Head gaskets installed wrong?

[Cdaniel]

How can you tell? Will it cause a minor overheating problem?
Or is it more severe?

 

[Stang_1973]

If i remember correctly from another thread, yes it can lead to overheating, and if it blows it can cause some damage, ie: coolant getting into combustion chambers and causing the piston to seize. Anybody else care to help out..

 

[Cdaniel]

I'm trying to figure out how drastic it would be. Does it overwhelm the cooling system or just make it hotter?

 

[BlueMonster65]

it will faill within the intial break in period or about 30min. of operation. if you installed them incorrectly and realized it now before you started the engine be glad you did and take the time to correct it. i can pretty much gaurantee that your engine will not last long if you elect not to correct this and you will wind up having to do it anyway but with the possiblity of having to replace other parts as well.

 

[Cdaniel]

it will faill within the intial break in period or about 30min. of operation. if you installed them incorrectly and realized it now before you started the engine be glad you did and take the time to correct it. i can pretty much gaurantee that your engine will not last long if you elect not to correct this and you will wind up having to do it anyway but with the possiblity of having to replace other parts as well.

Fortunately it seems I did it right. Another member advised that the gasket corners should be visible in the front if installed correctly. And in front they are.

 

[BlueMonster65]

GREAT!
all too often people fail to realize that front means front. its tough b'cus when you install them it seems as though one is always upsidedown. but thats the right way. glad to hear you avoided that problem.

 

[Cdaniel]

GREAT!
all too often people fail to realize that front means front. its tough b'cus when you install them it seems as though one is always upsidedown. but thats the right way. glad to hear you avoided that problem.

I remember being puzzled by it when I put it together, that's why I was doubting myself.

At least that can be removed as a source of my cooling issues. Still no solutions though

 

[CPonds66]

I remember being puzzled by it when I put it together, that's why I was doubting myself.

At least that can be removed as a source of my cooling issues. Still no solutions though

I would say living in Arizona is part of the problem. Try a fan shroud and a larger radiator.

 

[Cdaniel]

I would say living in Arizona is part of the problem. Try a fan shroud and a larger radiator.

I would say you're right on that one. As for those wise suggestions, been there, done that.

So far I've upgraded the rad to a 3 row, the shroud to the deeper hipo version, the fan to a 7 blade clutch, added water wetter.

Some improvements but it still is running 210f at speed. Is this as good as it gets with .030 over stock 289?

 

[BlueMonster65]

if your 289 is even slightly modified the three core probably isn't up to the task in that arizona "dry" heat. you could try an electric fan or a crossflow aluminum radiator. in our 65-66 the radiator is really small. so its not suprising that many of them run hot or i should say warmer than we would like. other than that i would check your timing. if you have an auto. consider a tranny cooler, and also consider an engine oil cooler. also check the obvious like a possible gunked up radiator, faulty cap or t-stat. its not often but occasionally you can get an air lock on a sbford and that will cause an erronious guage reading or worse a hot spot that can lead to trouble.