Please tell me I don't have to pull the heads off

Understandable but di say it stopped leaking and headers are tight so I figure dropped headers in before putting heads on. As you move around on car drips from block could have collected in headers before bolting down head. One side would probably have more than other. Its a possible scenario. If head had more experience he would have noticed as he was working. Now he has to determine what to do

 

Silester,

What is going on in the picture you posted of the rear main cap? Where is the rear main seal? I see the lower rear main bearing is still on the crank. If I'm seeing things correctly, I'm not sure I like what appears to be sealer under the rear main cap. On those neoprene rear main seals, a small dab of sealer is to be used on the seal ends themselves, but not on the main cap.

 

I may have to bow out, too confusing. I'm not sure but I think the entire engine was assembled when he put it in and it was dry. Headers were dry. No way the engine is turning over with plugs in and coolant running out of the headers. Seems like it could be a non-issue but the reason for the rogue coolant is a mystery.

 

***this is a guess**** pull the intake and check the gaskets between coolant ports and intake ports chances are ta sold you performance paper gaskets these can split I will tell you how. If you machined the heads alot for compression boost and did not mill the intake surface of heads you no longer have the intake sitting flat on the heads.
**** just a guess I've seen this happen****
Ken

 

The leak when I finally noticed it was just a drip, because after I filled it up I continued to hook the flex fan and alternator up. So it could have been a faster leak initially. Its not leaking today, and the radiator is still full enough where I can stick my finger in there and touch antifreeze.

So here is what I just did, listening to you guys I pulled the drain plug from the pan to see if I had any antifreeze runout, and while I am a novice I am pretty sure I can tell the difference between clean oil and oil and anti freeze mix, and the oil was clean. I also took a zip tie that is about 6inches in length and stuck it in every hole with the exception of the last whole on the passenger side because its just a pain to get the plug out. and they were all dry??? I will be pulling the carb off tomorrow to see if I can see anything in the intake, but I was expecting two or more cylinders to be wet, maybe even the 2 that had some blow by before I had the heads redone, and nothing? I ordered a pressure tester from auto zone today it should be here they said friday or saturday, is there anything else I can do to try and diagnosis this, and is this news good news?

 

Its actually a valley pan gasket, but my mechanic took note of the same thing your thinking, that the valley pan gasket may not have seated on the coolant port correctly as well. I am really hoping for a simple fix for this and if all I have to do is by a new intake gasket and put that on I will feel a lot better about this. If this is something else major somebody may be able to get a really nice car for fairly cheap.

 

Yes the engine was assembled it was dry as the oil was drained prior to the rear main being fixed. Im sure there were some remnants of oil left in there. I don't know that the block was drained though, I don't believe so. I am hoping this is something that is a none issue, but right now I don't want to go any farther with this thing with there being even a potential issue.

 

Thats the way it came apart when my mechanic finally got to disassemble it. The remnants of the rear man seal were actually on the pickup tube, I believe I have a picture of that Ill post it when I get home. So the way you see it is the way TA assembled it. My mechanic refused to put the neoprene seal back in it because of that. He actually was convinced it was a rope seal because he said no way would a neoprene seal do that, but my paperwork says it was a neoprene seal. So what you are describing may have actually lead to the seal failing, I don't know. I even both the BOP seal and he wouldn't install it on reassembly, he said if I wanted to put something else in it and it leaked that he would not fix it for free, so rope seal it was.

 

I wish your guys were hear too because trying to figure this out on my own from just what people are telling me to try is proving to be a challenge for me. In some case I simply don't have the skill set, or the eye to figure it out. And the frustrating part for me is since I have had this car, the motor has been in and out of it 7 times, and each and every time it comes out it cost me money. This has forced me to become more involved and more hands on with the putting in and removing because I figured at least I can save myself that expense. So I bought an engine hoist, a stand, and even an engine cradle from TA so when I have to transport the engine. I just wish I had more experience with disassembly, and reassembly, and the money it takes to continue to fix things when they don't work. I would say that in the 7 years I have owned this car I have spent north of 15,000 just messing around with the motor. with nearly 8 of that going to TA, another 4 to the previous crap shop, and the rest in labor to my mechanic. I love this car, but I can not continue to go this route as it is simply not sustainable financially for me.

