Head gasket leak?

[Dukesie79]

Need some help diagnosing a coolant leak in the passenger side between the block and head. I can see coolant dripping from the tab of the head gasket. Obviously my first guess would be the head gasket, but compression is consistent with all other cylinders around 165. Looking through the receipts given to me by the previous owner, I see it has felpro loc wire 1007 head gaskets, so that rings a bell that he told me the heads were o-ringed. So I guess my question is whether this is actually a head gasket leak or something else. Is there a good way to check? Could the outer head bolts be loose? They are ARPs. Is there an easy way to get to them to re torque? What should the torque be?

Thanks guys. I know that's a lot of questions. I had actually put the car up for sale but am reconsidering if this looks like it will be an easy fix.

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[pacecarta]

compression tester tests the cylinder seal ( firing ring , piston rings and valve seal) , it wont show a coolant system leak
if coolant is leaking out ...you have a coolant leak ..its that simple
do a coolant system pressure test

if coolant system pressurizes while running then you have a cylinder pressure leaking into the coolant system
(sometimes it will hold fine until boosted)

you may have lifted the head and damaged the graphite gasket around the coolant passages

try a retorque , try GM sealing tabs
if it wont stop ....try new headgaskets

 

[Hotrodbuick]

Good possibility they didn't seal the head bolts when they built the motor. When the motor gets hot, water leaks around the head bolts.


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[hiboom]

+2 head bolts not sealed when installed leaking pass the threads.I believe some have used the gm sealant tabs with success.

 

[Dukesie79]

Would this show up after 3000 miles? How many tabs should I use?


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[Phoneguy]

Start with 2 tabs...it should seal pretty quickly. If not I would retorque the head. If that doesnt stop it you will need to pull the head.

Bryan

 

[pacecarta]

if it is the bolts weeping you could drain coolant , pull one bolt , clean threads , recoat threads with sealer , reinstall and torque

 

[Dukesie79]

if it is the bolts weeping you could drain coolant , pull one bolt , clean threads , recoat threads with sealer , reinstall and torque

I was kind of thinking along the same lines. So I assume you mean one bolt at a time not one bolt, correct?


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[pacecarta]

I was kind of thinking along the same lines. So I assume you mean one bolt at a time not one bolt, correct?


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repeat as necessary

 

[TurboSmart]

Which bolts?

 

[machinegun]

One of 2 issues, gasket seeping or coolant coming up via the head bolts.

If you are not seeing any real loss of coolant or compression entering the coolant system and the breathers look fine.

I would then drop some GM seal tabs in the system and see where that gets you.

Hope this helps

 

[Phoneguy]

2 year old thread guys ...

Bryan

 

[aminga]

2 year old thread guys ...

Bryan

maybe we've gone back in time