NEW HEADS and think the Head Gaskets just blew!!

bob93lx · 04-02-2001, 08:36 PM

After getting on it hard, white smoke came out both tailpipes after I let out of it. Went back to garage and two plugs on both sides where wet. Also noticed that excess reservoir coolant bottle (not inside radiator) was bubbling. I was using felpro 1011-1, any suggestion on what to try??

Thanks

gt93mustang · 04-02-2001, 08:46 PM

Sounds to me like you did blow the head gasket, so the only thing I can think of is to pull the heads and replace them. Did you notice any detonation while you were at WOT? The only other symptom you can check to diagnose a blown head gasket that I can think of is bubbles in the radiator, but you said you already checked there. Did this happen after you installed a new set of heads/gaskets?

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MAC equal length headers, MAC Off-Road H-Pipe, Flowmaster mufflers, 373's, March ram-air kit, underdrive pulleys, 73mm MAF, 75mm TB, Saleen Intake (ported), Edelbrock 6037 heads (ported, polished, 3 angle valve-job 255CFM @.500), 1.6 FMS RR's, Wolverine 1087 Cam, 24lb injectors, MSD 6AL, Subframe connectors, Griggs Adustable Lower Control Arms, Lakewood 50/50 shocks, SSM Upper Control Arms... and probably some more in there I forgot

93CobraR · 04-02-2001, 09:17 PM

Yeah, you bought the cheap head gaskets. Get the Fel-Pro 1101-2's not -1. Thats what I have and they are holding up great.

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87 GT, 4 inch cowl hood,17x9 Cobra R's/255/45's,GT-40 heads,long tubes headers,h-pipe,Flows,BBK cold air, Mass air,70mm MAF, 1.7's, 1" spacer,underdrive pulleys,Pro 5.0, King Cobra, Adj. fuel Reg., Lakewood Lift Bars,50/50's,subframes, 4.10's.
Best time 12.96
Best MPH 103.42
Best 60' 1.695

Visit my site at:
http://www.geocities.com/cobrar93_2000/MyPage.html

bob93lx · 04-02-2001, 09:18 PM

No, I didn't hear any pinging. I installed new felpro 1011's with ported stock heads.

gt93mustang · 04-02-2001, 09:21 PM

Yeah, I'm with 93CobraR. I installed
the 1101-2's on mine when I swapped heads and they are still holding up under all the hell I give them.

AtaxicStanger · 04-02-2001, 09:59 PM

I bet its the lower intake leaking. I doubt that both head gaskets would go out at the same time after so little time. Unless they were not torqued properly to begin with.

White smoke on deceleration would lead me to think that coolant is being pulled in from the water jackets in the intake.

Al

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95 GT, GT40 Aluminum Heads, Intake u/l, 9# Powerdyne SC, 65 mm FMS TB, 70 mm FMS MAS, 30 lb injectors, E303 cam, Hooker Super Comp equal shorty headers, H pipe, Flows, Nitto DR, MSD BTM, Adjustable FP reg, 255 fuel pump, Autometer gauge pod with Electric FP guage and Boost guage, a few other odds and ends

bob93lx · 04-02-2001, 10:36 PM

What do I look for to determine if it may be the lower intake gasket?

Rick 91GT · 04-03-2001, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 93CobraR:
Yeah, you bought the cheap head gaskets. Get the Fel-Pro 1101-2's not -1. Thats what I have and they are holding up great.

I used the Fel-Pro's -1's on my Alum heads as directed and never had a problem at all so I don't think that was nessarly the problem but I second TaxicStanger idea on the intake gaskets maybe being blown on leaking. You will need to pull the intake off and if it was leaking you will see it, water in port or Gaskets distorted, mis aligned. You did make sure all the ports on the gaskets matched up right water jackets etc,.... I am now using ROL graphites on my new motor,

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Check Out My Site 91GT,Holley SysteMAX II Kit-Heads 2.02" x 1.60" port matched to a 1262,Anderson N-61,24#,76mm C&L,Full MAC exhaust 1-5/8" Long tubes,2-1/2" O.R H-Pipe,2 1/2" cat back, No A/C or PS or emissions, 12" K&N Filter,RNH PERFORMANCE Ram Air,Ron Davis Radiator,Full Suspension,S&W 8pt "X" brace,JAZ seats,3:73's,Welds..etc,4:30's and 31 splines coming very soon!

gray87GT · 04-03-2001, 08:26 AM

Did you put black RTV around the waterjacket ports when installing the intake?? If you didn't, that could cause a problem.

NO SLO PK · 04-03-2001, 11:03 AM

I recommend taking the factory head bolts and depositing them in the nearest trash can! In my experience, they won't seal the head gasket properly if they are reused (because the bolts stretch). I like using ARP bolts.

