It runs!

[71chmark]

Started my 440 today after 13 years and it fired right up and runs smooth.  Thanks so much for the advice I received here.  I would have had a real hard time without it.  I'll be asking for more I'm sure.  Now for the bad part.  I have water leaking around the front part of the drivers side header.  Not the back where the bolt enters the water jacket.  I'm thinking freeze plug.  My deduction was it sat with antifreeze all those years and wasn't leaking.  I didn't even think about rust.  Can you spell moron?  I also have fuel leaking around the inlet to the rear bowls.  Seems like the dual inlet fuel line isn't sealing as it has a few nicks.  I'm thinking I can emery cloth it smooth?  I suppose it's going to be a bear getting sealant on the header gaskets again also while the motor is in, not to mention changing the freeze plugs.  Maybe I should just pull the heads.  Did someone mention something about good quality gaskets?  I think it was cometec or something like that.  Oh well.  Did I mention it runs?

[nivvy]

sounds like a freeze plug....forget the cometics.... you need an ultra smooth deck and heads for them to seal right.....

[Chryco Psycho]

on a big block all the the bolts for the headers go into the water jacket so I would be checking those first
 I have to absolutly disagree on Cometic gaskets they are the only gasket that will stand the test of time with alum heads

[nivvy]

on a big block all the the bolts for the headers go into the water jacket so I would be checking those first
 I have to absolutly disagree on Cometic gaskets they are the only gasket that will stand the test of time with alum heads

You have mentioned that before CP but I have been told by many about the ultra smooth deck and heads.... if so yea the cometics but in his post is sounds like he just wants to change gaskets.... or do you not agree on the smoothness factor

[Chryco Psycho]

I agree it needs to be a smooth finish , I have seen some seep slightly too but they generally seal very quickly after a couple of heat cycles , you can smooth the deck with a block & fine wet dry sandpaper as well

[71chmark]

The freeze plug looks OK.  I used ARP thread sealant on all the bolts but maybe not good enough.  I thought only the back bolts went into the water jacket.  Should I try teflon tape or high temp sealant instead?

[MEK-Dangerfield]

The freeze plug looks OK.  I used ARP thread sealant on all the bolts but maybe not good enough.  I thought only the back bolts went into the water jacket.  Should I try teflon tape or high temp sealant instead?

ARP was all I used. Is the leak bad?


   Mike

[Chryco Psycho]

if the threads are in good condition a sealer like the ARP may work well , if the threads are rusted or chewed up at all you may need better sealant & or teflon to get it sealed up

[moparmaniac59]

Jason,
What happened??  Did you kick the nice lady out of the front seat of your car??


                                                          Matt B.



                                                 

[71chmark]

The flanges are raised around the exhaust ports so the gasket won't seal tight around the bolt holes.  None of the bolts or the holes look like the sealant was washed out and there was a pretty good amount of steam coming off the header between the #1 and #3 spark plugs.  This would indicate spraying which I think would at least wash out the sealant around whatever bolt was leaking.  There is a freeze plug right below where the steam was rising.  It was painted over and looks alright from the outside.  Everything was evaporated before I could get to it and the coolant is clean so it leaves no trace and only leaks out once it starts to heat up and pressurize.  I suppose I will have to change the freeze plug (which I've never done).  Any tips on changing a head freeze plug without having to pull the head?  It's not that hard to pull the head but I would rather not keep going farther backward but get back to "it runs!".

[Chryco Psycho]

unless you have enough room to drive a now plug into place or can pry one in using some kind of lever you may be forced to pull the head

[nivvy]

Sure I can help you.... I wiped all mineout before.........  the paint still looked good on mine also but it still dribbled throught the paint... after I got the paint off it was cleary rotted...

Get out a dremel.... the extension wand is nice.... use a small heavy duty cut off wheel and cut straight through the freeze plug the cut up into the edge very carefully not to cut into block... after that stick a flathead screwdriver in the slit you first made in the reeze plug and it will come out easily.... I even got the rear ones out this way firewall wasnt an issue doing it StRoKers way 

then get out the right size socket that fits inside the diameter of the new freeze plug and pound the new one in..... it takes a bunch of good hits but it will work and its tight to swing a hammer in there but itworks................

[71chmark]

I cleaned the threads with a thread follower when I had the heads off so I know they are clean.  The bolts did seem to be a little bit easy going in though.  I'm going to try thickening them up with teflon tape and see what happens.  If that doesn't change anything I'll have a go at changing the freeze plug in place (thanks alot for the advice on that StRoKer).  Still can pull the head if I need to.

[nivvy]

no problem ....... keep us updated....

[moper]

On an iron headed engine, cometics are wasted money unless you're trying to rig it for compression of one sort or another. I'd like to see how well wet or dry holds up to a block's deck. Iron is not urethane, and paper looses abrasive like mad. That's why machinists use emery cloth. Cometics have their place. 90% of engines regardless of head material dont need them. If you have to use them for the performance level you're at, machie it right from the start for them. Before you tear too much into the cooling system for leaky studs, try letting the engine heat cycle a few times. I've had a few that stopped on thier own after things found their equilibrium.