very slow oil leak please see image 225sl6 1973 dart

what do i need to do to fix this?



and yes leaking is spelled wrong on the image

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"Marilyn" 64 Dart GT & "Stella" 64 Valiant V100 Sedan - 63 Norton Project

First, make sure that's actually where the leak is coming from. See this post.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Howdy!

Dan's right, but it is really hard to say where the leak is until you clean up the mess and watch for it. I started a thread in the last year about oil sweating out at the same place (or rather at the head to block joint on mine)

After trying retorque and both rubber and cork valve cover gaskets, it was time to pull the head. The culprit? one of the evil VICTOR gaskets...I shoulda used a FELPRO on my rebuild. Curses on the Victor. But it was enough work to pull and replace the head that I put a thin line of high temp RTV ont the block around the lifter/pushrod holes before putting on the new Felpro, and used an ARP head stud kit. Nary a leak since... oh, of course new gaskets on the drool tubes and cleaning them well with lacquer thinner and acetone to be sure the gaskets had a clean fit. If you need a set of gaskets for the tubes lemme know, I will send you a new set free for postage. Puttting them on is a good first step but don't buy a set just to get em.

Of course, as those of us who love slants know, here is where problems start. Upon deciding to pull my head, it seemed only logical to build another head, buy the tools to do the porting, get one of the Erson cam deals, get a double roller timing chain, and change to a Holley, swap transmissions from a 4 speed to a 727 and begin thinking turbo. Things like this to stop an oil leak make at least one spouse I know get chattery.

rock
'64d100

well i have been looking at it this morning and it looks like the head gasket. plugs and valve cover gasket is dry.



nooooooooooo!!!!!

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"Marilyn" 64 Dart GT & "Stella" 64 Valiant V100 Sedan - 63 Norton Project

Rock- Interesting. Time was, I might've been OK using a Fel-Pro gasket, but with what's happening to that (and every other) Federal-Mogul parts line, I would sooner have the Victor gasket. You're obviously a competent builder and mechanic, but is it possible an error was made during prep or installation, rather than there being an inbuilt fault in the gasket?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Dan,

Many thanks indeed and your kind words make me feel right fine! I always used Victor and only used the Felpro because local Mopar racers and the better grade of machine shops here all swear Victors fail always and Felpros almost never. I was pretty sure I had messed up something rather than ascribe the failure to a gasket, but upon dissection found no mistake on my part. The head was newly milled and the block had been decked just enough to ensure it was truly flat, as shown with a precision straight edge. I didn't even know I had used a Victor gasket and it must have been the last one I had in stock. I began using Victor in the early 1960's, so upon having a failure was very surprised. I would have sworn I had used a Felpro after hearing the tales, so the failure was somewhat of a confirmation of the tales, when really I should have put on another Victor to see what would happen! I think you are right (as usual) re Federal Mogul and don't plan to use anything other than the Aussie gaskets anymore. I woulda' used an Aussie one this time but had just sold my last one to a forum member...talk about seller's remorse!

And MiDi, If you don't have a engine cherry picker, renting, buying or borrowing one for the head removal lets you leave on the manifolds until you get everything out on a work area where you can see it easily. Undo your thermostat housing and lift away!

I prefer putting manifold nuts on while the head is on the bench...much easier to see... and put in and seal a new stud set, about $21 bucks. Also I would take the head and the manifold set to a machine shop and have them both milled a tad to ensure perfect mating surfaces, then go back with the Aussie gasket set. After using them for the first time, I will always use ARP head studs at $100 a set for any other engines I do, because the head goes on like a cork goes into a bottle with ARP studs and handling the head with a cherry picker. Note that ARP went cheap and does not put the black moly lube in with the studs anymore, and you have to lube the nuts with it...talk about accountants ruining a good product! Using head bolts and handling the head by yourself will leave you wondering if the gasket slipped on the dowels. It can't slip on the studs.

regards,
rock
'64d100