 

Where are you. Sounds like you just need a second set of eyes on this thing.

My guess is that it is the intake manf gasket.

Worse case is the rear of the head gasket leaking at the coolant port enough to dribble into the exhaust...it is possible. Both cases happened to me.

I'm on the West side, not sure where you are at but between myself and my brother(s) I am sure any extra eyes could help.

send me a PM with your address and I will try to make a visit after work tomorrow.

-Chad

 

Im in Mesa, just east of Stapley and southern

 

Here are the other two pictures my mechanic sent to me.

 

Well that sucks...you are nowhere near anyone I know that can lend a hand unless you are willing to wait for the weekend.

Your call. I would be willing this Sat to drive out that way. I am over in Goodyear and my brothers are in N. Phx. Drive across town after work on a weekday would be insane.

Let me know.:TU:

-Chad

 

I will absolutely wait for any help, Ill even buy lunch and gas if that will help get somebody to come and tell me what the crap is going on with this thing. If you have some wire crimpers could you bring those too? Because I don't want to ruin the new MSD wires I bought, and I have never made up a set of wires before.

 

What the heck is that? Clearly your engine needs a priest not a mechanic. I've never seen a neoprene rear main seal fail like that. Rope seals yes, neoprene no. I really don't like where the sealer is but I can't see that causing any of your issues.

One thing for sure is being that your engine is upside down, we can be sure the coolant was drained.

Can you unbolt the headers and move them back at all? If not, unbolt the motor mounts and raise the engine up a bit. Put the pressure tester on the cooling system first. If coolant starts running out of the headers, you will need to see which cylinders so you can have it narrowed down if it has to come apart again, or maybe an idea will pop up by someone.

 

I will send you my contact info. in a PM. Send me back yours and I will give you a call before the weekend to set up a time.

The devil in me wants to drag my brothers '69 w/ TA stg1 455 over to your house, it runs but he's got it rotting in my driveway. Could be the easiest swap ever!:laugh: Anyways...

I'll see if a buddy I know has got crimpers...my 455 (in the Riv)is almost stock along with the distributor so I've never needed a crimper.

Talk to you soon.

 

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When I get back to the car tomorrow I will check the paperwork again because my memory tells me that the paperwork says neoprene seal. When I talked to Mike about it he said that it had a rope in it? My Mechanic also said he thought it was a rope, but since the paperwork said Neoprene he would not put that in there, not even the BOP seal I ordered. After the dyno pull I never drove the car again as the leak was that bad, and from those pictures I now know why. I pulled all the plugs and checked the cylinders today, and after I left my father in laws house it dawned on me that my method of checking the cylinders was probably not the best test as the zip tie more likely than not just went straight across the cylinder instead of down in the cylinder where it could find water if its there. The oil was clean. I will recheck the plugs tomorrow I just haven't figured out with what yet, may be some type of rope if I can find some.

 

I was there in my '67 back in December...cruising out to pick up a guitar from a friend. Nice place...hope to stay longer next time I'm in town.

 

I'm on the north end of town. Phx/scottsdale border 64st and Cactus. I used to work at TA some years ago. Been working on Buicks for a long time now. I have my own shop now. Not that you want to spend any more money, but I would be willing to possibly take a look at this for you. I can feel your frustration, but this does sound like a mess. I may have misread one of these threads, but are the spark plug wires that you are making MSD wires? If so, they usually come with a tool that is a cut guage and a crimper that you would use in a bench vise. If you want to drive up to my shop I'll even give you one. I make so many wire sets, that they are starting to pile up anyway. I also purchased MSD's ratchet crimper for wires which speds it up some. PM me or give a call( my # is (480) 206-8920. Picture is of a 455 I built and installed for a 66 Wildcat project. Good example of MSD wires.

 

Funny .. I was just reading this and thought " I wonder if Mike Modena is still in the Phx area ? He could whip this nightmare into a dream come true"
Not only is Mike a great guy but he is a fellow 68/ 69 stepchild

Mike - greetings from L.I. ...