I have an oil leak on my 395 cu.in. stroker motor using Felpro 1010 head gaskets. (And this really pisses me off because I have never had an oil leak with this car before. Now I have the drips.)

I am going to have to pull the pass side head. What head gasket should I use for a 30 over ZZ4 block with AFR heads???

 

I doubt your oil leak is because of the head gasket.

 

You might be right,,,, but, one day in an attepmt to locate the source of the leak, I noticed that there was a drop of oil ready to drip from the farthest back bolt on the pass side,, this is the row of head bolts nearest the spark plugs. I lube the threads of all head bolts with silicone sealant.

The oil is all over the side of the block above the starter motor,, all the way up to the heads. Any ideas on the source of the oil leak???

 

Its not a head gasket thats for sure. I would guess a valve cover gasket. Anyway I'm using a 1010 on my AL head 383 and using a 1003 on my GFs Iron headed 355.

 

I would check the valve cover gaskets. I just did mine and the bolts loosed up pretty quickly after a couple of heat cycles. What kind of gaskets, valve covers, etc.

And silicone on the head bolts is a no no....use a telfon thread sealer. Only coolant will leak out of the head bolts.

 

I am still using the stock factory valve covers,,, they are the center bolt type with a thick rubber gasket which I cemented into the valve covers. I would be surprised if they are leaking, but I will check again. It was dry under the lip of the valve covers before.

 

running Corteco stuff over here at Walter Racecraft.

 

Another possibility would be the rear china wall seal. If you can't locate the leak, you could always put dye in the oil and get out the black light. PITA, but it should point to the source.

 

Check with AFR- I beleive you have to modify the valve cover slightly to install them on their heads. This is pretty common practice with many brands of aftermarket heads. If the problem is what I think you're experiencing there will be a couple places where the metal rail of the valve cover will hit the head and stop before putting any "squeeze" on the gasket. Leak city.

 

another possibility that's happened to me--If your block is set up for dipstick on either side make sure the unused hole is plugged

 

I like the dye thing, I will give that a try.

These valve covers have been on these same heads since about 1998 with no oil leaks.

The ZZ4 block has only one drip stick hole as far as I know. My stock L98 block has the drip stick on the pass side, the same for this new ZZ4 block. However, the drip stick hole could be leaking. So, the dye should pin point the leak location.

 

Pretty odd to leak oil from a head gasket without leaking coolant too.

I've given up on Fel Pro though, too many failure problems and I'm not the only one. I'm using Cometic now, but you need good surfaces for them.

 

I've never had a failure from a Fel-Pro gasket, but then again I've always had good surfaces.

 

Well then you are lucky. First time was a fresh block and heads, both had been surfaced. Second time, just the heads surfaced and block checked for flatness.

I wont be losing any more fire rings, I dont have any now.

 

OK, madmax says Cometic, while Apeiron says Fel-Pro.

What do you think is the best head gasket?

 

I use all fel-pro and i have no complaints. I also use cometic on my sled and dirtbike and no complaints there either.

 

My good friend is big into the 4-cylinder Mopars. Felpro head gaskets are the worst POS's for those engines. With a trans-four, you're lucky to see 20K miles before a failure.
On SBC's I haven't heard many complaints on the Felpro's.

Anybody else love/hate Felpro?

 

Make sure you check your oil sending unit and dizzy gasket. They are easy to check and anything that could rule out the china wall is worth a look.

 

Any luck finding the leak yet?

As far as head gaskets go, I've used fel-pro on at least a dozen different engines and never had a failure. Granted, these were street engines, not mega-horsepower beasts, but they all got beat on regularily. I would contact both manufacturers and get their input.

 

Yuo ahve the same problem I have, I pulled my heads and replaced the gaskets the other day. Let me know what you find the problem to be. I'm just hoping it ain't the rear main seal.

 

'86 350, pull the inspection cover for your flexplate/flywheel...if its dry its most likely not your rear main.

 

did you get the oil galley plugs tapped and threaded for the screw in type,or are they pressed in?
although i can't see oil getting to the rear head bolt from there,it's another easy visual inspection.i have been hearing more about these plugs coming out lately(could be due to older blocks having them replaced several times).
i have even seen a leaky timing cover cause oil to turn up in really wierd spots!
keep us posted!
Eric B