Head Job Went Horribly Wrong

mazdaverx7 · 09-14-2014, 08:26 AM

As most of you guys know, I have been redoing the top end on my 86. I replaced a lot of large parts to include:

-cylinder head
-water pump
-belts
-all top end gaskets
-balance and crankshaft seals
-plugs
-cam box, cam, and seals
-thermostat and o-ring

I got it all together last night and got it started. It ran and idled well for a little bit. Got a couple of coolant leaks buttoned up on the block off plate on the water pump. Decided to let it idle a little longer and warm up as I was bleeding the cooling system. I continually checked the coolant temp gauge and it got as high as 3/4 during the bleeding cycle but the engine was turned off when I saw that. At that time I noticed that the cooling fans were not kicking on. I let it cool down for a little bit and started it again. As I was letting the engine idle I noticed that white smoke began coming from the exhaust and the engine began to stumble a little. I backed the car out of the garage and the smoke amount increased. I thought maybe it was just burning coolant off the inside of the exhaust. Took it up the road and it filled the roadway with clouds of white smoke. Temp gauge was half way during the drive and with the amount of white smoke bellowing from the car I decided it was time to return to the garage. I parked it and felt so dejected and disappointed. I followed every Clark's Garage procedure for install. Followed all torque settings, used all high quality parts, spent hours cleaning and making sure everything was perfect. for install. I went to bed last night and decided to sleep on it. I haven't ran a compression test yet or pulled any of the plugs to see if they are wet. I'm assuming that something with the head sealing is wrong. The gasket is not sealing properly I suppose. It almost seemed as if the coolant was being slightly pressurized by the compression from the engine. It took forever to bleed and didn't seem as though it was bled completely. Its just frustrating when I have tried so hard and spent so much time and money to make the car right. Makes me wonder where I went wrong. Any input would be greatly appreciated. In the mean time I will run a compression test and see what I have.

wildcat077 · wildcat077's Garage

Is it possible the head gasket slipped out of one of the two mounting tabs while you dropped the head on ?
I just finished putting my engine back together after replacing broken rings on three pistons and i haven't started it up yet,hoping i don't have any issues ...

Cheers
Phil

mazdaverx7 · 09-14-2014, 08:55 AM

I would't think so because the gasket slides down over the studs and that should hold it in place from moving.

944 Ecology · 09-14-2014, 09:49 AM

Did you have the head resurfaced? Checked for cracks?

mazdaverx7 · 09-14-2014, 10:46 AM

Head was completely rebuilt and resurfaced

944 Ecology · 09-14-2014, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazdaverx7

Head was completely rebuilt and resurfaced

Then look for a cracked block or warped block.

grendiers · 09-14-2014, 01:47 PM

Bummer sorry to hear that; I've been following your thread since I just did this myself. We all dread that first start-up after an engine reseal or rebuild.

flashx · 09-14-2014, 05:11 PM

take a compression test If the compression is good then you may have lost an oil cooler seal

grendiers · 09-15-2014, 05:17 AM

After that, check one of the 'outside' head nuts for torque, you have nothing to lose at this point.

CHICKS · 09-15-2014, 05:44 AM

How did you torque down the head? Did you follow the WSM specs?

Lapkritis · Lapkritis's Garage

What did the smoke smell like?

Lapkritis · Lapkritis's Garage

Hang in there. I've seen exhausts filled with coolant/oil after a head job... they only boil/smoke up when driven and the exhaust heats. If that is the case then it could take a 20mins or more to clear out. It could be something simple like this ... reading the plugs is a quick and easy step. Coolant washed will be relatively obvious normally.

Slam · 09-15-2014, 06:58 AM

Oh the agony! I think everyone who's done a head job fears what you're describing. Sorry to hear about your case. I too have been watching your progress.

One thing: at least you know it runs! And if it runs once you can make it run again.

I agree with George - worst-case scenario is a cracked block/cylinder. But there's also a chance the gasket surfaces were contaminated, or you got a bad gasket, or your torque sequence was off. Regardless, you've got a do-over.

mazdaverx7 · 09-15-2014, 07:01 AM

I will pull the plugs tonight after work. I needed a day break from the car.

The smoke is white ans smells like coolant. The engine revs up ok and I drove the car down the street and it seemed quick but filled the street with bright white smoke. it idles a shade rough and i xanhear a slight squeaking when the engine is running. I can take a video of it and post it tonight as well.

I torqued the head in a three step process using the torque specs on clarks garage, with a final torque spec of 60 something foot pounds. I have a torque angle gauge but it wasnt working correctly so i found the torque spec and torqued it down. Perhaps its overtorqued. Maybe I should have just waited and got a good torque angle gauge..

Jfrahm · 09-15-2014, 07:12 AM

I have never used a torque angle gauge as happily I have only had to do 90 degree angles and those are pretty easy. If you skip the angle part (where you stretch the stud quite a bit) you are way off on the clamping force. You might also have a broken or stretched stud which often does not reveal itself until you torque it down fully. That's when it seems to yield and you know you have to pull the head and extract it.

CHICKS · 09-15-2014, 07:38 AM

Yeah I don't have a torque angle gauge either, they're not needed. What do you mean you looked up the torque? It's like two 90* turns....

Sounds to me like you didn't torque the head properly.

mazdaverx7 · 09-15-2014, 08:15 AM

Perhaps I did not torque it properly. I think I should pull the head and replace the gasket and re-torque the head using the 90 degree method

Slam · 09-15-2014, 08:18 AM

60-something is probably not enough. Most folks use the angle method (which superseded the torque method) but I've only ever used the torque method. With one slight alteration: when I did wifey's 87 I took final torque to 75 ft-lbs. I did 15, then 33, then 66, then 75. I tapped the head to settle it and waited about 30 minutes between rounds. Actually, my 12-year-old son did the torquing. He turned out to be a helluva lot more anal than I would have been!

smudo · 09-15-2014, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lapkritis

Hang in there. I've seen exhausts filled with coolant/oil after a head job... they only boil/smoke up when driven and the exhaust heats. If that is the case then it could take a 20mins or more to clear out. It could be something simple like this ... reading the plugs is a quick and easy step. Coolant washed will be relatively obvious normally.

Some ten years ago after a head job was done to my first car, I picked up it from the shop and drove home. It filled the whole street with white smoke tike it was steam locomotive. I was worried that something was not OK, although the guys from shop said that it is normal and will disappear after some driving and it did after some 20 miles. I hope this is the case.

Jfrahm · 09-15-2014, 09:59 AM

I would check the plugs and compression first unless you are sure you are way off on the torque values. On Clark's I see some procedures that are just torque values and not angle values so depending on what procedure you followed you might be OK and just have a gallon of coolant in your exhaust system.