Scorched a head gasket!

[foghorn67]

Hey guys, long time no talk.
It's been pretty quiet concerning my Stang, I am mostly worried about work.
But I had it running hot for a day, and after that I get a lot of white smoke from the driver's side exhaust, and it wreaks of antifreeze. I am loosing the coolant with no leaks. So I suppose I blew a headgasket.
I am pretty confident I can get this done in a day, I have replaced my cylinder heads before, and the valvetrain is pretty new, so I think I am going to do the simple, replace the suspected gasket and leave the other alone for now.
So a couple of questions, my book only shows me the fast way of adjusting the valvetrain. Doing it in three steps and doing multiple valves per step. I prefer the way I did it before, one at a time. But I forgot how, something to do with the firing order.
Also, since I am only removing one cylinder head, do I have to loosen up the other bank and adjust those as well, or can I skip that?
engine is a 289, edelbrock performer rpm heads, crane aluminum 1.6 full roller rockers, weiand stealth intake.
Also, when I am done and have the valves adjusted and have the motor at top tdc, which way does the distributor go?
I am waaaaay out of practice.
thanks!

 

[65ShelbyClone]

1.) So a couple of questions, my book only shows me the fast way of adjusting the valvetrain. Doing it in three steps and doing multiple valves per step. I prefer the way I did it before, one at a time. But I forgot how, something to do with the firing order.

2.) Also, since I am only removing one cylinder head, do I have to loosen up the other bank and adjust those as well, or can I skip that?
engine is a 289, edelbrock performer rpm heads, crane aluminum 1.6 full roller rockers, weiand stealth intake.

3.) Also, when I am done and have the valves adjusted and have the motor at top tdc, which way does the distributor go?
I am waaaaay out of practice.
thanks!

1.) The fast way really does work. For the long way, all you have to do make sure the cylinder you are adjusting in on TDC.
2.) Theoretically the other cylinder bank should not hae gone out of adjustment, but it wouldnt hurt to adjust them all at the same time.
3.) It doesnt matter which way the distrubutor goes as long as you have room around the vaccum can to adjust the timing. Drop it in with the engine on TDC and the rotor pointing at the #1 terminal.

 

[foghorn67]

1.) The fast way really does work. For the long way, all you have to do make sure the cylinder you are adjusting in on TDC.
2.) Theoretically the other cylinder bank should not hae gone out of adjustment, but it wouldnt hurt to adjust them all at the same time.
3.) It doesnt matter which way the distrubutor goes as long as you have room around the vaccum can to adjust the timing. Drop it in with the engine on TDC and the rotor pointing at the #1 terminal.

if the cylinder is at tdc, what are the valves at?

 

[mudbilly]

if the cylinder is at tdc, what are the valves at?

both valves on that cylinder should be closed

 

[ForceFed70]

both valves on that cylinder should be closed

So long as it's TDC for the power stroke.

 

[mudbilly]

So long as it's TDC for the power stroke.

good point...............

but i always thought that that was the definition of TDC

 

[ForceFed70]

but i always thought that that was the definition of TDC

Well, as I'm sure you know, TDC stands for Top Dead Center. So that should happen twice for each power stroke.

But you may be right...I know that when I think TDC I automatically think power stroke.

 

[gsxrken]

There's a reason your head gasket blew. I wouldn't just whip on a new set of gaskets without ID-ing the root cause.

 

[HistoricMustang]

Fog, I am headed out to work.

Will put up the valve adjustment instructions this afternoon. The simply way that is used at the track!

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

 

[foghorn67]

There's a reason your head gasket blew. I wouldn't just whip on a new set of gaskets without ID-ing the root cause.

did you read my posts? Overheating. That's all it can take.

 

[foghorn67]

Fog, I am headed out to work.

Will put up the valve adjustment instructions this afternoon. The simply way that is used at the track!

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

thanks!

 

[HistoricMustang]

thanks!

Fog, here you go!

When the exhaust valve starts to open adjust the intake valve.

When the intake valve starts to close adjust the exhaust valve.

Keep this note handy as it will get confusing.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

 

[gsxrken]

Sorry my post was cryptic. I know you overheated, although you didn't say why. That cause should obviously be corrected. But secondly, your head gasket did not fail because the gasket itself got too hot, it failed due to the fact that the cylinder head to block mating surface got hot enough to warp and allow coolant under pressure to escape and ruin the gasket. So overheating caused a warpage, which caused a gasket failure. And that warpage may still exist now.
Maybe you'll get away with not even checking your head. IF IT WAS ME, I would not want to do this twice. Fix why it overheated, and have the head checked for cracks and warpage before you put it back together.
Just trying to save you a headache. Good luck!

 

[foghorn67]

Sorry my post was cryptic. I know you overheated, although you didn't say why. That cause should obviously be corrected. But secondly, your head gasket did not fail because the gasket itself got too hot, it failed due to the fact that the cylinder head to block mating surface got hot enough to warp and allow coolant under pressure to escape and ruin the gasket. So overheating caused a warpage, which caused a gasket failure. And that warpage may still exist now.
Maybe you'll get away with not even checking your head. IF IT WAS ME, I would not want to do this twice. Fix why it overheated, and have the head checked for cracks and warpage before you put it back together.
Just trying to save you a headache. Good luck!

overheating will cause a failure of gaskets.

Headgaskets leaks are common without warpage.