So I finally got my engine in and started.. It surprisingly started right up. But I noticed coolant leaking down the side of the block, coming right out from where the head and block meet under the intake manifold. I took off the intake manifold and turbo manifold etc..
My question is.. the head gasket is leaking obviously, the head has a few scratches in it that I can feel with my fingernails. It was resurfaced by the guy that built it but it must have gotten scratched in shipping it. Could this cause the coolant leak? There is water in the oil i'm pretty sure, so I guess I just answered that one. Also, when I installed my arp head studs they all seemed to be different lengths when installed. should they all sit at the same level when tightened into the block? and lastly, if I go with a cometic headgasket is there anything special to do to it so ensure it seals right? I had a oem felpro headgasket before. Remember, this engine has only been ran for about 5 mins, everything is new. Maybe I should just reuse the headgasket...?
Here's my plan. Get the head resurfaced, get a cometic gasket, reinstall the headstuds, and it should be good to go?
a few questions..
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Charlie240sxt
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Re: (WDRacing)
I wouldn't use a cometic gasket unless your going for over 450whp all the time use feltpro like said above. I would go back to whoever shipped it if it got damaged in shipping. People have reported leaks and it being hard to get a metal headgaskets to sill up.
Re: a few questions.. (lrb_2000)
FELPRO !
Personal experience here man, MLS gaskets are a freaken PITA. You have to re-torque them 2-3 times after you install them to make sure the tq is perfect. Just a huge pain in the ***, and like previously said, felpro for anything under 450-500.
Personal experience here man, MLS gaskets are a freaken PITA. You have to re-torque them 2-3 times after you install them to make sure the tq is perfect. Just a huge pain in the ***, and like previously said, felpro for anything under 450-500.
Alright, so it won't be a big deal to reuse this headgasket? What about the head studs.. I hand tightened them down until they wouldn't go anymore, and used an allen wrench to make sure they were bottomed out, but they all seemed to go in different lengths. I hope it's just the head that's the problem. I want this car running.
I'm going for over 500hp, but of course that will only be on rare occasions with race gas. Mostly I want to keep it around 12-15psi on pump gas with my gt35.
I'm going for over 500hp, but of course that will only be on rare occasions with race gas. Mostly I want to keep it around 12-15psi on pump gas with my gt35.
Re: (lrb_2000)
Def do NOT re use a stock type headgasket. You need a new one, they are like 35-40 shipped.
You mean the head studs are sticking out of the block at different lengths? If so, thats bad, something is stopping the studs from going all the way into the block.
If your going for big hp, you really should get some ARP head studs. The stock ones are designed to stretch, and should not be reused.
I mean you can go with MLS, but you have to do it right or dont bother doing it at all. Felpros have handled more than 500 hp before, and 30 psi of boost.
You mean the head studs are sticking out of the block at different lengths? If so, thats bad, something is stopping the studs from going all the way into the block.
If your going for big hp, you really should get some ARP head studs. The stock ones are designed to stretch, and should not be reused.
I mean you can go with MLS, but you have to do it right or dont bother doing it at all. Felpros have handled more than 500 hp before, and 30 psi of boost.
Re: (480sx)
Okay.
The headgasket is brand new. I just installed the engine, and it ran for about 2-3 minutes and I saw the leak. So I took it back apart. Are you saying that the gasket is bad after a few minutes to reuse?
I do have arp head studs. That's what i'm saying, I tightened them down into the block, and there are a few at different lengths than the others. I mean like 1/4". I can tell when I put the top nut on by how many threads are sticking through after torqued down. But if they don't go all the way to the bottom, they can't hold the torque, right? I'll try to clean out the threads the best I can, what is a good way to do this?
The headgasket is brand new. I just installed the engine, and it ran for about 2-3 minutes and I saw the leak. So I took it back apart. Are you saying that the gasket is bad after a few minutes to reuse?
I do have arp head studs. That's what i'm saying, I tightened them down into the block, and there are a few at different lengths than the others. I mean like 1/4". I can tell when I put the top nut on by how many threads are sticking through after torqued down. But if they don't go all the way to the bottom, they can't hold the torque, right? I'll try to clean out the threads the best I can, what is a good way to do this?