Antifreeze coming out of headbolt...help!
 

Okay, I just got done installing my new 331 with AFR 185 heads. I fired it up yesterday and it was kind of running like crap...a few clacking sounds here and there from what sounded like rocker noise. Anyways, yesterday, after it ran for a little bit, I noticed some antifreeze around the lower headbolt on the #5 cylinder, which is the front cylinder on the driver's side. Today, I fired it up and I don't hear any clacking and it runs smoother, but the antifreeze is still seeping out slowly from that bolt...what is the problem? That is the only bolt that has that problem...help!

Take that bolt out, put some thread sealant on it and torque it back down. That should cure your problem.

How many head bolts go into a water jacket anyway?
Also, I'd keep an eye on the other ones and possibly go ahead and put sealant on the ones that need it.

None.

You've got yourself a problem.

Take care,
-Chris

I thought all the lower head bolts on a 302 were into the water jacket in the block. :confused:

No, that didn't start until 1982. His name has an 89 in it though, so he probably does have the newer block. I thought he had a '69 for some reason.
:confused: :confused:

Take care,
-Chris

damn chris is there anything you dont know.. i know i knew alot but i learn stuff from you all the time:D

Yeah, my car is an '89 GT, so I thought they went into the water jackets too. In fact, I believe that when I pulled my motor originally, there was even some "crustation" if you will b/c of the bolts beeing in the water jackets. Also...what kind of thread sealer should I put on the bolts? I want to tear it apart and fix it today, so I'd like to find out. Thanks alot, fellas. Josh

Yeah, last nights winning lottery numbers. :)


quick89gt-
The absolute best stuff in the world is "ARP threadsealer". If you can find some of that, get it. If not get some threadsealer from your local auto parts store. Ask them which one is the "grittiest". That's what works.

What ever you do, don't use RTV silicone!!!

Also, if you decide to just remove the bolts rather than pull the head, be careful. Small block Fords are as moody as my ex when it comes to head gaskets, and properly torquing the head bolts.

Take care,
-Chris

What do you mean "be careful about removing the bolts? Will just removing the bolts cause some sort of problem? josh

Yeah, it could. You should pull the heads, check and clean the threads, and then put it back together with thread sealer.

I don't know what you have planned, but I've seen guys just pull the lower bolts, while the tops are still torqued, and they messed up their gasket. One guy was dumb enough to do it warm with aluminum heads and one of them warped. Ford made a couple big mistakes, in my opinion, that they should have corrected. One was coming up with only two V8 firing orders, and giving them both sequential firing cylinders on the same bank. Another one was putting the sump in the front (Where does your oil go when you accelerate?). And last, only using 4 head bolts for per cylinder.

Just be careful, that's all.

Take care,
-Chris