1. If you have recently registered with a gmail email address, you must contact me, as gmail will not forward our confirmation email to you. Contact me and jim@trishieldperformance.com to complete your registration.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. In and effort to reduce the spam on the site, several years ago I had went to a program where I manually approve each and every new registration. This approval gives you full access to the site, to pictures, and to post, among other things. To be able to enjoy the full potential of the board for you, you need to be fully registered.. and that's easy.. Just send an email to me at jim@trishieldperformance.com and I will verify your registration. This policy will remain in effect indefinitely, as it has completely eliminated the bad actors from our site, who would spam and hack it, once they gained access. Thanks JW
    Dismiss Notice
  3. The "Group Buy" for the 1967-68 Deluxe Steering wheel recasting is now officially "Open". Now is the time to start sending in the wheels. The latest date that the wheels must be received by Kochs is 31 March 2025 The cost for each wheel is $750. The only "up front cost" is your shipping the wheel. If you send in more than one wheel, each additional wheel will cost $700. Shipping and insurance to Kochs and return shipping will be extra. You will be contacted by Teresa to make payment for the wheel(s) and return shipping and insurance when your wheel(s) is complete. The shipping will be factored on your delivery address and insurance. I will be sending the contact information all of you have sent me to Teresa at Kochs. Send in your wheels, horn pad and hardware and paint color sample if applicable. Please include: First and Last Name Shipping Address Phone number email address V8Buick "Member Name" Wheel Color (SEE THE BOTTOM FOR WHEEL COLOR) Pease read the "shipping to Kochs" below. There are two addresses. One for USPS Mailing One for FedEx and UPS shipping You can use USPS/Mail, UPS or FedEx to send in your core. Use the appropriate address depending on what service you use to ship. If you use USPS/Mail ship to: Koch's P.O. Box 959 Acton, CA 93510 Attn: Teresa If you use UPS or FedEx ship to: Koch's 7650 Soledad Canyon Road Acton CA 93510 Attn: Teresa Kochs Contact: Teresa (661) 268-1341 customerservice@kochs.com Wheel Color If you wheel is Black, you can list that in your information you send in with your wheel. For colored wheels, please contact Teresa about specifics for wheel color if you do not send in a color sample to match. Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you to everyone for your participation in making this a reality. And "Thank You" Jim Weise, for allowing and facilitating this project! Michael .................... to remove this notice, click the X in the upper RH corner of this message box
    Dismiss Notice

Head Gasket Question

Discussion in 'Street/strip 400/430/455' started by Buickus Rex, Jul 19, 2003.

  1. Buickus Rex

    Buickus Rex '67 GS400 4-Speed

    Here's a question for you...do head gaskets have a shelf life?

    Here's what happened....

    About two weeks ago I decided to remove the left cylinder head to fix a leaking exhaust manifold - two bolts were broken off and it sounded like a sh*twagon. I had the usual difficult time and frustrations, but nothing that wasn't unexpected. I put it all back together but when I fired it up I had steam in the exhaust on the side I worked on and bubbles and foam in the radiator. OK, so it looks like the head gasket didn't seal. *!!#$%*!!*. A compression check showed about 180 psi on #1 and #3, about 150 on #5 and about 120 on #7. AHA!!! #7 and possibly #5 are leaking!! What's weird though is that it was pulling 20" of vacuum and idled like a rock. After taking it all apart again I could not find any visible evidence of leakage except that the #7 intake valve was nice and clean compared to the other ones (there with only about 1/2 hour of running time). But there was no smoking gun...no lump of crud between the head gasket and the head or the block...no obvious problems. (The motor was runing fine before I decided to "fix" it). Motor is basically stock '67 Buick 400" +.030".

    So I ask, do head gaskets have a shelf life? The gasket I used was a regular Fel-Pro 8494PT composition type, which was the same type that I had used previously and was still on there performing flawlessly when I decided to do this job. I bought the set about 12 yrs ago but never used them, until now...they've been in the package all this time. I've got this thing all cleaned up and ready to re-assemble, but I'm wondering if the reason for the failure was an old gasket?

    Thanks.

    Larry
     
  2. carcrazy455

    carcrazy455 Well-Known Member

    Larry, the old head gaskets should still work fine as long as they were kept flat, clean and dry. I would check the block deck and head for warpage. Sometimes some Barrs Stop Leak will help.

    Mike
     
  3. Buickus Rex

    Buickus Rex '67 GS400 4-Speed

    I didn't think the gaskets would be the problem - it was just wishful thinking.

    The thought of warpage did cross my mind, but I didn't check for it because it had been running for about 12 years without any problems. Well, I went and put a straight-edge on the head and as far as I can tell, the head is indeed warped...not end-to-end but cross-wise from intake side to exhaust side. I used the same straight edge on another Buick head and it was perfectly flat.

    Now at least I know what I have to do...

    Thanks Mike.

    Larry
     

Share This Page