Another head gasket thread

[isaac_alaska]

Looks like it's time for a new head gasket.

Started running rough, like bad fuel or maybe a distributor or coil problem. Every now and then it would catch and idle and run good and then start coughing again.

Looked under the hood an noticed the line from the oil filter housing back to the block was leaking pretty bad, rubber hose must have rotted and blown a hole. Slid a larger hose over the hole and sealed it up with a couple hose clamps. Trail repair.

Messed with fuel system and distributor cap, scraped carbon off the rotor, didn't help. Started back up again but this time lots of white smoke, figured maybe it flooded while I screwed with stuff. Let it sit a few hours, went to start it, didn't want to crank, thought maybe battery was dying so I checked the connections, cranked it over, started. This time there's tons of white smoke and obvious coolant coming out the exhaust. Pulled the dipstick and brand new oil looks milky towards the top of the stick.

Anything it could be aside from a head gasket?

I ordered a NOS head gasket, but are the new composite ones better? Looks like rock auto has 4 different flavors. Any favorites? These in the photo say they fit dodge 230, any reason they wouldn't work? The NOS I ordered specifically says m37.

Aside from checking the block for flatness, and taking head to machine shop, anything else I should check or inspect while I have the top open?

[52PLOWERWAGON]

my uncle has fixed 3 semis with head gasket sealer that had head gasket issues


and if you pull the head and have it milled id have it milled down to get more compression

[Cal_Gary]

Hi Isaac,
I've attached my lengthy thread as it has a lot of good info in it. DO NOT purchase that Fel-Pro gasket, as one of the bolt holes is drilled out of alignment-I had to use a Dremel to make mine serviceable.
Gary

http://www.g741.org/PHPBB/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7290

[isaac_alaska]

I'll read through it, thanks! i took a look at it before but i wasn't sure if the head gasket you got was just a fluke or if all their head gaskets have the mis-aligned hole. seems very strange that they could sell something if they are consistenly misaligned. what did you think of the quality of it, aside from the off hole? it's cheap enough i don't mind ordering one to see if i have better luck with the fit. but if the NOS is just as good or better than the fel pro as far as quality and sealing ability then i suppose there's no reason to order the newer one.

also sent an email to ARP about a set of head studs, i really like the idea of studs rather than bolts, but if the studs cost 3x what new ARP bolts cost, it's hard to justify.

[Kaegi]

vintage power wagons sells a stud kit. I bet a belter deal than ARP. the WW2 WCs had studs stock.

[isaac_alaska]

good to know! i wonder what the difference is between ARP studs and the new studs sold by VPW. vpw sells the arp studs, as well as another set that is non arp. the price is $205 for arp and $71 for the standards ones.

didn't see them when i looked the first time though, so i ended up buying a new set of head bolts from arp for $68

[ashyers]

Isaac,
Could I convince you to CC the chambers while you have the head off?

Andy

[isaac_alaska]

If I can learn how, or of it's something the machine shop can do when they check it for flatness. I've never done it before. I'll go read up on it now

Perhaps this

[Cal_Gary]

Sorry for the delay Isaac,
The gasket is of good quality other than that misaligned hole. I also used spray copper gasket sealer on mine, and have had no issues putting around 500 miles on it since I did the head gasket.
Gary

[isaac_alaska]

I ordered the victor reinz gasket, since it was only a couple dollars more. I'll post some pics when it comes to fitting it. Still haven't pulled the head off yet. I'm hoping I don't have to do anything to the block.

[Cal_Gary]

My block was fine-no warping. You might have your head shaved and checked for cracks-my machine shop took .005 off of mine, and found no cracks.
Gary

[isaac_alaska]

that's the plan, i'll have the head cleaned, magnafluxed, planed, and then paint it silver with my leftover header paint. going to stick a bit of clay on top of the valves and set the head in place to measure clearance between valves and head, and then if there's clearance i'll have .020 taken off to bump the compression up just a bit. unless the head has already been planed there should be room to take .080 off but i don't need to go that radical.

[isaac_alaska]

both head gaskets showed up today. first one is NOS copper, off ebay, 2nd one is Victor reinz, new, from rock auto. the price difference was minimal, both were cheap, like $20 for NOS and $30 for VR
laid them on top of each other and the hole patterns appear to match up perfectly.
the NOS one has definitely been around a while. the copper is fairly tarnished, doesn't look real shiny anymore. and looks like it's been dropped twice, on two different corners, so they are pretty buckled and i'd be very hesitant to use it, unless i had no other options.
to be fair though, the ebay seller did ship it free shipping, which is pretty rare to alaska.

[ashyers]

Love the copper sandwiched asbestos! Is there a thickness difference?

[isaac_alaska]

asbestos? i thought it smelled a little funny...

i'll mic them both, good idea