Blown Head Gasket ~ the latest installment

[Nick S]

Hello All,

Re: 5.7L Small block Chevy

Well after nearly 2 weeks in the garage, a new set of head bolts, head, inlet & exhaust manifold gaskets and a high flow thermostat, having the head skimmed, purchasing the correct oil and getting everything put back together, I now believe I have a cracked block.

Just for my peace of mind, do you all agree?

I went across to the garage on Friday (approx 2-hours before I was due to collect it) and they fired her up (she sounded sweet). Matt said he had some fine tuning to do and I could collect later that afternoon. I then got a call to go over to discuss further complications ~ after I had left, Matt had discovered water dripping from the junction of the exhaust and the manifold. Matt thought it may be a cracked inlet manifold, however he has since took off the rocker cover and closed the valves to No.1 cylinder, pressurised the cooling system to 15 PSi and the coolant came out of the spark plug hole. When we originally stripped the engine down, the inlet manifold was very gunked up with silicone, and having spoken to a few people, I am wondering whether this was a ‘bodge’ by the previous owner to overcome a difference in the valley angles after a prior head skim.

I have spoken to the garage where I originally purchased the car and he has agreed to put it right. This is where you guys come in, I am compiling a list of what I would like done and how, and intend to follow the car to discuss this in full with the garage owner (please don’t suggest fitting a Ford engine) He does not seem phased by any of this and did not flinch when I told him of my findings. I would like to improve the performance of the engine, but would like to avoid future problems. So far all I know is I don’t want the crack welding as I have been told this is a temporary measure, which will fail.

To all of you that have helped and advised recently, I would like to say thanks and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards

Nick.

[gareth08]

Originally Posted by Nick S

Hello All,

Re: 5.7L Small block Chevy

Well after nearly 2 weeks in the garage, a new set of head bolts, head, inlet & exhaust manifold gaskets and a high flow thermostat, having the head skimmed, purchasing the correct oil and getting everything put back together, I now believe I have a cracked block.

Just for my peace of mind, do you all agree?

I went across to the garage on Friday (approx 2-hours before I was due to collect it) and they fired her up (she sounded sweet). Matt said he had some fine tuning to do and I could collect later that afternoon. I then got a call to go over to discuss further complications ~ after I had left, Matt had discovered water dripping from the junction of the exhaust and the manifold. Matt thought it may be a cracked inlet manifold, however he has since took off the rocker cover and closed the valves to No.1 cylinder, pressurised the cooling system to 15 PSi and the coolant came out of the spark plug hole. When we originally stripped the engine down, the inlet manifold was very gunked up with silicone, and having spoken to a few people, I am wondering whether this was a ‘bodge’ by the previous owner to overcome a difference in the valley angles after a prior head skim.

I have spoken to the garage where I originally purchased the car and he has agreed to put it right. This is where you guys come in, I am compiling a list of what I would like done and how, and intend to follow the car to discuss this in full with the garage owner (please don’t suggest fitting a Ford engine) He does not seem phased by any of this and did not flinch when I told him of my findings. I would like to improve the performance of the engine, but would like to avoid future problems. So far all I know is I don’t want the crack welding as I have been told this is a temporary measure, which will fail.

To all of you that have helped and advised recently, I would like to say thanks and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards

Nick.

Nick

I'm very sorry to hear of your problems but (I have to say it ) you should of fitted a Ford instead of a barnacle scraper/tractor engine

On a more serious note if you are certain it's a cracked block I would buy a sh/new block and go from there.

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by gareth08

Nick

I'm very sorry to hear of your problems but (I have to say it ) you should of fitted a Ford instead of a barnacle scraper/tractor engine

On a more serious note if you are certain it's a cracked block I would buy a sh/new block and go from there.

Gareth,

That is problem no 1. the car is still in warranty period, I cant' work out how to control the sourcing of the parts?

Any ideas

Nick

[gareth08]

Originally Posted by Nick S

Gareth,

That is problem no 1. the car is still in warranty period, I cant' work out how to control the sourcing of the parts?

