| [GMCnet] Head Gasket? [message #141761] |
Tue, 30 August 2011 20:18  |
Dan Winchester
Messages: 61
Registered: August 2006
Karma: 0
|
Member |
|
|
I am working on the 23 that I built for my son.
Have following symons,
Water in radiator is brown even after flushing with at least 40 gal water.
Radiator overflows while driving but temp is normal.
With radiator cap off it spews foam while ideling.
Can't pressure test cooling system because radiator has crack in one end tank that needs to be fixed but would like to do all repairs at one time.
Engine runs very well under all conditions.
Is this a head gasket or cracked head?
If so has any one had success with any of the additives that are supposed to fix head gasket leaks or head cracks.
Dan Winchester
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Head Gasket? [message #141781 is a reply to message #141761] |
Tue, 30 August 2011 21:34  |
roy1
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I agree with your diagnosis one or the other. If you are going to be using it for more then 20 mile trips you got to fix it right.
Roy
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Head Gasket? [message #141792 is a reply to message #141761] |
Tue, 30 August 2011 23:01 |
George Beckman
Messages: 1085
Registered: October 2008
Location: Colfax, CA
Karma: 11
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| Dan Winchester wrote on Tue, 30 August 2011 18:18 |
I am working on the 23 that I built for my son.
Have following symons,
Water in radiator is brown even after flushing with at least 40 gal water.
Radiator overflows while driving but temp is normal.
With radiator cap off it spews foam while ideling.
Can't pressure test cooling system because radiator has crack in one end tank that needs to be fixed but would like to do all repairs at one time.
Engine runs very well under all conditions.
Is this a head gasket or cracked head?
If so has any one had success with any of the additives that are supposed to fix head gasket leaks or head cracks.
Dan Winchester
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
Any water in the oil? Does it ever "block", starter suddenly stop, when you try to start it? (water does not compress) Both can cause the early demise of an otherwise good block.
'74 Eleganza, SE, Howell + EBL
Best Wishes,
George
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Head Gasket? [message #141808 is a reply to message #141761] |
Wed, 31 August 2011 07:59 |
 |
Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| Dan Winchester wrote on Tue, 30 August 2011 21:18 |
I am working on the 23 that I built for my son.
Have following symptoms,
Water in radiator is brown even after flushing with at least 40 gal water.
Radiator overflows while driving but temp is normal.
With radiator cap off it spews foam while ideling.
Can't pressure test cooling system because radiator has crack in one end tank that needs to be fixed but would like to do all repairs at one time.
Engine runs very well under all conditions.
1 - Is this a head gasket or cracked head?
2 - If so has any one had success with any of the additives that are supposed to fix head gasket leaks or head cracks.?
Dan Winchester
|
Dan,
You asked two questions by my count.
Answers 1 - Yes 2 - No
You have classic symptoms of a combustion chamber or seal failure.
If you continue to run the engine this way (no matter what else you do) there is a risk of damage that will render the engine unsalvageable. You have a gravely injured engine. If you do not take action right now, you will definitely be pulling the engine in the near future.
If it is blowing out coolant that badly, it is also leaking coolant into the lube oil and that is deadly to the bearings.
OK, you can't do a cooling system pressure check, but you don't need to, either.
What you need to do is get the fitting to put shop air into the cylinders. This is the same fitting that a mechanic would use to get the keepers off so he could change out the valve guide seals without removing the cylinder head.
- Take out the plugs - if one is wet, that is a bad sign right there.
- With the crank at TDC for each (opening the distributor and having extra marks on the damper helps with this), put full shop pressure in each cylinder.
- When one blows bubbles in the radiator, make a note and go on as there may be more than one.
When you are done with that, Drain the block at the block drain plugs (even if you can't get to both sides, on will do in this case. Now, oil all the bores and roll the crank at least twice, or the rings will rust and your salvage just got a whole lot more involved.
When you make the initial discoveries, come back and tell us what you have found. When you get the bad head(s) off, the failure will probably be pretty obvious.
Matt - too long and engine lab rat.
