Head gaskets fail sometimes.
Over here, we don't use the copper/asbestos gaskets any more -
we use the Metro Turbo head gasket. It has been holding up on
very high compression race engines much better than the old
competition head gaskets.
It has a tacky finish both sides, so all you have to do is carefully
prep both surfaces and torque up.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Thornton <bthor@master.adams.com>
To: Bkitterer@aol.com <Bkitterer@aol.com>; dhiley@cadvision.com
<dhiley@cadvision.com>; spridgets@autox.team.net <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Monday, October 19, 1998 6:35 AM
Subject: Re: Part 2 - Torqueing the Head
>I experienced what you describe at Conclave 96 in Asheville, NC. I was en
>route to dinner with fellow SE Michigan club members in my 67 MKIV Sprite
>when all of the sudden, my car became the worlds most effective mosquito
>fogger. I had developed an oil leak between the block and the head where
>the oil passes up to the rocker gear. The oil was spraying directly on the
>exhaust header causing quite a smoke screen. The Richard Longman head on
>my engine has been milled and the block has been decked. Moreover, I was
>running a competition copper/asbestos head gasket. The engine probably had
>8-10K miles on it at that time. It just happened, no warning signs,
nothing!
>
>I re-torqued the head like you and found that it made no difference. I was
>not happy with the prospect of removing the head at the meet but this was
>the only way I could resolve the problem. Besides, home was over 1000 miles
>away and I had to drive to get there! My wife went to the pool, my fellow
>club members kept me supplied with cold beer and I proceeded to perform an
>impromptu tech session in the hotel parking lot. The look on peoples faces
>when they walked by was interesting to say the least. Most people want to
>help a fellow Healey owner in despair, not that day. They just assumed,
>either the guy is nuts or he must have it under control. All told, the
>repair took about three hours to perform. I never did find anything wrong
>with the gasket, block surface or head surface. All I could do at that
>point was install a new head gasket and pray. As it turned out the new
>gasket did the trick. In fact, I participated in the gymkhana the next day
>and took second place in the street prepared Sprite class!
>
>I don't have any advice as to what caused the leak in the first place. In
>fact, the gasket that's in the car now is the same one that you received
>from Winner's Circle (steel/asbestos). I've probably put another 2000
>miles on it since and still no problems. Who can figure.
>
>Good Luck!
>
>
>Brian Thornton
>
>At 10:40 PM 10/18/98 EDT, Bkitterer@aol.com wrote:
>>
>>In a message dated 10/18/98 1:28:14 PM, dhiley@cadvision.com writes:
>>
>><<I let the engine warm up thoroughly sitting in the driveway with
>>occaisional sustained moderate rpm and there was no leakage. I then took
>>it out onto the road and ran it it up 5k in second and third and the smoke
>>began pouring out of the engine as the oil hit the headers. It is
>>definitely not coming from the rocker cover or timing chain cover. It is
>>definitely coming from under the headers somewhere.>>
>>
>>Dave,
>>
>>We have experienced the same problem. Have been resisting pulling the
head
>>but I think that there is an oil port on the front corner, manifold side
of
>>the block / head. At this time we are guessing that for some reason the
head
>>and block are not perfectly parallel at this corner and under load oil
leaks
>>out between the head, gasket and block. Once it is warmed up it is fine
>>except on occasion when pushed hard. When cold we let ours idle about
five
>>minutes letting it come to operation temperature for several minutes
before
>>driving off. Then we try and avoid routes, freeways and steep hills, that
>>would load the engine for anther five minutes or so.
>>
>>This is not much help in solving the problem. We will keep listening and
>if I
>>break down and pull the head will post what we find.
>>
>>Bob and Annice
>>1960 Sprite (Mk IV in disguise)
>>
>>
>
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