[John Bailey (GTOKID)]

Its the Headgaskets!!!is the block O ringed? did you use studs or head bolts? Hostler had the same prob when he tried to use headbolts went back to studs and was fine, he was using copper headgaskets. Very sorry to hear that... you are my hero anyways... see ya at the track!!

[Jeff Kinsler]

GTOKID, I took my heads and head gaskets to John at aldermans and he actually saw a spot by one of the waterjacket holes. Looked like a little trail into the cylinder, but didnt see no traces of water in the combustion chamber. Im thinking its just the gaskets now, but Im getting the block and heads pressure checked just to be safe. If everything checks out alright Im putting it back together because the bearings and everything else looks fine. I guess Ill get head studs too. I dont have the block oringed and I used butlers head gaskets. You are my hero doing the back to the future burnout with you low 10's gto about 10 years ago!!!!!! Remember that.
thanks for everyones input.

68 Firebird 468
#16 D-Ports w RPM intake
Street Car
10.47 @ 129.21
150 shot soon

[Larry Navarro]

badbird...if you are using ARP bolts make certain that the end of bolt is not bottoming down in the block. on several occassions, folks attribute the gasket problems to the questionable length of these bolts, as they tend to bottom in the block and give false torque readings.

[Jeff Kinsler]

Larry, These are the same ARP bolts that were on my last combo which was the same block and heads and no problems. But I was just thinking at this moment and remembered that my heads were milled .050 thousands to get more compression, so maybe that is the case. The motor only had 7 passes and about 150 miles on the motor so maybe it just took a little while to show up. Im thinking about putting studs in the heads anyway, but I will check and see if thats the case.

68 Firebird 468
#16 D-Ports w RPM intake
Street Car
10.47 @ 129.21
150 shot soon

[Fox]

I have a strange problem with that as well. When I check my oil cap I see a bit of capuccino on it. I check under the valve cover (and breathers) and they look fine. I change the oil and filter and there is no hint of anything unusual. I have never figured it out. (shrug)

[LouisianaGuy]

fOX,
iTS just condensation build up that can vent is all.
Least that is what i keep telling my self :
Mike

[FastEddie]

Sometimes it takes awhile for the crack(s) to really manifest themselves. Usually a few hot & cold cycles will do. Wish you the best.

[Jeff Kinsler]

Well checked the head bolts and found the top head bolts of cylinders 7 & 8 are too long. I put both heads on without the gaskets and every bolt except the two I mentioned above tightened the head by itself without the gasket except 2. I could put .050 feeler gauges under the head with the bolt tightened all the way down. Both head gaskets where the head bolt was to long had signs of water leaking out of the jacket next to that bolt. If you followed the leak you could see It was going right into the lifter/pushrod area and mixing with the oil. I guess I didnt check the gaskets good enough the first time. Well no harm done Im just going to order head studs and be done with it. At least I know the bearings and everything look good. I guess the nitrous backfire was enough to lift the gaskets, it might have run a while naturally aspirated. Lesson learned. thanks for everyones help.

Bailey, you were right, should always listen to the master!!!

68 Firebird 468
#16 D-Ports w RPM intake
Street Car
10.47 @ 129.21
150 shot soon

[SCOTT ESTERLE]

Badbird68, Give me a call i can get the head studs out to you tommorrow we should have them instock.800-517-1035 ext 6225.

[Brian Baker]

Badbird68. Even though it now looks like you may have went through some unneccessary trouble, you really didn't. Suppose the bearings were screwed up and all you did was change the head gaskets? And what about the long head bolts? All in all, very good police work on your part. You now have peace of mind knowing it was the gasket after all and not the block.

[Larry Navarro]

good going, badbird!
before i built my 474 last summer, i checked my ARP's and had to grind a few bolts, to avoid the problem you had.

[tempest455]

The E heads on my current motor were "whacked" considerably but I run studs. Most interesting what you found.

Tempest455
http://www.wauknet.com/douthitt/

[Jeff Kinsler]

Scott, I will give you a call this week.
Brian, thanks, the guys at my work were busting my balls because they said I should of diagnosed it better before I ripped it apart. Even if I pressure tested the cooling system and it ran out the oil pan I still had to pull the heads. LIke you said I know what the bearings and everything looks like anyway.
Larry, I wish you would have told me last year, just kiddding!! Never even thought of checking them but maybe other people will learn from my mistake.
Its sort of weird that only the two head bolt holes I mentioned had the problem. Oh, well time to put her back together again.
see ya

68 Firebird 468
#16 D-Ports w RPM intake
Street Car
10.47 @ 129.21
150 shot soon

[Robert Williams]

Yes as Larry N said, check the head bolt length. In High Performance Pontiac Mag, August 2002 there is an article on checking bolt length that starts on page #50. Also if you are going with studs now i believe the torque specs differ from the specs for the bolts. Check with a Pro like Pontiac Dude for the correct torque specs so you don't have another problem, good luck. http://www.pontiacdude.cc

Robert Williams

[Larry Navarro]

Yes...i used instruction from Pdude for torquing the head bolts. good info!