Blown Head Gasket?

[Corvette1974]

Hello,

So I am pretty sure that the head gaskets are toast in my M35A2. When I got the truck there was plenty of oil seepage surrounding the head area, even after I wipe it off, it always came back. The truck is turned up pretty well, only peaking at 11 PSI boost and will only peg the pyro on extended high load/long load pulls (1100*).

Truck always ran very well no weird sounds, no fluid mixing, etc.

I took it to the Pocono NASCAR race over the spring and on the way there it started running rough, had trouble building boost and would peg the pyro very quickly! I had to go up the hill on the way to the track in 2nd gear balancing the high temps and throttle. I didn't know this but my buddies also said the truck was smoking way more than usual. I limped the truck home (gotta love a deuce ) and it has been sitting since.

The truck had a slight "tick" on the way back, and it sounds as if there is a slight compression leak when you stick you head in the engine bay. There is still no amount of fluid mixing (no coolant/oil mix)

Any thoughts on further diagnostic or is this pretty typical head gasket failure? Engine was rebuild in 1991, so those head gaskets don't owe me anything haha

Let me know.

Thanks!
-Will

Edit - Truck fires right up as if it has no issues, gauges indicate no changes either. Air cleaner is clean. No obvious issues

 

[gimpyrobb]

The tic indicates a hg blown but seepage is designed into the old by. If you look bathe the intake side between the head and the block, and you see tabs sticking out. That's the old style.

I have some new gaskets if you decide you need them, send a pm.

 

[Corvette1974]

The tic indicates a hg blown but seepage is designed into the old by. If you look bathe the intake side between the head and the block, and you see tabs sticking out. That's the old style.

I have some new gaskets if you decide you need them, send a pm.

It sounds like it is coming from the back of the block, which seems to be a weak spot in the engine. There is *a lot* of seepage haha ever since I got the truck. It is so much I can wipe off the data plate and within one drive it is covered up again. Designed or not I think that is too much...

Do you have the full gasket sets available to do the job? I will hopefully be pulling the heads soon to get them machined...

-Will

 

[Karl kostman]

Will it sure sounds like a head gasket, have you ever changed a head gasket on your vette? Well a Deuce is NOTHING like that at all, OK OK sorry about that. You have all the service manuals for the truck, grab the appropriate TMs figure out your parts list and get it done, remember all new head bolts when you reassemble, its not a bad job at all Will!
Karl

 

[Corvette1974]

Will it sure sounds like a head gasket, have you ever changed a head gasket on your vette? Well a Deuce is NOTHING like that at all, OK OK sorry about that. You have all the service manuals for the truck, grab the appropriate TMs figure out your parts list and get it done, remember all new head bolts when you reassemble, its not a bad job at all Will!
Karl

Never done the heads on my vette but I have on other vehicles... What are the differences I should be aware of? The deuce uses head studs...do they need to be replaced/are there ARP head studs available

-Will

 

[gimpyrobb]

Sorry for the late reply, this is my 7 day work week. I'll look when I get home tonight.

 

[rustystud]

Never done the heads on my vette but I have on other vehicles... What are the differences I should be aware of? The deuce uses head studs...do they need to be replaced/are there ARP head studs available

-Will

Yes there are "ARP" head studs available. I posted the numbers a while back.

 

[gimpyrobb]

remember all new head bolts when you reassemble, its not a bad job at all Will!
Karl

Dunno about that. I've not heard too many swap out their studs(none have bolts) for new. I've never done it.

 

[jamboly]

Before you attempt pulling the heads, you need to find the "special" wrench the army designed to remove the stud nuts on the left hand side of the head. They are pretty much impossible to get off without the wrench. Fortunately I found someone locally I could borrow one from.

 

[gimpyrobb]

NAh, just bend one up with a O/A torch. I've also heard of some folks using oxy sensor sockets.

 

[Corvette1974]

Before you attempt pulling the heads, you need to find the "special" wrench the army designed to remove the stud nuts on the left hand side of the head. They are pretty much impossible to get off without the wrench. Fortunately I found someone locally I could borrow one from.

The wrench came with the truck when I bought it....it is almost as if they knew the gaskets were bad

NAh, just bend one up with a O/A torch. I've also heard of some folks using oxy sensor sockets.

The wrench I have is....custom...to say the least haha

 

[Corvette1974]

Yes there are "ARP" head studs available. I posted the numbers a while back.

I will look into those numbers....I am certainly not opposed to using better fasteners!

Dunno about that. I've not heard too many swap out their studs(none have bolts) for new. I've never done it.

I haven't either in this case, but if the ARPs are available, then I will get them

 

[jamboly]

NAh, just bend one up with a O/A torch. I've also heard of some folks using oxy sensor sockets.

Whatever you use, make sure it can handle the torque requirements.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I ended up having to add some 3/4 stock to stiffen mine up.

 

[Corvette1974]

Whatever you use, make sure it can handle the torque requirements.

I ended up having to add some 3/4 stock to stiffen mine up.

The wrench I have is a custom made one, and they guy before me used it to change heads on another truck he had. So it has been proven to work before...

I started to disassemble the truck yesterday, got a bunch of the little stuff off. The turbo shaft bearings are shot, so I'm going to rebuild that as well.

-Will

 

[JKELLS]

I got all mine off with socket and a breaker bar, and on the driver side nuts I used a regular 7/8 wrench. All are broke loose.

 

[mt4x4]

Make sure your heads are flat. My head gasket blew right at the edge of the head on the back of the front head and after closer inspection the head was miss machineed when the motor was rebuilt in 89. You could see the machine marks. It looked like there was slop in the mill or something where as the mill end came off the head it took more metal. It was like this on both ends on both heads.

 

[nk14zp]

The wrench came with the truck when I bought it....it is almost as if they knew the gaskets were bad

The wrench I have is....custom...to say the least haha

Only two styles of multifuels. Ones that need head gaskets and ones that have new head gaskets.

 

[cucvmule]