did the 'cam break in' run on my slant. (don't know if solid lifter engines require the same treatment as a hydraulic v8, but it shouldnt' hurt.) everything seemed fine. this am checked the antifreeze...1/2 gallon low. eep! filled it up with water this time started it up, it got hot too quickly...so let it cool, put in more water (water was getting pushed out the radiator overflow tube) and used my Stant tester on it....

pressure built to 30+ lbs in under 2 mins....ARRGH! no external water leaks, no steamy exhaust, no water in the oil!!!! seems like cracks behind the exhaust ports to me, at least that would be my diagnosis in a 318...

any other thoughts?

Definitely sounds like combustion gases getting pushed into the cooling system. Could be a cracked casting, could be a faulty head gasket.

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Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

well,

its a brand new head gasket...and resurfaced head and block....soooo, i guess its coming off. man! oh well. i have a new head gasket at the shop, but this is a set back.

sb

[quote="mopar_nocar"]did the 'cam break in' run on my slant. (don't know if solid lifter engines require the same treatment as a hydraulic v8, but it shouldnt' hurt.) everything seemed fine. this am checked the antifreeze...1/2 gallon low. eep! filled it up with water this time started it up, it got hot too quickly...so let it cool, put in more water (water was getting pushed out the radiator overflow tube) and used my Stant tester on it....

pressure built to 30+ lbs in under 2 mins....ARRGH! no external water leaks, no steamy exhaust, no water in the oil!!!! seems like cracks behind the exhaust ports to me, at least that would be my diagnosis in a 318...

any other thoughts?[/quote

Try removing the fan belt, running the motor and look in the radiator to see if you have bubbles in the fuild, if you got a lot of bubbles then probably you're on the right trail. If there are no bubbles probably a stuck thermostat, I hope that is the problem.

OR compressed bypass hose (between the head and the water pump, runs sort of "hidden" by alt bracket and some other stuff in the front of the engine)

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Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

This seems trivial at this point but I've had some problems in the past after cooling system work if I do not bleed all of the air pockets out of the system prior to pressurizing. I leave the radiator cap off until I run the engine about 3 -4 minutes while observing the flow through the radiator neck. This releases the air pockets that can form especially behind the thermostat. If you pressurize prior to doing this the air pockets may never release....

You'd be surprised at the amount of air that releases, and the effect it has on what you thought was the proper fluid level........

Once the flow looks good and the level remains unchanged while still running I put the cap on and pressurize.

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i drilled a small hole in my thermostat and positioned the hole at the top when installed in the neck. the hole is 1/16" and i drilled it in the outer ring. now all i have to do is fill the radiator and wait for the bubbles to stop coming up. there is a lot of air trapped in the head.

however, you still shouldn't have 30 psi in the cooling system. i would guess a blown head gasket. and if the gasket looks ok i would have the head checked again.

zedpapa

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1970 dodge dart w/225 /6 bored .040" over, holley 390cfm w/vac. sec., compcams 252s, clifford shorty headers w/2.5" exhaust w/flowmaster, f-body 11" front discs, aluminum A-833OD, 8 1/4 w/3.21 SG
soon to have 5 gears!!!

thanks for all the tips...i ran the engine for 20 mins the first time i ran it at an elevated idle speed. it opened the t-stat and the water in the rad went down, then i refilled it, that's when i noticed the water spewing out of the overflow tube, even with a new cap on....so, cooled it down (overnite) and did the same pressure tests....

the head has been sent up to a machine shop in DFW to have a pressure test run on it...should know more my next week.

sb

Did you notice any breach between the water jacket and the cylinders on the head gasket?

i checked an re-checked for any fault in the head gasket....i couldn't see any, had my dad do the same and the counter guy at the machine shop...he didn't see any either, so he agreed to send it out for the pressure testing

sb

well, the head came back from the machine shop. it tested out OK with a pressure test and magnafluxed it (again). soooo, what's my problem?

i'm getting ready to go get another head...

btw, do you guys use a different torque spec for the modern gasket versus the old shim type? what about retorque on the new gaskets?

sb

I once had a block that leaked water at casting parting line between cylinders 5 and 6 in the crankcase. The machinist noticed this when the block was on end in the detergent spray machine. I think this may have been due to not draining all the water out of the block and having it freeze.

The head tested fine so move on.

Modern gasket gets torqued the same as the original. Most don't need retorquing.

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Joshua

Before putting the head on check those cylinder walls very throughly top to bottom, my bet there is a crack or casting flaw. Have the cylinders been bored?

it was bored .060 over....block was given the same treatment as far as magnafluxing and all the cleaning and stuff....it was running cool before the rebuild...is it too far? i'll look again for imperfections in the engine.

i have the head...so i guess i'll try it out, if it fails the tests then out it comes.

sb

Did you check for bubbles in the water before you pulled the head? Also did you put on new radiator hoses with the rebuild and if so do they have wire inside of them to keep the hose from collapsing. I haven't built a Slant in a while so I wonder if it is possible to install the head gasket upside down or backwards, the best I remember you can't but it is a thought. If you have no cracks the only other thought I have would be a tight main bearing transferring heat to the block, again I hope not. Check all the simple stuff twice over as the solution is usually that when it comes to the Slant.