440 Leaking Question

[TelisSE440]

Hello guys, about two years ago, my 440 was leaking coolant. The coolant was so much, that it was pouring all over the ground and when it was in working temperature, white fumes would come out of the hood. Anyway i thought at first it was a header bolt leak in the drivers'side cylinder head, but i started the engine without header (drivers' side head) and watched closely, it occured to me it was the cylinder head gasket. Anyway i cleaned it, replaced the gasket (the engine was freshly rebuilt) and assembled it using the same bolts. I had no leaks until now (one and a half year approximately and except exhaust leak) when i started watching coolant again. The bellhousing is off so i can't start the engine for the time being. Could you think what the leak would be? I took off the headers and starter (I'm rebuilding the  A833 and putting input shaft roller bearing) and saw the following... (everything was painted like new before this)

[TelisSE440]

This is the exhaust gasket (using Hooker Super Comp Headers)

[cudabob496]

if leak developed 1.5 years later, could be header bolt. 
I run alumaseal in my coolant to prevent little leaks.
Maybe put some die in the coolant to look for leak?
I assume you aren't overheating engine?
Freeze plug?
Could be spraying from some other place farther away.
Check hoses.

[AMXguy]

I'm sure someone with more mopar experience than me will jump in ,  but it looks like an exhaust stud leak.     I can't remember which ones go into the water jacket but they can leak.

[Beekeeper]

You said the head gasket was blown before and you replaced it? When you did that, was there evidence on the head gasket that it really was bad? If so, it is normal to resurface the head before putting it back on. Curious if that was done.

The end bolts on the exhaust header go into water jackets. I've had one leak before but it was more of a drip than anything else. You can always remove the end studs and put them back in with a good sealer. If they really are the problem, that should fix it.

[xtopfuel]

I would suggest you pressure test the cooling system

[TelisSE440]

if leak developed 1.5 years later, could be header bolt. 
I run alumaseal in my coolant to prevent little leaks.
Maybe put some die in the coolant to look for leak?
I assume you aren't overheating engine?
Freeze plug?
Could be spraying from some other place farther away.
Check hoses.

The engine was overheated just two times in 1.5 years and the coolant was thrown out of the little bottle (BeCool Radiator) the first time, the second, i cooled it up quickly. In the photos i couldn't see the freeze plugs have any coolant below them. Hoses checked, nothing there. I will try and get some dye as soon as i assemble it.

[TelisSE440]

I would suggest you pressure test the cooling system

I just looked the Internet about it (i didn't know what this method was) and it's the best i've seen until now.

[TelisSE440]

You said the head gasket was blown before and you replaced it? When you did that, was there evidence on the head gasket that it really was bad? If so, it is normal to resurface the head before putting it back on. Curious if that was done.

The end bolts on the exhaust header go into water jackets. I've had one leak before but it was more of a drip than anything else. You can always remove the end studs and put them back in with a good sealer. If they really are the problem, that should fix it.

I replaced the gasket because i couldn't find any other way to pinpoint the leak. I took off the headers and started the engine, i saw water coming off the line between cylinder head and block, so i thought it was it and i changed it. It worked (or i thought it worked) because i had no leaks until now. The head gasket, to my knowledge, was pretty clean when i pulled it out, it just had a little rust in the center, where the coolant hole was. I was told the head was resurfaced, when i had pulled out the head, by an experienced mechanic. But i can't understand the difference. I cleaned the surface with the lightest grit paper and assembled it. As i see in the photos the leak seem to be in the middle. As i understand the center exhaust studs don't go into water jackets. So it may be something else. Does it seem like a cracked block? By the way, the coolant is clean and the oil is too. Is it possible that the head isn't planned so it sits like that and creates the space for coolant to get out? Or because i used the same bolts (over and over as it seems) they don't fasten firmly, so after some time this happens?

[TelisSE440]

Forgot to tell, thanks for the replies guys...

[cudabob496]

I get a quart expansion of coolant when temp goes to 200.
lose the overflow bottle, and get a recovery bottle. Keeps radiator always full.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Overflow-Recovery-Reservoir-Tank-Universal-Coolant-Antifreeze/381477772950?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3D0570bf8983354519b1a0e0622ccee4fa%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D322459688298

[Beekeeper]

When a head gasket is blown (overheating can do this), there is a possibility that the head can be warped ever so slightly. That is why you generally resurface them when they are off. They use a special machine to remove only a couple thousandths to make them flat again. It's possible it was never bad when you took it off.

I agree that the best bet is to do a pressure check. They can pump air into the radiator at the same pressure it would have when hot. In theory, it should leak out of somewhere and you can hunt it down.

I also like the idea of resealing the exhaust studs in the head. Not hard to do and could save you lots of headache. You already have that side open. The center bolts don't go into water jackets. Just the outer ones so you only need seal two to test this out. I'd put in new studs since they are cheap. Don't use bolts unless you really have to. Put plenty of sealer on the threads going into the head and make sure they are fully seated in.

As far as cracks, that is possible too. Hopefully it's something simple.

[usraptr]

When a head gasket is blown (overheating can do this), there is a possibility that the head can be warped ever so slightly. That is why you generally resurface them when they are off. They use a special machine to remove only a couple thousandths to make them flat again. It's possible it was never bad when you took it off.

I agree that the best bet is to do a pressure check. They can pump air into the radiator at the same pressure it would have when hot. In theory, it should leak out of somewhere and you can hunt it down.

I also like the idea of resealing the exhaust studs in the head. Not hard to do and could save you lots of headache. You already have that side open. The center bolts don't go into water jackets. Just the outer ones so you only need seal two to test this out. I'd put in new studs since they are cheap. Don't use bolts unless you really have to. Put plenty of sealer on the threads going into the head and make sure they are fully seated in.

As far as cracks, that is possible too. Hopefully it's something simple.

  totall.  Most like a warped head.

[1 Wild R/T]

Autozone will loan you a pressure tester....

[stinger]

what head gasket did you use?