Cooling problems and Head gasket seaping oil

[BakersChoice]

Hey all,

Quick question, I replaced my head gasket with a performance one from AR about 6 months ago and it's been running great, but my car has been having some cooling issues and now when I peak under the hood I notice that the head gasket is seeping a very small amount of oil.

My car isn't staying as cool as it should (the radiator needs a re-core), it'll peg to about 230 with the fan running, before I end up shutting it off or getting up to enough speed to cool it back down again. It doesn't reach the red at all but it's definitely not at optimal temperature. Will this cause a head gasket to start seeping a small amount of oil? Thanks

[phaetn]

Check coolant level in the rad, not just the reservoir tank.

If your head gasket is going bad you could be burning coolant in the combustion chamber and the level is thus low. See if you're burning any white smoke out the tail pipe.

Low fluid means even with the fan running it can't bring the temp down as there simply isn't enough coolant to radiate the heat out effectively. It just gets hot and then hotter. When working properly temp shouldn't be going over about 190 or so with the fan on.

If you are burning coolant then that means it's time for a head gasket change -- the same situation I am about to plunge into next week.

Cheers,
phaetn

[So Cal Mark]

you replaced the head gasket and didn't address a bad radiator situation?

[BakersChoice]

Definitely not blowing out white smoke, my engine runs surprisingly clean for having so many miles on it. Sorry, I was unclear in my original post, I don't think the head gasket is going out, cause the car doesn't run in the 230s all the time, I never drive it that far or if I do it's on the freeway where the temp always stays down. But the head looks like it's a little weepy from a couple of times it ran in the 230s (not fulling overheating). As for the radiator situation, the coolant level is ok, I'll triple check it.

I'm not sure if it's a radiator problem but the fins on the radiator are beat up in places and it just looks worn and old. As for not addressing the radiator problem, I didn't have the funds to replace a radiator and the first gasket to go was due to a combination of thermostat issues and buying a cheap gasket, both items which I've already tackled. It may not be a radiator issue, but to me it sounds like it, but if you think I should check something else as well please let me know. I'm more just wondering if it sounds like only a radiator issue, and if it's normal for a pretty fresh head gasket (maybe 1000 miles on it) to be a little weepy. Should I just retorque and monitor it?

[RRoller123]

To answer your original question; No ... There should be no weeping after changing the head gasket. (assuming head mating surface and block mating surface were clean and flat). The seal should be nice and dry, both coolant and oil. Re-torque it for sure (stone cold engine, after sitting overnight, 61- Ft-Lbs, 2 steps min) and see if that helps. And Re-torque the cam boxes too (14 Ft-Lbs). Then check the valve gaps afterwards.

[phaetn]

Definitely not blowing out white smoke, my engine runs surprisingly clean for having so many miles on it. ... As for the radiator situation, the coolant level is ok, I'll triple check it.

Glad to hear it!

I'm not sure if it's a radiator problem but the fins on the radiator are beat up in places and it just looks worn and old. As for not addressing the radiator problem, I didn't have the funds to replace a radiator and the first gasket to go was due to a combination of thermostat issues and buying a cheap gasket, both items which I've already tackled. It may not be a radiator issue, but to me it sounds like it, but if you think I should check something else as well please let me know. I'm more just wondering if it sounds like only a radiator issue, and if it's normal for a pretty fresh head gasket (maybe 1000 miles on it) to be a little weepy. Should I just retorque and monitor it?

I have a spare rad kicking around that I bought from 4uall last year so it's originally from a 1980 car and should therefore fit yours. I was thinking about installing it in my 1974 to get extra cooling, but ended up having the original re-cored (and paid far too much for it! I should have waited and bought an aluminum new one from a Fiat vendor rather than the rad shop gouging me.)

I paid CA$50 for the OEM rad. It's yours if you want it for US$40 plus the cost of shipping. I'm in Canada so you would have to wait until I get to the US to keep the cost down for the courier. I'm going to FFO in late July so could send it then if you can wait that long and it retightening the head doesn't solve your problem.

Cheers,
phaetn

[BakersChoice]

Yeah that would be great! If I can hold off till late July which I believe I could I would be glad to buy that one from you. Let me know when that day gets closer and we can figure it out

[micbrody]

", it'll peg to about 230 with the fan running, before I end up shutting it off or getting up to enough speed to cool it back down again"

1) Question: when you say 'peg', it is gradually going up to 230f? I ask because there is a separate temp sender that does peg the temp gauge, but at 260f

2) I had a similar issue occur. My engine would suddenly run between 200-230, depending on sitting in traffic vs moving. This problem occurred in same week I did some work on coolant system . I thought I might have had an air lock. I attempted to burp and top off coolant , but it seemed fairly full. I then checked thermostatic coolant valve near pump, and pump; all seemed fine. I then took car for a ride; got it hot, and then checked temperature with infrared thermostat. Turns out my gauge was suddenly reading about 40 deg hotter. I then remembered I had pulled the dash to clean and de-oxy a finicky connector for turning signal. I theorized that maybe my gauge connector became "loose" or corroded. I cleaned and de-oxied the three connectors on gauge, and now everything works perfectly. So the lesson:
Gauge works by measuring resistance relative to ground. Any of the connectors having oxidized will give a false high reading. You can also check the connector going to the actual sender

[phaetn]

Yeah that would be great! If I can hold off till late July which I believe I could I would be glad to buy that one from you. Let me know when that day gets closer and we can figure it out

Cool! (pardon the pun)

I'll be driving to FFO on July 26th -- just under three weeks time. PM me closer to the date and I'll make sure to take the rad in my trunk and then send it to you when I'm stateside in Detroit.

cheers,
phaetn

[BakersChoice]

Sounds good to me, thanks a lot.

So to follow up on this, re-torqued the head and cleaned off the block and everything appears to be ok, except I still have oil leaking from the exhaust side, more specifically in the corner closest to the firewall. At first I thought it might be a head gasket but the engine sounds strong and like it has good compression. So I'm thinking that it might be that bottom left exhaust stud that is leaking oil. I'm going to inspect it tonight when the engine has cooled and I can safely peak my head in there and see.

Assuming it is the exhaust stud, what should I use to seal it up? Some type of thread locker?

Also, thanks for the bit on the temperature sending wires, I'll look into it. I had a problem with the overheat one pegging into the red when it wasn't overheating, but generally it will gradually get up to 230, although hitting the gas does seem to drop the temperature a bit so it could be a bad connection on the back of the temp gauge.

[blazingspider]

I don't think that the tapped hole for the back exhaust stud enters into any area where it would have the potential to seep oil. You either have a leak at the junction between the cam box to head, the back cover for the exhaust cam on the cam box or at the junction between the head and the block.

[BakersChoice]

Yeah I looked at it this morning. It appears the head gasket is the leak. I re-torqued it but am still seeing oil.

Also I checked the valve clearance and it's about .025 too big. Would this cause excess heat in that corner of the block?

[So Cal Mark]

did you check the head for flatness? Just swapping out a head gasket and not determining the cause of failure usually leads to another failure

[BakersChoice]

Yeah the head is flat. When the first head gasket blew I had the valves done and they shaved the head 1 1/1000 (or 1/100, whichever is normal increments) and I checked the head afterwards to make sure it was smooth. The block is straight as well