Also, make sure all the bolts are still torqued properly (they can loosen as the gaskets relax), especially for the intake manifold.

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Russ L
'91 LX
Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles.

DirtKing · 04-03-2001, 10:30 PM

did you check your heads for warping before installing them? Many times heads need to be milled a little to get them straight. I warped my dart seniors and had to mill them...(21 lbs boost on a 9.8:1 motor)

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88LX notch, Speedpro EFI Procharged!

Skankin · 04-04-2001, 01:47 PM

Been there... not fun.

Check around the lower head bolts, if they're leaking, you'll see some anti-freeze residue.

Check the oil fill cap for condensation (to see if there's water in the oil).

You can pull the drain plug too, and any water will be the first to come out (oil floats on water).

You can get a $25 code scanner from walmart, and do a cylinder balance test. If one of them is leaking, it'll show up.

If you locate a problem, you might find that the head bolt has backed off a bit too...

The felpro-2's are better, but probably not necessary. Put them on dry.

I agree with ditching the bolts. Get some ARP studs, and use teflon tape on the threads into the water jacker. This was the only way I could get mine to seal (changed the head gaskets 3 times!).

Also, I've found that the felpro rubber gaskets & some RTV at the ends, work great on the china wall (between the heads and lower intake). THe cork gaskets suck.

I found that the form-a-gasket aircraft grade thread sealant really sucks (the brown stuff)... it just never set properly for a good seal. Form-a-gasket also has some white teflon sealer that works better.

AtaxicStanger · 04-04-2001, 09:43 PM

Bob93LX

Heres what I would do.

You shouldn't run the car any more.

Pop off the upper and lower intake manifold and check the lower to head gaskets as you take off the lower intake. If you see any and I mean any, sign of water passing from the jackets into the intake runners of the heads then I would assume that this was the cause of your problems. Sometimes it's kind of a matter of luck, keeping the damn gaskets inplace and sealed properly. Usually the second time is the charm.

If it really looks like there is no leakage, you shoould proceed to check all of the other things that the guys have brought up. They are all good suggestions.

Al

2FastLX · 04-05-2001, 01:29 AM

I'd check your throttle body first. I just noticed mine was leaking coolant from between the TB and EGR and I had noticed that my car was blowing steam out the pipes too. The head gaskets looked fine when I pulled the heads.

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ICQ# 42269241
Indiana Stangers Association
Buy your parts here

fiveohpatrol · 04-05-2001, 10:44 AM

mine started doing the same after i put my intake on, and i forgot to use RTV around the coolant passages, im gonna pull it back off tomorrow and find out for sure, is your car overheating too? mine sure is, good luck with it

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88 Notchback 5.0, 3.73's, Explorer intake, pulleys, Crane 1.7's, BBK headers, off-road H-pipe, flowmasters, subframe connectors, 65mm TB, shift kit, March ram air kit, motorsport wires, MSD coil, upper and lower control arms, 155lph fuel pump, cheap 2800 stall, Crane Adj.FPR, best time- 13.99@99.75, not yet tested times after rocker and intake install

Killercanary · 04-05-2001, 10:45 PM

You better have that thing fixed for the track this weekend!!! Bob- I'll be in Pittsburgh this weekend if you need a hand with anything, just let me know via email. I'll probably get to Keystone at around 10-10:30 on sunday.

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95 GT convt' 5 speed, 3.73's,FMS HD clutch, Pro 5.0 shifter, ASP alum. underdrive pulleys, Bassani offroad X pipe, 2 chmbr flowmasters, K&N w/o silencer, edelbrock performer intake, FRPP 65mm T-body, FRPP shorty headers, FRPP aluminum driveshaft.Hooker 4pt chrome car bar, Xenon/Wings West ground effects, custom interior
Best ET: 13.83
Best MPH: 98.55mph with Best 60': 1.91 on Nitto DR's
Homepage: <A HREF="http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/killercanary" TARGET=_blank>http://www.angelfire

89 ATI · 04-06-2001, 05:32 PM

I had the same thing happen to me. I ported the stock put everything back together with fel-pro 1101-2 gaskets and ARP head bolts. They started leaking right away. The block and heads are all flat so I went to pep boys and bought the cheap fel-pros and it has been fine since then. I think for some reason the 1101-1 and 1101-2 gaskets leak with the stock heads.

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89 GT convertible, Kenny Brown level 5, 14# Procharger

moosejaw · 04-07-2001, 02:51 PM

Use fel pro 8548-pt2. Graphite high performance gasket that is recommended by DSS for all applications. Note that DSS did the R+D for fel pro on the Ford head gaskets several years ago. They know what works.

Mike

------------------
Live near St.Louis?
Check out Mustang Muscle and Dyno in High Ridge, MO
Check out my ride.

