Coolant Leak Between Head and Block

[EightTrackHits]

1 minute ago, Supreme Pizza said:

 

 

 

 

   Right. Now I remember. They are also a little shorter than the lower TTY bolts, right?

 

Shorter and smaller.

[richard wysong]

normal system pressure is 16- 18 psi and you should be able to test at 20-22 psi without damaging anything thats not ready to fail anyway

[EightTrackHits]

Looks like only two of the top bolts were a little loose (around 45degrees to get to torque.  They were adjacent though.  Being in the center it likely screwed up my torque pattern.  I’m going to sleep on it.  Thanks for the help everyone.

[EightTrackHits]

I know I said I was done for the night, but I thought I’d pull the valve covers.  I was expecting some sludge due to the symptoms.  Quite a bit of sludge and some coolant present in the recesses where the head bolts go on the drivers side.  The recesses also look like the castec TSB which was what I was trying to avoid by getting new heads.  Passenger side looks normal, except for the expected sludge.  I think I have a cracked head.  I will sleep on that!

[richard wysong]

that was my guess. you need to change the oil asap and crank it over to get the contaminated oil off the bearings. antifreeze will destroy the bearings

[EightTrackHits]

8 minutes ago, richard wysong said:

that was my guess. you need to change the oil asap and crank it over to get the contaminated oil off the bearings. antifreeze will destroy the bearings

I hope it’s not too late, I put about 200 or so miles on it since the initial repair.

[Supreme Pizza]

59 minutes ago, EightTrackHits said:

I hope it’s not too late, I put about 200 or so miles on it since the initial repair.

 

 

 

I think the engine will be fine.

 

I would just add the head gasket sealer, and drive it. Then change the oil, and drive it some more. Then maybe change the oil again.

 

The sealer will fix a cracked head.

 

[Brenden Burnham]

Any updates on this?  

[EightTrackHits]

Nothing big; I decided to replace the head since it’s under warranty.  The company is sending another out.  Going to drop the oil pan and clean as much sludge out as I can.  I will follow up with everyone.  I don’t see much happening for the next couple days.

[richard wysong]

sounds like you got it under control, how did you determine which head it was? sludgy stuff will accumulate on the side with the pcv no matter which side leaks

[EightTrackHits]

1 minute ago, richard wysong said:

sounds like you got it under control, how did you determine which head it was? sludgy stuff will accumulate on the side with the pcv no matter which side leaks

Inspected both, one had the areas near the head bolts that looked steam cleaned.  It’s in an earlier pic I posted.  The other looked normal.  There’s a few pics on the web showing this as GM had a TSB on this issue.  Incidentally, I replaced my heads during this job to avoid that as they were the casting with the TSB.  The head that cracked wasn’t.  I’ll post a pic of the head that I believe to not be cracked in a second.

[EightTrackHits]

This is the head that I believe to be good.  Look under the rocker assy at the head bolt recess and compare it to the previous pic.  In the previous pic you can see the same area looks steam cleaned
Coolant goes through those little cracks as steam, some goes in the block and gets vented out of exhaust via PVC system.  Some mixes with coolant and is distributed as sludge.  As such, oil level does not significantly rise that fast.  Also dexcool isn't as easy to see in oil as other formulas.  That’s what’ I’ve read and I’m finding it to be true.  All those new parts now compromised!!
Very hard crack to deal with as it only become evident when hot and/or under a lot of pressure.  My cooling system held 15psi shop air for an hour.
Even my leak down test at100psi did not show that issue.  
But, as much as I like working on machines, I’m not an auto mechanic and could be wrong.

[richard wysong]

not doubting you I was just curious . I haven't seen the tsb but I can see it in the pix. you must be a very patient person, I would be livid. have you inquired about labor reimbursement where you bought the heads? thats 1 advantage to dealing with a local independant parts store, they will usually go to bat for you when you have an issue like this

[EightTrackHits]

I didn’t ask them.  I’m going to read their policy tonight.

[EightTrackHits]

No big updates.  I received the replacement head today so I went ahead and finished pulling the old one.  I did not see any thing that looked like a coolant run on top of or under the head gasket.  I did drain the leg side of the block before I started; that was a help, but it opens up a channel for leaks.  If anyone one wants to see any pics of the job, please let me know.  I’m by posts pic of the block plug removed.