New engine, small leak on headbolt...

GoldenMotor.com

borntofli

Member
Jul 27, 2012
306
0
16
tx
Just replced my old engine w/ a new one and have a small oil leak on 1 of the headbolts.....

Should I just torque them down the way they are, or loosen them and start the torquing patter from a loose state??

66 HT..

No leaks out of the head or base gaskets....
 

rustycase

Gutter Rider
May 26, 2011
2,746
5
0
Left coast
It's probably a leaky head gasket.
Try putting just a little more torque to it and see if that stops it.
Run it up to temp a few times, and let it cool all the way down.
No big races, hills, or speed-runs. :)
Then try a re-torque.

If that doesn't fix it, order a new headgasket and lap the cylinder and head before re-assembly with the new gasket.

I like to use a very little bit of uncured rubber sealant (GasketCinch is what I use) on watercooled engines around the galleries, and where an oil passage might be in proximity to the exterior... if the gasket is NOT equipped with fancy O-rings of sealant already on the gasket surfaces.

On a chinagirl, perhaps you might want to sparingly put a very little bit around those troublesome bolt holes???

Good luck
rc
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Just replced my old engine w/ a new one and have a small oil leak on 1 of the headbolts.....

Should I just torque them down the way they are, or loosen them and start the torquing patter from a loose state??

66 HT..

No leaks out of the head or base gaskets....
Remove the nuts and head and inspect the gasket. If you see no signs of a seperation then it will probably work for you. If you have chrome acorn nuts, throw them in the trash or parts bucket and replace with hex nuts. Make sure the studs are tight in the case and then reassemble the head to the cylinder and torque the nuts to 120 to 140 inch pounds. Run the engine a few times so it reaches operating temperature then check the torque again. You should be good to go.

It was suggested above to "lap" the gasket mating surfaces. You can assure you have a flat gasket surface by laying sandpaper, 220 grit will suffice, on a sheet of glass or any known flat surface and running the head over the sandpaper. Uneven areas will show up immediately. Keep sanding, rotating the head in your hand as you do to eliminate sanding an angle into the surface, until it is uniform.
I personally do not use any gasket sealer on head gaskets. Proper surface preperation and torque is sufficient for a good seal.

tom