355 SBC, Brodix Alum heads, standard fel-pro head gasket. This is a fresh engine long block assembled at the machine shop. We installed the intake. After getting the engine fired up and broken in we developed an oil leak on the passenger side and it appeared to be leaking between the block and the head. I have never had an oil leak at a head and naturally assumed it was intake or valve cover and running down the block. Everything up high was completely dry so we started tearing down. Distributor gasket area was dry, valve cover was dry and the intake was dry. When we pulled the head the gasket stayed intact with the head. On the surface of the gasket to the head there was an obvious line of oil coming from the heads oil galley. When we pulled the gasket from the head it was wet between the head and the gasket with oil (not soaked just damp in spots). I've checked the surface of the block and head to make sure they are true and there doesn't appear to be a problem. Like I said I have never had an oil leak at a head and am open to suggestions.

The car ran just fine and no I didn't do a compression check prior to tearing it down. I just checked to make sure it wasn't being held up by the dowell and that also looked fine.

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1984 Z28 350
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there's no oil galley in the head, nothing but 2 drain back holes, nothing under preasure. i'd suspect anything but the head gasket for an oil leak. i guess if the head was out of flat enough oil could leak from the drain back holes.

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ICON Motorsports

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[This message has been edited by ede (edited April 07, 2001).]

 

ede, I just used the wrong term for the drain holes. I've been doing this for a long time and have never seen an oil leak from a head gasket, but it sure looks like that is where it was coming from. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

Come on guys, somebody has have some kind of idea on this please.