6.2 Head Gasket Issue (Video)?

[Rem6a]

Can someone check the attached video of my 6.2L 1987 (rebuilt 2010) M998 engine with possible head gasket leak? Like to confirm it’s leaking before spending 10+ hours repairing the gasket.
No milky oil
No overpressure in coolant
No smoke except for a minute at startup
Slight loss of power lately but like air getting into leaking fuel pump.
Video:
[link]

http://imgur.com/a/I5nzCKv

Tried to upload to site but kept getting wrong format.

 

[Katavic918]

Sure looks like a head gasket to me.

 

[richingalveston]

head gasket problem but it is only leaking water. If no water in oil and the coolant system is not getting pressure then the gasket at the cylinder is not leaking. so it would not cause the smoke problem or the loss of power. most likely the ip is causing the loss of power and .possibly the smoke but the glow plugs can cause the smoke at start up also.
all you are doing at this time is loosing a little coolant but it probably will get worse pretty fast.

time for head gaskets and while you are at it if the IP is not fresh now is the time to do it while you have it apart.

 

[Rem6a]

time for head gaskets and while you are at it if the IP is not fresh now is the time to do it while you have it apart.

So coolant and oil are clean and not losing too much (oil from valve covers). Would head gasket treatment work? Sorry but what’s IP (injection pump?). Thanks for the reply.

Do these gaskets go often?

 

[richingalveston]

yes, IP is injection pump. to get the heads off you have to remove all the fuel lines and it is easiest to remove the lines with the pump. while you have it out, send it for a rebuild. It can be rebuilt for about $450. I would also consider having the heads rebuilt at a machine shop. normally cost about $150 to $200 per head. I know it is a lot of money for most but taking the truck apart again in the near future is not fun. So I would save my money and do it all at once.
If you have the money do the injectors also, your motor will be like brand new when finished.

There is no treatment for a head gasket besides replacing. yes there are some snake oils out there that might buy you a little time but most are not good for the other parts of the truck. If it will stop a water leak on the motor just imagine what it does to your radiator.

When you replace the head gasket you need new gaskets for heads and valve covers and also new head studs. the studs cannot be re-used.

 

[Rem6a]

yes, IP is injection pump. to get the heads off you have to remove all the fuel lines and it is easiest to remove the lines with the pump.

Thanks. Was hopping to just pull the fuel lines and not have to do the IP. Mostly worried about setting pump timing and costs.

What’s the max I can take off the head if warped a little? Heard 0.04 max shops should machine.

Curious how I am bubbling oil but not smoking the exhaust on intake strokes?

 

[papakb]

Having the IP rebuilt is not mandatory when replacing head gaskets, it's just the ideal time to do it. If it's running OK and just weeping fluid just do the head gaskets. Let your wallet and common sense prevail!

Your truck's 33 years old, head gaskets don't last forever and if the military overheated it at some point it's just another contributor to problems like this.

 

[richingalveston]

no worry about pump timing, it only goes in and out one way. just note where it is lined up on the mark of the timing chain cover. highly recommend pulling the pump with all the lines on it. trying to take the lines off with the pump installed is very difficult, and getting them back on and tight is just as bad. The pump goes in and out real easy. just have to pull the oil filler tube to get to the bolts (use a magnet socket so you don't drop one into the timing cover). unless you know that the pump has been changed, it is probably just as old as the gaskets on the heads.
it is not mandatory but a very good idea to do it at the same time. If you plan on keeping the truck very long I would only try to take it apart once. The machine shop will know how much they can take off. Getting the heads redone is not mandatory either but just a good idea. IF you do have the heads machined make sure you buy the right gaskets. they sell a thicker set for machined heads.

 

[Rem6a]

no worry about pump timing, it only goes in and out one way. just note where it is lined up on the mark of the timing chain cover.

That’s some solid advice on the thicker gasket. Good liking out.
New engine installed 2010. So not terribly old and still has most of original factory paint on intake and block. Wasn’t planning on pulling IP but guess it’s not too bad. Appreciate the comments and starting project Friday afternoon.

 

[DREDnot]

Would it hurt to just check the torque on the head bolts before yanking and ganking on the motor?

 

[Rem6a]

Would it hurt to just check the torque on the head bolts before yanking and ganking on the motor?

I have no idea but it's been mentioned a couple times by other people (not in this posting). My only reservation would be taking the engine down and have it still leaking. Figure if I get the fuel line off and valve covers unstuck, I might as well remove the bolts and replace gasket.

 

[911joeblow]

Head gaskets fail in all sorts of ways. Yours is likely due to warpage due to overheating which is common due to the unbalanced cooling across the block. Make sure to install one of our Cooling Upgrade kits to fix this from happening again after the rebuild.

www.paradoxbydesign.com

 

[PA998]

That’s some solid advice on the thicker gasket. Good liking out.
New engine installed 2010. So not terribly old and still has most of original factory paint on intake and block. Wasn’t planning on pulling IP but guess it’s not too bad. Appreciate the comments and starting project Friday afternoon.

I’ll bring the beer! See ya soon, neighbor!

 

[Rem6a]

I’ll bring the beer! See ya soon, neighbor!

We add beer in the mix. Might as well go full Cummings swap (totally kidding). Let’s see if we can beat 11hour start to finish.

 

[MrMikey4026]

Common leak point was left rear lower corner and right front lower corner ( many more left than right side leaks for some reason). When I worked for GM, there was a kit to plug the blind coolant passage located in the head. It was a plug, kind of like a freeze plug that required cleaning up the hole with a die grinder and gluing it in with loctite. It was a very dubious repair, I used to add lots of epoxy, let it set and block sanded it smooth before installing the head. I am sure the kits to do that are long obsolete. Back then there was a new gasket released every few months or a new procedure to correct leak problems.
Current gaskets are probably much better than they were then. I hope so because it was a lot of work to get the gaskets replaced.
Mike

 

[Rem6a]

Common leak point was left rear lower corner and right front lower corner ( many more left than right side leaks for some reason). When I worked for GM, there was a kit to plug the blind coolant passage located in the head. It was a plug, kind of like a freeze plug that required cleaning up the hole with a die grinder and gluing it in with loctite. It was a very dubious repair, I used to add lots of epoxy, let it set and block sanded it smooth before installing the head. I am sure the kits to do that are long obsolete. Back then there was a new gasket released every few months or a new procedure to correct leak problems.
Current gaskets are probably much better than they were then. I hope so because it was a lot of work to get the gaskets replaced.
Mike

Are the heads universal between drivers and passenger sides?

 

[richingalveston]

yes

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

6.2 wasn’t built in 2010,of all the trucks I’ve had, the engines used were GEP 6.5’s and Melton rebuilds that went into reset trucks. You can easily spend what another takeout 6.5 costs to buy From someone doing an upgrade and wants out of his garage. It’s much easier to just pull the motor if you want to do any head work as well, you can thank me later.

 

[Rem6a]

6.2 wasn’t built in 2010,of all the trucks I’ve had, the engines used were GEP 6.5’s and Melton rebuilds that went into reset trucks. You can easily spend what another takeout 6.5 costs to buy From someone doing an upgrade and wants out of his garage. It’s much easier to just pull the motor if you want to do any head work as well, you can thank me later.

Likely right but since this is a tinker project, going to pull heads and replace the $50 head gaskets. Debating head machining or just checking warpage and throwing back on. If it fails again, the 6.5 makes sense. Thanks for suggestion.