Does this headgasket look blown to you? Just pulled the head off (PICS)

BlueOvalStangGT · Jun 1, 2005

Ok Ill take a few pics of the cylinder ASAP. 94GTS yeah actually I did use the factory headbolts. I needed my car that night and I did not know the factory ones were torque to yeild or whatever and murrays didnt have any new ones in stock so I was forced to reuse the stock ones.

94-302-vert · Jun 1, 2005

I would buy new bolts or those ARP studs since you will need anyway and bolt it back together. worst case you are out $30 or so on gaskets...

Also what about rotating the engine to put the #8 cylinder further into the block, what does the cylinder wall on that cylinder compare to the other 3 on that side of the engine?

BlueOvalStangGT · Jun 1, 2005

The first ones are #8 the last 2 are 7 and 6.

94gts · Jun 1, 2005

BlueOvalStangGT said:
94GTS yeah actually I did use the factory headbolts. I needed my car that night and I did not know the factory ones were torque to yeild or whatever and murrays didnt have any new ones in stock so I was forced to reuse the stock ones.

i have a freind who kept blowing head gaskets on his 5.0 . he would put new ones on and 3 days later, they were cooked. the reason they kept blowing was that he reused the stock head bolts. the heads would never make a proper seal.

i think a blown hg is your issue, though like others said, its hard to see from photos.

Blk05Retro · Jun 1, 2005

First of all, it looks like you have had or having detonation problems looking at the pistons. The head wasn't a very clear picture when I zoomed in on it. In the picture with the #8 cylinder down, you can see light black streaks down the walls; it could be blowing by the rings. That would account for gases getting into the crankcase and blowing oil up the dip stick. If you look at the heads closely you can see some blow out along the edges, but isn’t showing on the gaskets. Detonation would weaken your rings quicker and possibly cause the problem your having.

95StangMan · Jun 1, 2005

I have a friend who is selling a 302 block for about $300 i think... but i could check up on thay if u want me to

Joes95GT · Jun 2, 2005

The rings don't look lifted.

The pistons, as someone else said, look detonated (slightly).

Check the deck and head surfaced to make sure they're flat. If everything checks out OK, prep the surfaces really well, lay down new gaskets and use new head bolts. Then use breathers in both valve covers.

I'm thinking since you still had "some" pressure in the cylinder, you barely blew the headgasket. And, as Jay said, make sure you REALLY tighten the intake bolts down good. Torque them down closer to the 20-24 ft-lb range. It also might be a good idea to get a new set of intake bolts too.

Joe

BlueOvalStangGT · Jun 2, 2005

Joe you dont think I need new rings or anything shortblock wise? I really dont want to cough up money for headgaskets and stuff to put it back together and find that i still have oil coming out my dipstick. What can I do to check this out good and get a definite answer?

stprorolla49 · Jun 2, 2005

after you get everything sorted out man, since i see little traces of detonation on your piston(s), you may wanna get gas with more octane, or get some methanol injection to tame the detonation.......

yellow1995Cobra · Jun 2, 2005

Where do you guy see detonation on the pistons?

When i had my turbo 302 settup and poped some HG's the pistons would have ZERO carbon build up on them.. HE seems to have a good ammount which would lead me to think it was not running lean, unless maybe a quick lean spike and bam.

To me, the pistons look good, HG's look normal, so next thing to check out is the valve seals. What means can he test those?

Also, blue oval, i think i have a set of new arp head studs in my garage for a 302.. The top of the threads on one stud was a little messed up.( i tried to use that stud to press in some head bolt hole reducers) The rest are brand new, if u want ill send me out to ya for next to nothing.

BlueOvalStangGT · Jun 2, 2005

Sounds like a deal. BTW I had a wideband o2 sensor hooked up for the last week my car was running until I tore it down. It was running really rich. It moniters the drivers side and was reading really really really rich. Thats probably because i wasnt getting full compression in my number 8 tho right?

mo_dingo · Jun 2, 2005

Just a quick test. See if all 8 pistons hold water. Fill each up to the brim and see how if any drain into the engine.

You will have 2 cylinders at TDC, so you will have to mark them and test them later.

I would say at least an hour will tell. I let all my cylinders sit full of oil and they didn't lose a drop after a full day.
Scott

bimmertech · Jun 2, 2005

did you straight edge your head and block yet, .007 and up is probably enough to cause sealing issues.

Joes95GT · Jun 2, 2005

Scott had a good idea, but remember, the engine is ALWAYS going to leak water through the ring gaps.

Kevin - I can't say anything for certain without being there. The reason I say that your pistons look like they've been detonated on is because of the rough appearing spots - especially with the second to last picture (cylinder 7?). I would PM the user TMC and ask him to check out this thread. To me, roy is the best at analyzing these kind of problems (no offense to anyone else).

Joe

yellow1995Cobra · Jun 2, 2005

bimmertech said:
did you straight edge your head and block yet, .007 and up is probably enough to cause sealing issues.

I really really really doubt he warped the block or heads, they are iron, and theres no signs of serious detonation.

bimmertech · Jun 2, 2005

yellow1995Cobra said:
I really really really doubt he warped the block or heads, they are iron, and theres no signs of serious detonation.

detonation typically will not warp a head or block, usually causes piston damage, but overheating can most definetly cause warpage. i am not saying it IS warped, just merely stating my maintenace practices when ever i do a headgasket on any vehicle. it is a very simple procedure that should be done to eliminate a possible cause, and imho would be very foolish not to check seeing that everything is already disassembled.

94TURBO5 O · Jun 3, 2005

I agree with BigJay and Yellow.
If you want to compare what a blown HG looks like let me try and find my old pics from last year when I went through 2 sets before getting to the dyno.
Your hgs look good to me as well as your 11yr old stock pistons.
Pull the other head and get the ARPS and all the other essentials to do the job right and put it all back together. Worse case scenario is it has another problem again and you at least know you did the job correct you can then narrow it down to the cause. I think your car is fine if you just do that. I shaved the heads on the first time install and then after the last 2 I was so pissed to have to do it all over again I just threw them back on and I haven't had a problem since last summer with the hgs. That was with 12#'s of boost on the S-Trim with n2o and methanol. 10#'s with the KB with methanol and now 9#'s with this t-66.
And remember I'm totally internally stock still. I had some blow by but used breathers and capped the barb on the vc (I used to find my dipstick 1/2 out and smoking) and make sure your torque sequence is correct and I torque the intake in 5-8# increments until I get to 25-28#'s going through the sequence several times. They tend to loosen after a while so re-torque them (gently).

BlueOvalStangGT · Jun 3, 2005

mo_dingo said:
Just a quick test. See if all 8 pistons hold water. Fill each up to the brim and see how if any drain into the engine.

You will have 2 cylinders at TDC, so you will have to mark them and test them later.

I would say at least an hour will tell. I let all my cylinders sit full of oil and they didn't lose a drop after a full day.
Scott

You sure lettign water drip into my oil pan and such is a good idea?? Ill try that if you say so.

BlueOvalStangGT · Jun 3, 2005

How do you straight edge a block?

94TURBO5 O · Jun 3, 2005

Clean the deck and get a straightedge metal ruler. Put the edge across the deck with a piece of paper b/t it. press down on the ruler and try to slide the paper around. It shouldn't move. That's only a quick garage way to check it by no means the most accurate/precise procedure.

Does this headgasket look blown to you? Just pulled the head off (PICS)

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