enough room to lift the head off. In older times, the head studs didn't have allen-heads on them and it required a lot more effort. Bolts are better in most situations, but on an aluminum block, you can't use bolts......

Also, you have to watch about randomly recommending head gaskets for engine blocks.

On a Pond block, there are head gaskets that match the sleeve diameter better than others. In some cases, you can still get some sleeve setting over time and you want the head gasket's fire ring to match the sleeve so that it will take up the slack.

On a Windsor block, there are head gaskets (such as the Felpro MLS) that don't reach all the way up to the china wall. That leaves a nice little crevice for oil to reach out of and it's not something that would jump out to most guys.

FWIW, I sell Cometic head gaskets too.

[Large Arbor]

Thanks Brent and Dwight. I went with the Cometic gaskets as that was was Danbury Racing Engines recommended. I would have bought them from Brent had I known as I like the little guys and Jegs has become a Chevy shop by what they have in inventory. (:

The copper gaskets leaked on the exhaust side for cylinders two and five. I do not know whether the bolts loosened or it was just a bad fit. I have replacement copper ones but may revisit if there is consensus of something working better.

Phil

[blykins]

Was it you that called me a few weeks ago and emailed not too long ago?

Honestly, if it were me, I'd return those Cometics and put Felpro 1020's on it.

[Large Arbor]

Yes that was me that called. Since Danbury recommended the Cometic brand and size, in this case will stick with them. I have a 4.25 bore and the 1020 Felpros are for a larger bore. The thickness is .040 on the Cometic and .041 on the Felpros so not much difference that I can see.

Any thought on the exhaust gaskets? Seems to me the copper coated ones are thin and do not leave much for compression between the header and the head. I am a little concerned they will leak.

Phil

[blykins]

Maybe call Danbury and ask?

[patrickt]

If ERA dropped the engine in the car, they would have been the ones to choose the exhaust gaskets, if any.

[Large Arbor]

Brent,

Thanks and I did what you suggested and the response was Felpro did not make them in that size and his experience was good with Cometic. I also did not mean to be flippant, it just makes me nervous to move away from what the builder recommends, I certainly have seen your work and do respect your opinion.

Pat,

The owner dropped the engine in.

I was just curious what others are using and what has worked for them.

Phil

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

Pat,

The owner dropped the engine in.

I was just curious what others are using and what has worked for them.

Phil

This thread comes to mind:ERA / FE Header Gasket Tip