Just got back from seating the rings and it wasn't running right. Died at the stop light a couple times, really hard to start. Funky exhaust note too. What do I see behind me? STEAM bloody blown headgasket already!!!! Coolant is spitting from the studs on both sides too. Gawd I hope it didn't get mixed with the oil if the inside ones were doing it too. Talking with the guy who built the engine tomorrow. Btw, temp gauge said it was running about 180 degrees which it never went beyond that and oil pressure was 60 psi.

 

That sux man. I hope that guy had a warrenty on his labor. Sounds like you may want to take it somewhere else.

 

Damn....Hope its just on the top end. Good luck with the teardown again.

 

Talked with my buddies today about the problems... Even with thread sealer on the studs, they still leaked. Radiator stop leak cured the spitting coolant problem and uhh advancing the timing made it run smooth. Pulled the dipstick and it was clean oil, still going to pull one valve cover just to see how everything looks.
Me = stupid worrying sob thinking the worst of the worst happend. All is fine and fugger has power

 

lemme get this right, coolant is burning out of your exhaust and leaking from the head studs ...and you think you're a "worrying sob"? When stuff like that happens I dont think radiator stop leak crap is gonna help you for too long. When head gasket/bolts/studs leak there are some serious problems you need to resolve. They dont just leak and then stop.

 

Well, it's not doing it at all right now I think the steam was just coming from whatever was spitting from the studs and dripping onto the exhaust. Never saw it come out of the tail pipe, more like I looked back and the whole back end of the car just had this steamy haze look. When I ran it last night pouring in the stop leak, there was steam coming from the studs but went away. The timing was way retarded causing the rough running and dieing, must have moved on it's own since I was still messing with the timing and hadn't locked it down really snug. It was just snug enough to still be able to turn it by hand. Everything looks fine and runs great, no abnormal noises or leaks and the oil plus filter has been changed.

 

Whatch your coolant level for a while. What did you use to seal the threads? I hope it wasnt a silicone base product. The only thing I know to use is a pipe sealant or the permatex thread sealant with teflon. The non hardening stuff. Teflon tape has been known to be used too.

 

I didn't put the engine together, had a guy who's built 3 of my friend's performance engines do it. All had the same leaky stud thing going on too but they never said anything until Friday. Had the valve covers off and everything looks like it should, no milky oil or anything green. Nothing is leaking from the studs anymore and coolant temps are still running normal. Going to put some miles on it tomorrow and keep an eye on things.

 

Goodluck Evil,

What did your friend do about his leaking stud bolts? Hope it holds up. I would only be concerned with the fact that they shouldnt leak at all.

 

He used "Bar's Leaks Cooling System Sealer" and hasn't had one problem. I did the same and so far so good. He was saying that every studed engine he's done has done this I guess head bolts don't do it because the flat washer and head of the bolt seal up nice and good. I had never heard or seen this happen before so that's why I freaked out to put it simply lol.

 

Studs or bolts it should not happen. I would doubt he used non hardening thread compound on them or quite possibly missed 1 or 2. One would think you shouldnt have to use bars leak on a new or rebuilt engine. I hope it holdsup for ya. If it were me I would want it done right without leaks. He had to have done something wrong. Good luck though.

 

Going to talk with him durring the week... I put about 40 miles on the car today and everything was fine except the passenger side spark plug wires. #2 wire is throwing a spark onto the header causing a miss. So I'll have to get some new wires, booties and brackets to keep them out of harms way. Took it up to 6,000 rpm and it pulled nice and hard. One pass though it sucked the bowls dry on the carb so no more of that till I get a better fuel system going.

 

I had the fuel bowls going dry on my 305. I come to find out that my car came equipped with 2 fuel pumps one mechanical and the other electric in the tank. I removed all of the computer stuff and then realized my electric fuel pump wasnt working. Hooked the pump through an oil pressure switch and never had a dry bowl problem again.

 

Mine doesn't have an intank pump, just had the mechanical which wouldn't work on the 350 block (no hole for fuel pump rod) I'm running a freebie Holley Red pump which I knew this was going to be a possibility of happening. Friend of mine was using it for his nitrous setup but had to go bigger. Now I gotta go bigger lol

 

Had the same problem when I built my studded 355 five years ago.After initial break in for the cam I pulled the valve covers off to retorque the aluminum heads after a long cool down and found water in the head..WTF??Talked to my machine shop and he said that 90% of the motors he builds (DIRT Circle track) leaks with studs initially...told me to put the Bar's cooling system sealer in it...and it fixed it.Have since flushed the coolant every spring and not since than have I added the Bar's..and still no leaks after 5 years.That stuff works great.Studded motors tend to leak..Bar's fixes it.

Hey Cart..you did remember to retorque those AFR's after the initial break-in right?Important step I have seen to many skip.

 

Hmm if you seal the studs with permatex they wont leak. Period. If you don't do it, you're just looking for a leak.

 

Yep did that, was a pain to do.

 

Cool..like I said I have seen to many people skip this step because of what is involved to do it correctly and pay for it later.I hate to see someone spend alot of cash to build a nice motor..like yourself..only to rush at the end and it crops up with problems.