Water seeping past my cylinder head nuts

comancheflyer · #1 (**permalink**) 05-17-2008, 08:55 PM

Just replaced my 1750 head gasket and I am seeing water seeping past a few of the cylinder head nuts. Pretty dumb question, but I notice that the cylinder head studs are submerged in water .... so what keeps the water from seeping past the studs, washers, and nuts? I have done a few head geaskets on 2000 engines and have never had this happen. What am I doing wrong?

Gordon Raymond · #2 (**permalink**) 05-17-2008, 09:53 PM

You are not doing anything wrong. Often the washers under the nuts show some pitting and or corrosion. With a water and antifreeze mix, they will leak. I usually replace the washers on all older engines, as well as check the head nuts for corrosive pitting. Often the holes the studs pass through also show corrosion. All these are causes for leaks. If the head itself shows pitting around the stud hole where the washer sits, a small dab of Perematex grey, along with a new washer and #400 wet or dry sandpaper on the bottom surface of the nut will take care of this seepage. The washers are NOT hardware grade. They are hardened, and must have parallel faces. They are available from McMaster Carr and MSC Industrial Supply. Hope this helps.

comancheflyer · #3 (**permalink**) 05-17-2008, 10:16 PM

I'll replace the hardware and report back. Its my 25 year restoration that is getting ever so close to being done.

Tim

PS ... most airplanes don't have coolant leaks

GTV-GR · #4 (**permalink**) 05-18-2008, 08:55 AM

25 years??? holly crap????????

comancheflyer · #5 (**permalink**) 05-18-2008, 11:28 AM

The paint and body work was done some 25 years ago by the previous owner. Then it progressed from there about as fast as Hillary is conceeding defeat to Obama. I bought the basket case a year ago and was making great progress until a few months ago until I had an accident in my shop

. A Volvo (which I have since renamed 'the anti-Christ') macpherson strut blew apart with pieces flying in all directions, one of which (of course) hit the Alfa that was covered up with a car cover. It took me 2 weeks to finally get up the courage to remove the cover to see what I had done to my lovely mistress

. Luckely, the piece missed the wind shield, but did leave a very small dent in the hood about the size of my finger nail. The dent pro guys will be able to massage it back I know with little work, but I was so distraught that I walked away from her for a few months and took a break. I'm back at here with full fury now so I can bring her to her debut at a car show in San Luis Obispo in July. Got my Jon Norman lowering springs on her this weekend, and now she sits just right. Still have the convertible top and a other few odds and ends to go. Engine sounds good, webers are a bit noisy, trans sounds a little noisy, hopefully not a bearing or something ... still have to figure that one out.