Any ideas

Nick

Nick,

If it's still under a warranty then you really should be speaking to the warranty company and finding out exactly what is covered etc with regard to you potential claim.If you are covered then I would be expecting at the very least a s/h block rebored (if required) and the whole engine rebuilt to it's advertised spec. As regard to parts then I would argue (if you need to) that this type of engine needs to be rebuilt by a specialst company etc .

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by gareth08

Nick,

If it's still under a warranty then you really should be speaking to the warranty company and finding out exactly what is covered etc with regard to you potential claim.If you are covered then I would be expecting at the very least a s/h block rebored (if required) and the whole engine rebuilt to it's advertised spec. As regard to parts then I would argue (if you need to) that this type of engine needs to be rebuilt by a specialst company etc .

It's only the garage that has warrantied (????) it, however they specialise in american cars. I checked them out prior to purchase and got good feedback?

[gareth08]

Originally Posted by Nick S

It's only the garage that has warrantied (????) it, however they specialise in american cars. I checked them out prior to purchase and got good feedback?

Speak to the garage then Nick and see what the score is from there.

[Dutch Paul]

Originally Posted by Nick S

It's only the garage that has warrantied (????) it, however they specialise in american cars. I checked them out prior to purchase and got good feedback?

See if they are willing to do an acceptable cash settlement - then use the cash towards building/having built a new engine to your spec, or even a crate engine.

[mylesdw]

I may be wrong but it seems a bit unlikely that the block is cracked. If water is finding its way into the combustion chamber with both valves shut it coming from one of three places:

1. Through the wall of the cylinder.
2. Through the wall of the combustion chamber
3. From a failed head gasket.

Taking #1 first, when the piston is at TDC the top ring is quite near the top of the bore and the crack would have to be above that, otherwise the water would end up in the sump. The area of the block near the top of the bore is pretty thick because it is where the bore meets the deck surface.

#2 is possible but surprising that a crack in the head was not seen when the heads were skimmed. New heads would solve the problem and not wildly expensive.

#3 seems still the most likely to me. When the heads were skimmed were the block decks checked for flatness, cracks, damage?

Just some thoughts...

I would be interested to know how you get on with a warranty company; in my experience they have all sorts of nasty small-print, like limiting the amount they will pay on any one claim etc etc

Hope this helps

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by mylesdw

I may be wrong but it seems a bit unlikely that the block is cracked. If water is finding its way into the combustion chamber with both valves shut it coming from one of three places:

1. Through the wall of the cylinder.
2. Through the wall of the combustion chamber
3. From a failed head gasket.

Taking #1 first, when the piston is at TDC the top ring is quite near the top of the bore and the crack would have to be above that, otherwise the water would end up in the sump. The area of the block near the top of the bore is pretty thick because it is where the bore meets the deck surface.

#2 is possible but surprising that a crack in the head was not seen when the heads were skimmed. New heads would solve the problem and not wildly expensive.

#3 seems still the most likely to me. When the heads were skimmed were the block decks checked for flatness, cracks, damage?

Just some thoughts...

I would be interested to know how you get on with a warranty company; in my experience they have all sorts of nasty small-print, like limiting the amount they will pay on any one claim etc etc

Hope this helps

Myles,

The heads were tested for cracks and also heat tested (not sure if I mis interpretted this) and passed. Matt asked for the bare minimum to be skimmed off. A few people reckon the block is almost indistructable, have you ever heard of any cracking before?

The warranty is through the garage itself and the guy seems genuinely willing to help.

Nick

[wilf]

For the cylinder to fill with water and for that water to come out of the plug hole there must be a pretty serious crack somewhere, and it must be detectable. It is either in the head or the block............or.............you could have a porous head casting.

You don't have to skim much off the heads to need the inlet manifold machining as well to maintain the contact angle. Although your garage seem to have eliminated that possibility when they made sure the inlet valve was shut..............

Sad to hear your woes are continuing,