Catastrophic Head Gasket Failure

revhead347 · Apr 11, 2010

Well, it seems my plans to pull the engine have been accelerated. I was driving home from my friend's house, and all of a sudden my water temp shot up from 190 to 260. I drove the car the remaining half mile to my house, and there was steam blasting out of the hood as I pulled into the driveway. When I opened the hood, the problem was obvious. I had water and steam spurting out of the left cylinder head gasket right over the timing chain cover. I have had head gaskets fail before, but never as violent as this. As usual, there is no water in the oil. My car is officially parked until Ed Curtis gets back to me on the camshaft. I also have to bring the heads back down to FL to get remachined. I pray I didn't warp a head, because they are O-ringed, and resurfacing them is going to be expensive. Don't you guys worry though, the stock block terror will drive again.

Kurt

P.S Why do we have a Canadian smiley in our smiley inventory? It just seems a little random, that's all.

Adam95GT · Apr 11, 2010

****ty kurt!

If i lived closer you know id lend a hand... Im not sure you would want me working on your car though lol.

revhead347 · Apr 11, 2010

I'm not worried about the work. I love working on cars. Cash is tight though, with my fiance out of work at the end of May. Thanks for the offer though. In the 10 years I have had this almost 600hp stock block engine, this is the second head gasket failure I have had. It's not like it was unexpected. This engine has been awesome. This opportunity will be used to put the tweaks I need, like a custom cam, to finally put the car into the 10 second range.

Kurt

HankyGT · Apr 11, 2010

I had one fail end of last season...sucks but whatever. A few hrs and a $100 later and I was back in business. Just get some decent ones and good fasteners. I'm assuming you run an aftermarket head with a decent wall thickness so I doubt you warped anything; sensor likely just saw an air pocket because of which.

Adam95GT · Apr 11, 2010

I assume your running a decent set of headbolts already. I hope your heads didnt warp man! good luck

revhead347 · Apr 11, 2010

HankyGT said:
I had one fail end of last season...sucks but whatever. A few hrs and a $100 later and I was back in business. Just get some decent ones and good fasteners. I'm assuming you run an aftermarket head with a decent wall thickness so I doubt you warped anything; sensor likely just saw an air pocket because of which.

Yeah, I'm running old Canfield 192cc heads, which have a very decent deck thickness, although I can't remember exactly what it is off the top of my head. The last time I blew a head gasket, my heads were perfectly straight. I'm running O-ringed heads, so I am relegated to a stock style head gasket. I'm going to go ahead and pull the engine out to change the K-member. It's so much easier to take apart the engine on a stand. Unfortunately, my engine hoist and stand are on an almost permanent borrow to a friend who is taking forever to change out the engine in his POS 86' Beamer. I have ARP head studs on this engine.

Kurt

Adam95GT · Apr 11, 2010

revhead347 said:
Yeah, I'm running old Canfield 192cc heads, which have a very decent deck thickness, although I can't remember exactly what it is off the top of my head. The last time I blew a head gasket, my heads were perfectly straight. I'm running O-ringed heads, so I am relegated to a stock style head gasket. I'm going to go ahead and pull the engine out to change the K-member. It's so much easier to take apart the engine on a stand. Unfortunately, my engine hoist and stand are on an almost permanent borrow to a friend who is taking forever to change out the engine in his POS 86' Beamer. I have ARP head studs on this engine.

Kurt

That does suck. it wouldnt hurt 2 have 2 stands... we let some guy in MD borrow mine for a probe engine... that was 2 years ago. lol But 2 hoists are unnecessary

revhead347 · Apr 11, 2010

Yeah, I might make him buy me a new engine stand, but not a new hoist. The problem with two stands is not the cost, but having to store two stands when you are not using them.

Kurt

HankyGT · Apr 12, 2010

You can still run a decent gasket with a pre crushed wire ring and so forth. Don't quote me as I'm spitballing the part # but I think its the felpro 1101-2's I'm running which are much nicer than the stockers.

revhead347 · Apr 12, 2010

You're thinking of 1011-2s. That's a common gasket for aluminum heads, because it's a little thicker than a stock gasket to allow for expansion of the aluminum. The engine builder told me that would actually increase my chances of blowing a head gasket. I can't argue with his recommendation, the stock gaskets I've been using, in 10 years I've blown 2 head gaskets, which is pretty good. If I was going to step up to something better, I would probably just run copper head gaskets.

Kurt

ProKiller · Apr 12, 2010

at least you were expecting it to happen. sucks even more when its out of the blue. good thing it was close to home so you didn't have to get it towed.

revhead347 · Apr 12, 2010

Yeah, I have AAA, but waiting for a tow truck is a pain in the ass.

Kurt

xr8d302 · Apr 12, 2010

revhead347 said:
P.S Why do we have a Canadian smiley in our smiley inventory? It just seems a little random, that's all.

*cough*

Killercanary · Apr 12, 2010

That sucks Kurt, I too hope there is no warpage. Post some pics when you get it apart.

revhead347 · Apr 12, 2010

Yeah, I had it coming. I haven't blown a head gasket in 7 years. I am honestly thinking of stepping up to copper head gaskets. I used them on my MR2, and liked them a lot. I'm having Express Machine in DeLand FL redo the heads. He is going to go ahead and flowbench them for $65. So I think that will help with the custom grind on the cam, if Ed ever gets back to me. If the heads are warped it's going to cost a lot to have them resurfaced, because the O-ring has to be pulled out, and the head has to be regrooved for a new O-ring.

Kurt

desertcox05 · Apr 12, 2010

it sucks to hear about mechanical problems anytime. It's good you were close to home.
If you need anything picked up from summit let me know and I'll get it to ya at the airport.

revhead347 · Apr 12, 2010

Thanks for the offer, but it's so much easier to deal with them over the phone and have it shipped. The customer service down there kind of sucks.

Kurt

HankyGT · Apr 13, 2010

Just curious but I was thinking as I guess I didn't really think of it at the time; but with an o-ringed head those are machined for a non crushed wire style are they not? Or is that usually done with the block?

revhead347 · Apr 13, 2010

Not exactly sure what your question is. There are two ways too "O-ring" a head. I think you are thinking of a wire lock gasket, where you cut a receiver groove into the head, and then the ring is in the gasket. I have permanent rings installed in the head. You can O-ring the head or the block, either one.

Kurt

Black95GTS · Apr 13, 2010

Sorry to hear that, good luck with the tear down!

Adam

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