04-02-2001, 08:36 PM	#1
bob93lx Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: pittsburgh, pa Posts: 13	NEW HEADS and think the Head Gaskets just blew!! After getting on it hard, white smoke came out both tailpipes after I let out of it. Went back to garage and two plugs on both sides where wet. Also noticed that excess reservoir coolant bottle (not inside radiator) was bubbling. I was using felpro 1011-1, any suggestion on what to try?? Thanks

04-02-2001, 08:46 PM	#2
gt93mustang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: Kennesaw, Georgia, USA Posts: 252	Sounds to me like you did blow the head gasket, so the only thing I can think of is to pull the heads and replace them. Did you notice any detonation while you were at WOT? The only other symptom you can check to diagnose a blown head gasket that I can think of is bubbles in the radiator, but you said you already checked there. Did this happen after you installed a new set of heads/gaskets? ------------------ MAC equal length headers, MAC Off-Road H-Pipe, Flowmaster mufflers, 373's, March ram-air kit, underdrive pulleys, 73mm MAF, 75mm TB, Saleen Intake (ported), Edelbrock 6037 heads (ported, polished, 3 angle valve-job 255CFM @.500), 1.6 FMS RR's, Wolverine 1087 Cam, 24lb injectors, MSD 6AL, Subframe connectors, Griggs Adustable Lower Control Arms, Lakewood 50/50 shocks, SSM Upper Control Arms... and probably some more in there I forgot

04-02-2001, 09:17 PM	#3
93CobraR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 1,575	Yeah, you bought the cheap head gaskets. Get the Fel-Pro 1101-2's not -1. Thats what I have and they are holding up great. ------------------ 87 GT, 4 inch cowl hood,17x9 Cobra R's/255/45's,GT-40 heads,long tubes headers,h-pipe,Flows,BBK cold air, Mass air,70mm MAF, 1.7's, 1" spacer,underdrive pulleys,Pro 5.0, King Cobra, Adj. fuel Reg., Lakewood Lift Bars,50/50's,subframes, 4.10's. Best time 12.96 Best MPH 103.42 Best 60' 1.695 Visit my site at: http://www.geocities.com/cobrar93_2000/MyPage.html

04-02-2001, 09:18 PM	#4
bob93lx Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: pittsburgh, pa Posts: 13	No, I didn't hear any pinging. I installed new felpro 1011's with ported stock heads.

04-02-2001, 09:21 PM	#5
gt93mustang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: Kennesaw, Georgia, USA Posts: 252	Yeah, I'm with 93CobraR. I installed the 1101-2's on mine when I swapped heads and they are still holding up under all the hell I give them.

04-02-2001, 09:59 PM	#6
AtaxicStanger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Waukesha, WI Posts: 59	I bet its the lower intake leaking. I doubt that both head gaskets would go out at the same time after so little time. Unless they were not torqued properly to begin with. White smoke on deceleration would lead me to think that coolant is being pulled in from the water jackets in the intake. Al ------------------ 95 GT, GT40 Aluminum Heads, Intake u/l, 9# Powerdyne SC, 65 mm FMS TB, 70 mm FMS MAS, 30 lb injectors, E303 cam, Hooker Super Comp equal shorty headers, H pipe, Flows, Nitto DR, MSD BTM, Adjustable FP reg, 255 fuel pump, Autometer gauge pod with Electric FP guage and Boost guage, a few other odds and ends

04-02-2001, 10:36 PM	#7
bob93lx Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: pittsburgh, pa Posts: 13	What do I look for to determine if it may be the lower intake gasket?

04-03-2001, 08:26 AM	#9
gray87GT Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 177	Did you put black RTV around the waterjacket ports when installing the intake?? If you didn't, that could cause a problem.

04-03-2001, 11:03 AM	#10
NO SLO PK Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Arcadia, CA, USA Posts: 731	I recommend taking the factory head bolts and depositing them in the nearest trash can! In my experience, they won't seal the head gasket properly if they are reused (because the bolts stretch). I like using ARP bolts. Also, make sure all the bolts are still torqued properly (they can loosen as the gaskets relax), especially for the intake manifold. ------------------ Russ L '91 LX Procharger, 3 row intercooler, extrude honed Cobra intake, Mac full Length Headers, 30# inj., 73mm C&L, 75mm tb, E303 cam, 289 rods, ported E7 heads, MSD, T-Rex w/255 lph Walbro, 5 lug conversion, Cobra R wheels, 3.27 gears and Moser Axles.

04-03-2001, 10:30 PM	#11
DirtKing Registered Member Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: brooklyn center,mn,USA Posts: 169	did you check your heads for warping before installing them? Many times heads need to be milled a little to get them straight. I warped my dart seniors and had to mill them...(21 lbs boost on a 9.8:1 motor) ------------------ 88LX notch, Speedpro EFI Procharged!

