spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

RE: Part 2 - Torqueing the Head

To: "Wm. Severin Thompson" <wsthompson@thicko.com>
Subject: RE: Part 2 - Torqueing the Head
From: Ulix Goettsch <ulix@u.washington.edu>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 08:19:55 -0700 (PDT)
Cc: spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
In-reply-to: <000001bdfb66$c31f8260$1202010a@Severin.AmOut>
Reply-to: Ulix Goettsch <ulix@u.washington.edu>
Sender: owner-spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
WST,
what do you mean by "copper coat or silver paint"?
Thanks, Ulix

On Mon, 19 Oct 1998, Wm. Severin Thompson wrote:

> To all,
> 
> One thing I learned on the race motor... the specs call for oil or moly on
> the studs when torquing and re-torquing the head. Use the moly. This is
> critical.
> 
> Always have the mating surfaces slightly scuffed... like with a Scotch-Brite
> pad. Use a copper coat or silver paint on both sides of the "competition"
> (steel/asbestos/copper) gasket. Torque in the proper order, with a reliable
> (known to be good) torque wrench.  On a new gasket, I run the motor up to
> temp, and re-torque warm.
> 
> If you continue to have troubles, replace the studs, preferably with the ARP
> studs.
> 
> By the way, the Fel-Pro gasket is the same as the "competition" gasket from
> specialty houses.
> 
> WST
> Team Thicko
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-spridgets@autox.team.net]
> On Behalf Of Brian Thornton
> Sent: Monday, October 19, 1998 8:22 AM
> To:   Bkitterer@aol.com; dhiley@cadvision.com; spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
> Subject:      Re: Part 2 - Torqueing the Head
> 
> I experienced what you describe at Conclave 96 in Asheville, NC.  I was en
> route to dinner with fellow SE Michigan club members in my 67 MKIV Sprite
> when all of the sudden, my car became the worlds most effective mosquito
> fogger.  I had developed an oil leak between the block and the head where
> the oil passes up to the rocker gear.  The oil was spraying directly on the
> exhaust header causing quite a smoke screen.  The Richard Longman head on
> my engine has been milled and the block has been decked.  Moreover, I was
> running a competition copper/asbestos head gasket.  The engine probably had
> 8-10K miles on it at that time.  It just happened, no warning signs,
> nothing!
> 
> I re-torqued the head like you and found that it made no difference. I was
> not happy with the prospect of removing the head at the meet but this was
> the only way I could resolve the problem. Besides, home was over 1000 miles
> away and I had to drive to get there!  My wife went to the pool, my fellow
> club members kept me supplied with cold beer and I proceeded to perform an
> impromptu tech session in the hotel parking lot.  The look on peoples faces
> when they walked by was interesting to say the least.  Most people want to
> help a fellow Healey owner in despair, not that day.  They just assumed,
> either the guy is nuts or he must have it under control.  All told, the
> repair took about three hours to perform.  I never did find anything wrong
> with the gasket, block surface or head surface.  All I could do at that
> point was install a new head gasket and pray.  As it turned out the new
> gasket did the trick.  In fact, I participated in the gymkhana the next day
> and took second place in the street prepared Sprite class!
> 
> I don't have any advice as to what caused the leak in the first place.  In
> fact, the gasket that's in the car now is the same one that you received
> from Winner's Circle (steel/asbestos).  I've probably put another 2000
> miles on it since and still no problems.  Who can figure.
> 
> Good Luck!
> 
> 
> Brian Thornton
> 
> At 10:40 PM 10/18/98 EDT, Bkitterer@aol.com wrote:
> >
> >In a message dated 10/18/98 1:28:14 PM, dhiley@cadvision.com writes:
> >
> ><<I let the engine warm up thoroughly sitting in the driveway with
> >occaisional sustained moderate rpm and there was no leakage.  I then took
> >it out onto the road and ran it it up 5k in second and third and the smoke
> >began pouring out of the engine as the oil hit the headers.  It is
> >definitely not coming from the rocker cover or timing chain cover.  It is
> >definitely coming from under the headers somewhere.>>
> >
> >Dave,
> >
> >We have experienced the same problem.  Have been resisting pulling the head
> >but I think that there is an oil port on the front corner, manifold side of
> >the block / head.  At this time we are guessing that for some reason the
> head
> >and block are not perfectly parallel at this corner and under load oil
> leaks
> >out between the head, gasket and block.  Once it is warmed up it is fine
> >except on occasion when pushed hard.  When cold we let ours idle about five
> >minutes letting it come to operation temperature for several minutes before
> >driving off.  Then we try and avoid routes, freeways and steep hills, that
> >would load the engine for anther five minutes or so.
> >
> >This is not much help in solving the problem.  We will keep listening and
> if I
> >break down and pull the head will post what we find.
> >
> >Bob and Annice
> >1960 Sprite (Mk IV in disguise)
> >
> >
> 

    Ulix                                                    __/__,__        
.......................................................... (_o____o_)....
                                                           '67 Sprite


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>