I read on the forum not too long ago about someone explaining when you pull heads and look at the piston tops - if one (or more) are clean(er) and the others are dirty - there is a coolant leak - ok, but was there more to it then just a coolant leak?



I took the heads in and they are sightly warped - which explains a few things. They will be resurfaced in the next few days and the gaskets look OK... but not new, and not beat up....

6 months ago - the piston tops almost looked brand new.... as well as the entire engine!

 

How do you know the pistons were clean 6 months ago?

 

I rebuilt the engine six months ago and cleaned the hell out of everything I could IN CASE there was a leak - I would be able to spot it easier....



SOOOO the next logical question is: 'If you rebuilt it 6 months ago - why are you having to pull the heads???'

Good question... It seems one of the gaskets either failed or was not sitting right and it started to overheat literally a few days ago - over the last 6 months, I drove it from Chicago to Phoenix, on Route 66 in CA and AZ 3 times, and numerous miles in between - it literally just started to overheat....

So luckily I know the engine pretty well - just the timing of all of this happens to blow....


You tell me.....

 

Coolant leak sure, but from where? Are you going to pressure check the block? I've seen a few videos lately of people pressure checking blocks and it seems like that particular cylinder seems to crack.

 

I agree with the block pressure test.

 

Are there plates to buy to block the cooling ports on the block? Or is it easier to make them yourself?

 

You can buy kits, but just make some from scrap metal and rubber.