04-04-2001, 01:47 PM	#12
Skankin Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1998 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,349	Been there... not fun. Check around the lower head bolts, if they're leaking, you'll see some anti-freeze residue. Check the oil fill cap for condensation (to see if there's water in the oil). You can pull the drain plug too, and any water will be the first to come out (oil floats on water). You can get a $25 code scanner from walmart, and do a cylinder balance test. If one of them is leaking, it'll show up. If you locate a problem, you might find that the head bolt has backed off a bit too... The felpro-2's are better, but probably not necessary. Put them on dry. I agree with ditching the bolts. Get some ARP studs, and use teflon tape on the threads into the water jacker. This was the only way I could get mine to seal (changed the head gaskets 3 times!). Also, I've found that the felpro rubber gaskets & some RTV at the ends, work great on the china wall (between the heads and lower intake). THe cork gaskets suck. I found that the form-a-gasket aircraft grade thread sealant really sucks (the brown stuff)... it just never set properly for a good seal. Form-a-gasket also has some white teflon sealer that works better.

04-04-2001, 09:43 PM	#13
AtaxicStanger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Waukesha, WI Posts: 59	Bob93LX Heres what I would do. You shouldn't run the car any more. Pop off the upper and lower intake manifold and check the lower to head gaskets as you take off the lower intake. If you see any and I mean any, sign of water passing from the jackets into the intake runners of the heads then I would assume that this was the cause of your problems. Sometimes it's kind of a matter of luck, keeping the damn gaskets inplace and sealed properly. Usually the second time is the charm. If it really looks like there is no leakage, you shoould proceed to check all of the other things that the guys have brought up. They are all good suggestions. Al

04-05-2001, 01:29 AM	#14
2FastLX The Photoshop Guru Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mecca, Indiana Posts: 1,419	I'd check your throttle body first. I just noticed mine was leaking coolant from between the TB and EGR and I had noticed that my car was blowing steam out the pipes too. The head gaskets looked fine when I pulled the heads. ------------------ ICQ# 42269241 Indiana Stangers Association Buy your parts here

04-05-2001, 10:44 AM	#15
fiveohpatrol I'd rather be basketweaving Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,551	mine started doing the same after i put my intake on, and i forgot to use RTV around the coolant passages, im gonna pull it back off tomorrow and find out for sure, is your car overheating too? mine sure is, good luck with it ------------------ 88 Notchback 5.0, 3.73's, Explorer intake, pulleys, Crane 1.7's, BBK headers, off-road H-pipe, flowmasters, subframe connectors, 65mm TB, shift kit, March ram air kit, motorsport wires, MSD coil, upper and lower control arms, 155lph fuel pump, cheap 2800 stall, Crane Adj.FPR, best time- 13.99@99.75, not yet tested times after rocker and intake install

04-05-2001, 10:45 PM	#16
Killercanary Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Altoona, PA Posts: 336	You better have that thing fixed for the track this weekend!!! Bob- I'll be in Pittsburgh this weekend if you need a hand with anything, just let me know via email. I'll probably get to Keystone at around 10-10:30 on sunday. ------------------ 95 GT convt' 5 speed, 3.73's,FMS HD clutch, Pro 5.0 shifter, ASP alum. underdrive pulleys, Bassani offroad X pipe, 2 chmbr flowmasters, K&N w/o silencer, edelbrock performer intake, FRPP 65mm T-body, FRPP shorty headers, FRPP aluminum driveshaft.Hooker 4pt chrome car bar, Xenon/Wings West ground effects, custom interior Best ET: 13.83 Best MPH: 98.55mph with Best 60': 1.91 on Nitto DR's Homepage: <A HREF="http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/killercanary" TARGET=_blank>http://www.angelfire

04-06-2001, 05:32 PM	#17
89 ATI Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Lafayette, Indiana Posts: 120	I had the same thing happen to me. I ported the stock put everything back together with fel-pro 1101-2 gaskets and ARP head bolts. They started leaking right away. The block and heads are all flat so I went to pep boys and bought the cheap fel-pros and it has been fine since then. I think for some reason the 1101-1 and 1101-2 gaskets leak with the stock heads. ------------------ 89 GT convertible, Kenny Brown level 5, 14# Procharger

04-07-2001, 02:51 PM	#18
moosejaw Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: St.Louis,MO Posts: 274	Use fel pro 8548-pt2. Graphite high performance gasket that is recommended by DSS for all applications. Note that DSS did the R+D for fel pro on the Ford head gaskets several years ago. They know what works. Mike ------------------ Live near St.Louis? Check out Mustang Muscle and Dyno in High Ridge, MO Check out my ride.