Oil Leak From Head

[Plum6Pak]

I noticed oil on the bottom tube of the header after running the engine a few times, followed it up to the source, found a little in between the head and block on the LR head. It runs down the block and ends up dripping off the bottom of the starter onto the header. I've already checked the valve covers and that's not it. With no pressurized oil passages in the head, could the oil be coming from the head stud nuts and running down in between? Anyone had this happen before? Can I just simply take off the rockers and seal up the rear head stud nuts with something? We're talking a drop every few minutes while running it. Everything else seems fine, no water leaks, no water in oil and no other oil leaks, etc. I'm running a high volume MP oil pump and Brodix B1-BS heads with Fel Pro .039 composite gaskets.

[Chryco Psycho]

How long have the heads been on the engine ?
the only gasket I recommend for a iron block /alum head combo is the Cometic ,Fel Pro makes a good gasket but it is a composit gasket & will fail with the different expantion rates of the metals l

[Plum6Pak]

Thanks for the reply Chryco, I'll need to check into this a little further. Not 100% sure, maybe the valley pan is the culprit, leaking at the LR point where it meets the head and block, then letting the oil run down the seam where the head bolts on at the rear. Not too serious unless I need to pull the heads. Then at this point it would be just as easy to yank it back out and do it on a stand then reinstall it. Do you know if the heads will come off in the car if studs were used?

[Chryco Psycho]

it will be tough if not impossible to pull the heads in car

[Plum6Pak]

it will be tough if not impossible to pull the heads in car

Go figure. LOL, if life wasn't hard it would be too easy!

[Chryco Psycho]

Check the area closely , there could be a # of places for it to leak from but originally you stated you had checked the other areas   

[Plum6Pak]

  Stay tuned, I'll let you know what I find.

[Chryco Psycho]

 

[Robb]

have you tried UV dye at all to find the highest leak point ?

(assuming your motor isnt painted Chartreuse)

[Plum6Pak]

Thanks Robb, although it is hard to see the oil since it is so clean, I can follow it down from the rear portion on the rear of the left head. There is no oil above it anywhere, not from the valve covers or the valley pan etc. With no actual pressurized oil going into the heads, it must be seeping down through the studs somehow, under the stud nuts or something. I notice when I pull the valve cover, there is quite a bit of oil pooled around the left rear lower head stud and when it's running maybe just enough flex or movement or whatever to allow oil to work its way down the stud hole and out, not sure, just a theory. I am going to investigate further. Reading the Brodix instruction sheets, they recommend using sealant on the studs or head bolts and recommend Fel-Pro gaskets. I may end up pulling the head and seeing first hand. Not too big a big deal just more time spent on the engine that I could be spending on the rest of the car. 

[Plum6Pak]

   That should answer the outcome of this thread, the valley tray or pan was the culprit. No more drip, no more  just lots of 

[Topcat]

So you didn't have to pull the engine eh?

[moper]

I dont know how much you've driven it but...  You shouldnt need sealant on any studs or bolts on a Mopar. In fact, in the right hole, you can cut off oil flow to the top end by using it. All aluminum heads, regardless of maker or gasket manufacturer, need to be retorqued after they have been heat cycled a bit. The Felpor composites will work just fine in the majority of jobs, but the Cometics are the top of the heap, as long as your machine shop can get the ultra smooth finish they require. You should have no trouble pulling the heads in the car if needed. I takes me about 4 hours with Indys and studs to get to a short block. The headers are the worst part...lol.

[Plum6Pak]

TC, nope, didn't need to yank the head.  The leak was definetly in the valley pan (or tray as some call it), can't tell you exactly where, just that now that I've pulled it, put in the new pan and intake gaskets the problem is history. I've ran it and warmed it up  a few times and no leaks yet.

Thanks Mopar, that's good information. With studs installed I've never tried to pull the heads inside the bay, glad I didn't need to try. If I needed to, I was just going to drop the works out with the K frame and do her up that way. The torque was fine, none of them even budged. 

[Topcat]

Now how bout a few pics of it outside?