Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Blowed Head Gasket, Quality Solution?

[Piston Slapper]

We just blowed a head gasket after having our pump tweaked out on my dads truck. We are building this truck up as a puller, but still a daily work truck. The truck has the potential of becoming a serious puller and will attended many pulls in the area. Looking for a head gasket solution that we can do ourselves to assure this doesn't happen again. Don't know how radical we'll get, but would like to see 500+ on a dyno with it someday!



What boost levels will O-ringing and copper gasket hold? Local turbo shop is building us a "Pulling" turbo that is supposed to handle 60-65 boost with proper fueling. Will O-ringing hold this? copper?



What other alternatives do I have. Is Fire Ring an option or overkill? Does a shop have to be setup to do it? Would like something that can be done with just the head off?



Thanks a million, pulling head tonight. And pulling pump again to go back in to add ... . MORE FUEL!!



Ya'll outta heard the HX35/14 singing. Who said they won't build 50 lbs?

 

[WadePatton]

Maybe the "competition" thread would get you more HIGH-POWER experience. You know that's where ya'll are headed.



Glad you've got until January to get it fixed (before the meeting show and ride funtime).



I say again, flow the head. And why not a cam while she's down. GOSH I'm good a spending Arrington $$$$.



HEY [edit] why don't ya'll mount a full-time video camera on that sucker. Set up a web-feed... Looks like another Piers Harry in the making. :-laf

 

[Stroker Smoker]

I have an HX35/18. 5cm. I have seen the gauge reading 50+ lbs a few times before. Usually it tops out at 43-45 lbs. It went to 50 lbs with a large load behind it.

 

[Reb.B]

Call Piers!, he has a trick new gasket that has all the driveability of a stock gasket, and more potencial that a copper gasket with o-rings

 

[Reb.B]

Call Piers!, he has a trick new gasket that has all the driveability of a stock gasket, and more potencial that a copper gasket with o-rings

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Most of us run and O-Ring in the head with a . 020 Marine gasket, it's good to 70 psi or so with problems, I run in the 65-70 psi range and have had no boost leak issues, the problem you going to have with a single at that boost level is back (drive) pressure as I'm sure it will be high, like boost issues in the other direction... . works the same way!



Jim

 

[Piston Slapper]

Update on Blown Gasket

We'll we suspected a blown head gasket due to numerous stretched head bolts that would not torque to 125 before pulling head. We then attempted to pull the head to see what was going on when two of the head bolts broke. We thought we had found our problem and new the gasket had been compromised due to head rising/stretched bolts. To our suprise the gasket had not blown!



After a little head scratching we stumbled across our "real" issue. We had oil in the coolant! We hadn't even noticed it! Overflow coolant tank is black! Only a gallon of oil left in the block. Barely reads on the stick. Suspect a gallon is in the coolant system! Now we suspect the oil cooler on the side of the block. We pulled it out and too our suprised there is no oil in the coolant area there? We are really head scratching now...



We got the Oil Cooler off the truck and pressurized it and cannot get it to leak. We suds here up with soapy water and can't get a bubble anywhere. We are now trying to determine what or why else could there be oil in the coolant? Cracked block? We hope not. Still in persuit... .

 

[WadePatton]

Well

What is the news? Doesn't sound too promising. Anybody else got a guess?

 

[C. Harlan]

how much do head gaskets go for? Looks like I will need one before too long!!



-Chris-

 

[WadePatton]

I dunno exactly, but the R&R is the big item!



But now Gap says it ain't the gaskeet. Figgered it out yet?

 

[csutton7]

are those stock head bolts you're using?? if so they can only be torqued down like the manual says as they relax back to the 110lb+/- range when you exceed the specs---now I'd say you definitely blew the head gasket or you lifted the head enuff to blow oil in the coolant--my head lifted enuff to pressurize the coolant system, but for some reason it never mixed fluids(lucky I guess it you want to call a blown head gasket lucky)---double o-ring and copper--talk to www.performancediesel.net --chris

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

There are six oil passages to the deck. Each goes along a tear drop shaped cut out in the head gasket to a head bolt where the oil travels up to the rocker. One of these tear drops in the gasket may be leaking to the coolant passages--especially given the head bolt problems you had.

 

[Piston Slapper]

Looks like it was the oil cooler. We were unable to pressurize it and get it to leak off the truck but replaced it anyway with ya'll recommendation. Replaced head gasket too with a . 0020 Marine, gooped it up with Copper Spray, replaced all head bolts and rocker assembly bolts. Got it all back together and she is holding so far and no leaks, Yeah!



It'll still bust the tires loose any speed below 50 mph if you stomp it, and if you just romp it standing still you have to let off to get it to move, it'll just melt em down... . !



This little HX35/14 is spoil'n us with the spool up and responsiveness. Try'n to determine now what we need for a turbo. Can get a Zero Balanced, Ball bearing HX50 for $600, (Good ol boy network) . Don't know if we can spool it, and don't know how the turbo will act with the auto, read LAG??

 

[WadePatton]

HEY, you think ya'll can keep that thing together until dyno day? Oo.



I need to go check on the sled and how much iron he wants ya'll to bring.



Ho yeah, that transmission thing is this weekend.

 

[HVAC]

I had the same thought as Joe mentioned above. My first prob was a bit of oil emitting from the front of the head. It could run into the coolant system as well.



Slapper, you can go with copper and make it work on the street. You can use a stock gasket, and you can use a modded stock gasket.



Van Haisley has one of the O-ring cutting tools I use and he is a wealth of information. They have been able to keep Kent Crowder's head sealing probs to a minimum this year. Use studs when you put it back together.



If you have trouble getting a number for Haisley's, email me.

 

[TStinson]

I had the exact same symptoms n on my '99 24V. VERY close look at the headgasket revealed small fissures in the soft gasket material that lead from the oil passage to a water passage. Pressure-tested the oil cooler to 40psi and also saw no leakage. Checked headbolt length - all were 5. 12-5. 13. No sign of any combustion pressure leakage.

Originally posted by Piston Slapper

We'll we suspected a blown head gasket due to numerous stretched head bolts that would not torque to 125 before pulling head. We then attempted to pull the head to see what was going on when two of the head bolts broke. We thought we had found our problem and new the gasket had been compromised due to head rising/stretched bolts. To our suprise the gasket had not blown!



After a little head scratching we stumbled across our "real" issue. We had oil in the coolant! We hadn't even noticed it! Overflow coolant tank is black! Only a gallon of oil left in the block. Barely reads on the stick. Suspect a gallon is in the coolant system! Now we suspect the oil cooler on the side of the block. We pulled it out and too our suprised there is no oil in the coolant area there? We are really head scratching now...



We got the Oil Cooler off the truck and pressurized it and cannot get it to leak. We suds here up with soapy water and can't get a bubble anywhere. We are now trying to determine what or why else could there be oil in the coolant? Cracked block? We hope not. Still in persuit... .