Bruce Griffis wrote: > I'll try replacing the head gasket one more time and not put so much > Permatex Copper tube goo on it. I'm thinking I did a poor job on the > headgasket and that is part of my problems (exhaust is blue from oil, > but also has a HECK of a lot of condensation in it. Not sure if I got > a problem with rings and headgasket, or just one, or just the other. Oh you;ll get it to go. Get a box of 100 single-edged razor blades (you don't need that many; but having a box of 100 you wont be stingy with them) and get the entire block deck surface clean to metal. If it's dark grey or black, that's old gasket or goo (or corrosion). Scrape it off! YOu'll probably get a slight ring of shiny metal around each bolt hole. THat's block metal pulling up due to torque. It's normal if it's slight (not good, just normal :-) DO the same to the head, but that shoudl be easy if you just had the head redone. If it's not perfect, make it so. YOu don't want metal filings in the engine, but lightly and carefully running a fine file over the deck, then head surface, will reveal high spots (like if the head klunked into the block during assembly, etc). I have a short piece of broken file that I use for stuff like this, you can keep rags around it. Better to risk a bit of steel shaving than carborundum from sand paper. Paper's not flat either. Solvent on CLEAN, LAUNDERED rags, wipe the sealing surfaces until the rags are almost clean. Then I don't even touch the surface. Smokey Yunick said: 'no engine ever died from being too clean' and though he meant internals, it applies everywhere there's an intentional seal or mating surface. If you are REALLY paranoid, you could set the head on the block before you put any good or gaskets on, gently. It should slide smoothly, not rock in any direction (like zero, none, not paper width) and not have klunky corners to catch on anything. You need gasket goo (Permatex Copper or something old fashioned) but hardly any at all. Very thin coat on all four surfaces. You should be able to see through it. It's hard to get really even but you shoudl get close. It should be dry/tacky (15 minutes is fine). When you set the head on that final time, don't slide it. That'll mess up your nicely applied goo. This is tough, that head is heavy and it's in a deep engine compartment! But you have helpful kids! If one of our engine experts says otherwise, believe them over me for sure! _______________________________________________ Amc-list mailing list Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://splatter.wps.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/amc-list