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Head Gasket? [message #141852 is a reply to message #141761] |
Wed, 31 August 2011 12:30 |
Dan Winchester
Messages: 61
Registered: August 2006
Karma: 0
|
Member |
|
|
No evidence of oil in coolant or coolant in oil. Compression is 145 to 155 in all cylinders. Plugs looked the same except for one that looked very slightly lighter in color, no evidence of physical water on any.
Engine was from 1974 toro that I bought for transmission back in 94, stored engine for future and put in this gmc when I bought it without engine 2004. Was not picked before storage as I thought it would be rebuilt for my gmc before use. I have no history on engine before I bought car as parts vehicle.
I have a completely rebuilt set of "E" heads that came with 23 in 2004, no rockers installed, since they sat in motorhome in Masa for several years (dust) I would need to disassemble and clean and lubricate them before use. They have one strange mod, the web between the center 2 exaust ports has been brazed to increase thickness an machined flat with manafold surface, probably with anticipation of installing headers.
Would using these heads be a good choice? How can I tell if proper seats were installed?
Sent from my HTC on the Now Network from Sprint!
----- Reply message -----
From: "Dan Winchester" <gmcnet@dwinchester.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 30, 2011 6:18 pm
Subject: [GMCnet] Head Gasket?
To: "GMC Net" <gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org>
I am working on the 23 that I built for my son.
Have following symons,
Water in radiator is brown even after flushing with at least 40 gal water.
Radiator overflows while driving but temp is normal.
With radiator cap off it spews foam while ideling.
Can't pressure test cooling system because radiator has crack in one end tank that needs to be fixed but would like to do all repairs at one time.
Engine runs very well under all conditions.
Is this a head gasket or cracked head?
If so has any one had success with any of the additives that are supposed to fix head gasket leaks or head cracks.
Dan Winchester
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Head Gasket? [message #141876 is a reply to message #141852] |
Wed, 31 August 2011 16:26 |
C Boyd
Messages: 2629
Registered: April 2006
Karma: 18
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Sir: Just thinking if there was no thermostat and somebody had added a bunch of stop leak, plus the engine sitting dry, maybe this could be your brown foam for a while??? I might try flushing the system in anticipation of a fresh radiator. If possible fix the rad and see what happens with a pressure test.
The heads sound like a good idea to me if you end up taking yours off. I would block the crossovers.
| Dan Winchester wrote on Wed, 31 August 2011 13:30 |
No evidence of oil in coolant or coolant in oil. Compression is 145 to 155 in all cylinders. Plugs looked the same except for one that looked very slightly lighter in color, no evidence of physical water on any.
Engine was from 1974 toro that I bought for transmission back in 94, stored engine for future and put in this gmc when I bought it without engine 2004. Was not picked before storage as I thought it would be rebuilt for my gmc before use. I have no history on engine before I bought car as parts vehicle.
I have a completely rebuilt set of "E" heads that came with 23 in 2004, no rockers installed, since they sat in motorhome in Masa for several years (dust) I would need to disassemble and clean and lubricate them before use. They have one strange mod, the web between the center 2 exaust ports has been brazed to increase thickness an machined flat with manafold surface, probably with anticipation of installing headers.
Would using these heads be a good choice? How can I tell if proper seats were installed?
Sent from my HTC on the Now Network from Sprint!
----- Reply message -----
From: "Dan Winchester" <gmcnet@dwinchester.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 30, 2011 6:18 pm
Subject: [GMCnet] Head Gasket?
To: "GMC Net" <gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org>
I am working on the 23 that I built for my son.
Have following symons,
Water in radiator is brown even after flushing with at least 40 gal water.
Radiator overflows while driving but temp is normal.
With radiator cap off it spews foam while ideling.
Can't pressure test cooling system because radiator has crack in one end tank that needs to be fixed but would like to do all repairs at one time.
Engine runs very well under all conditions.
Is this a head gasket or cracked head?
If so has any one had success with any of the additives that are supposed to fix head gasket leaks or head cracks.
Dan Winchester
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee
|
|
|
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
