Blown Head Gasket???

[ritchie]

Hi, I just changed my heads, rockers and intake. After everything was completed, fired it up, and got a lot of white smoke out the tailpipes, and a while later noticed a milky residue in my antifreeze. Could this just be an intake leak? Noticed a leak around the thermostat housing as well, replacing the thermostat and gasket tomorrow. Any help would be greatly appreciated.:)

p.s. motor is a 302, gt40 heads, and systemax intake.

[93snake]

are you sure that the sufaces were clean? Did you put the headgaskets on the correct way?

[ritchie]

cleaned all surfaces, pretty sure gaskets were installed correctly...

[93snake]

did you check the oil, to see if you had any antifreeze? Did it run like it had a vaccum leak?

[ritchie]

oil looks and feels fine, did seem like it had a vacuum leak though...

[jad0087]

Prolly just from the head gaskets properly seating...usually u gotta change the oil and antifreeze after u put new head gaskets on cuz they mix for a minute when the head gaskets are properly seating

[RACEME]

Prolly just from the head gaskets properly seating...usually u gotta change the oil and antifreeze after u put new head gaskets on cuz they mix for a minute when the head gaskets are properly seating

I don't think so. I have done head swaps tons of time and NEVER had that happen.

[RACEME]

Hi, I just changed my heads, rockers and intake. After everything was completed, fired it up, and got a lot of white smoke out the tailpipes, and a while later noticed a milky residue in my antifreeze. Could this just be an intake leak? Noticed a leak around the thermostat housing as well, replacing the thermostat and gasket tomorrow. Any help would be greatly appreciated.:)

p.s. motor is a 302, gt40 heads, and systemax intake.

Was the H-pipe still installed when you swapped the heads? I have had antifreeze leak into the h-pipe before when I took the old heads off. It takes a little while for that to bake out of your mufflers.

[ritchie]

Was the H-pipe still installed when you swapped the heads? I have had antifreeze leak into the h-pipe before when I took the old heads off. It takes a little while for that to bake out of your mufflers.

Yes, the h-pipe was still installed when we swapped the heads...that's a good point. I will get the thermostat replaced and let it come up to normal operating temperature and hopefully it will clear up....The bolts i have for the upper to lower intake, especially the ones close to the firewall just didn't seem long enough, may have a leak there as well. Overall though, the car sounds much meaner than before.

[RACEME]

Yes, the h-pipe was still installed when we swapped the heads...that's a good point. I will get the thermostat replaced and let it come up to normal operating temperature and hopefully it will clear up....The bolts i have for the upper to lower intake, especially the ones close to the firewall just didn't seem long enough, may have a leak there as well. Overall though, the car sounds much meaner than before.

That is a problem I have had a few times. The car is on jackstands in the front and not in the back. It is tough to get the block and heads completely drained of coolant, and when you lift the old heads, the coolant just poors right into the exhaust. It will smoke like hell every time you get on it for the first couple drives.

Also make sure you always blow out the head bolt holes. If fluid stays in them, you will not get the heads torqued down correct and blow the gasket right away. Yes, I have made all these mistakes personally.

[ritchie]

That is a problem I have had a few times. The car is on jackstands in the front and not in the back. It is tough to get the block and heads completely drained of coolant, and when you lift the old heads, the coolant just poors right into the exhaust. It will smoke like hell every time you get on it for the first couple drives.

Also make sure you always blow out the head bolt holes. If fluid stays in them, you will not get the heads torqued down correct and blow the gasket right away. Yes, I have made all these mistakes personally.

Thanks for all your help, will post results later on today...hopefully it all goes as planned, need to get it on the road asap...my daily driver.lol

[RACEME]

Thanks for all your help, will post results later on today...hopefully it all goes as planned, need to get it on the road asap...my daily driver.lol

another test is to start the car with the radiator cap off. if there are alot of bubbles coming up, then you most likely have an issue.

[ritchie]

another test is to start the car with the radiator cap off. if there are alot of bubbles coming up, then you most likely have an issue.

ok, will try that as well.

[1987coupe]

this car has long tubes so i dont think antifreeze woul be in the h pipe. did you put sealer around the water ports? did you tighten the intake from side to side or in sequence?

[ritchie]

this car has long tubes so i dont think antifreeze woul be in the h pipe. did you put sealer around the water ports? did you tighten the intake from side to side or in sequence?

just pulled the upper intake off, the lower intake bolts were very, very loose. I know we tightened them, but must not have done it in sequence...in a hurry and it was cold! In the process of putting it back together now...we'll see!:cool1:

[INSANEBA]

Well, whats the verdict?

[RACEME]

Well, whats the verdict?

Yeah, what happened?

[93snake]

waitting on update...

[ritchie]

ok...tightened lower intake bolts, re-installed upper intake, put it all back together, runs fine now. haven't had it on the road yet, new alternator went bad, and can't get the fan to work!!!! overall, the motor sounds great...:cool1: