Head gasket, what else?

[mensor]

*all symptoms except no obvious oil in coolant. Looked fresh when I drained it.

Realizing now that I may have jumped the gun, I’m gonna back up a couple steps and do a compression/leak down check before I touch any bolts with torque specs. Thanks Robin & dr

[mensor]

Well I’m glad I took a couple steps back...

Compression check is good (really good I think) on the smoking side. 1&3 are hitting 165. 2&4 oddly enough are only getting to 145.

So... where to go from here? I’m in a self-induced time pinch to get her running for DGR this weekend but I don’t want that to stop me from taking correct care here... valve adjustment and see what happens?

[robin1731]

What about leakdown? You are not done diagnosing.

.

[mensor]

Sorry, my last post was premature. Since that I’ve rigged a leakdown setup of my own just like his:
https://ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php ... wn#p780943

First time I’ve tried a leakdown but I think I got it. Pressure loss was faster on the right (smoking) side and I could hear some air escaping the exhaust (I think). Additional poking also around revealed #1 & 3 exhaust valves needed adjustment and an over-tightened header nut (crush gasket partially smashed into the exhaust port).

SO, exhaust gaskets replaced and tightened correctly, all valves checked/adjusted, fluids back in and ran to temp. No smoke! I’ll take it for a careful ride tomorrow and see if any gremlins creep back up.

[redglbx]

White smoke in rh exhaust & bubbling in the Coolant are pretty good signs to a bad head gasket, Robin’s methods above are probably the most proper way to diagnose this but I’d add that the evidence is pretty conclusive.

Let me also add that it is really a good practice to retorque the head after a couple of heat up & cool down cycles, it’s just a good thing to do with no down side past the effort to do it. The head of Fel Pro technical (many years ago) strongly recommended this to me after I had several of their “perma-torq” head gaskets fail on my hot rod ford engine, I started doing it after talking to him aNd have not had another problem, highly recommended.

[Sidecar Bob]

1) I agree: If there is bubbling in the coolant you have a head gasket failure. Coolant and oil mixing is a definite indicator of a failed head gasket but lack of that mixing doesn't mean the gasket is good. When a head gasket fails it initially leaks between the combustion chamber and the cooling jacket (bubbles &/or steam) and if it is allowed to get worse it may eventually blow out to an oil passage, causing the mixing.

2) Unless you are planning to surface the head you don't need to unbolt the elbow or replace its gasket (I'd replace the o-rings on the water pipe if they are more than a couple of years old, though). You can see pics of my heads with the elbows in place when I replaced my head gaskets this spring here https://ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php ... 8&start=30
BTW: I had no coolant/oil mixing).

3) Pics of my valve spring compressor here viewtopic.php?p=721718#p721718

[Gowing]

Any news on further progress.

[mensor]

Hey all. Thanks for your continued advice and interest. Unfortunately, other pesky life stuff is getting in the way, so Rose is on the back burner again. I’ll get back to it with a progress report as soon as I can.

Robin: Once this mystery is solved, I’m certain the carbs need some love too. I’m considering shipping them to you if you have the time for another rebuild. I’d feel loads better knowing you did it than attempting them myself.