Blown Head Gasket :(

[Mike_The_Grad]

I often get this question on the dexcool. It's because from I have learned is that the green stuff isnt compliant with aluminum engine components. Dexcool wont attack the aluminum. My dexcool stays nice and orange. I run the 50/50 premixed dexcool. When I bought a champion cooling radiator a couple of years ago. It came with a set of instructions. Amongst them was that I had to run dexcool, it specifically stated that if you use the green stuff itll attack from the inside out and void the lifetime warranty. So I did a little digging in the subject and sure enough from what I've learned it's true.

Yes, I run a 180° thermostat. Its brand new and it works.

I did wrap my temp sensor with teflon tape when I installed this manifold a few weeks ago. And I believe it did contribute to the funky temp gauge readings. But this past weekend I removed the temp sensor cleaned the tape off and applied permatex high temp thread sealant.
I was still getting a weird reading so I popped the cap lastnight at my buddy's with a step driveway and found the level to be low. So I topped it off with a little bit of dexcool. I've read that at least 15% antifreeze is desirable in street driven vehicles in areas where it dont get so cold at night during the winter months. And being I live in southern california. I think it sounds like a good number.

Well not to exact a pity party or anything. The Borderline club shooting occurred less than 2 miles from where I live. And these wildfires are bringing back all the memories of last years Thomas fire. The Thomas fire started just 2 miles from my dads house and I helped evacuate my family. And I my self was evacuated from 2 separate places. Well lastnight I wasnt able to get home because of the Woolsey fire and the Hill fire. So I slept on my buddies couch. My girlfriend on the other hand was stuck in simi valley about 10 miles from home, but eventually made it just to have to leave to LAX to pick up her parents that were flying back from El Salvador. She didnt make it back home til 2 a.m. lastnight only to have evacuate at 3 a.m. so she went back to her parents house in simi valley. She had to have gotten less sleep than I did and I barely managed to get 2 hours in. Now I'm back at work in the same clothes. When she left she grabbed her 2 cats, her kid, some clothes for him and left. Didnt grab me or herself anything. Now, I cant even go back home until further notice because of the mandatory evacuation order on our neighborhood. It looks like its gonna be a log weekend.at least I got paid today.

[Grumpy old man]

https://shop.championcooling.com/art...Color-Do-I-Use


Someone lied to you ...

[AussieinNC]

I didnt want to add to his woes....but yes...someone has been feeding him a croc of crap...

[HO455]

Wow! When it rains it pours. I am sorry so much trouble has descended upon your world. The only thing I can offer (Other than keeping you in our thoughts) is that the Teflon pipe tape isn't likely to be the problem with your guage. Not only have I never seen it to be a problem on the hundreds of temperature senders I have replaced at work over the years, but there is a great write up and test on corvetteforum.com (See: C1 & C2 temp sending unit problems)about testing temperature senders. As part of the test they wrapped different amounts of tape on senders and compared the ohm readings. There was no difference between 3 layers of tape and 20 layers of tape. So unless you have more than 20 layers I'm betting your Ok. Sorry I don't have the link to the test. I have it saved as a PDF that is too large to post here.

[Mike_The_Grad]

Well then consider me misinformed. Lol. Wow. Wish I had known differently about the Dexcool because I have about 6 gallons of the stuff that's got a bunch of Alumaseal crap floating around in it in containers out in my shed that I refuse to put back into my coolant system. At around $18/Gal. You can do the math. I considered filtering it through some coffee filters. Lol. Maybe someone would buy it if I posted it on craigslist...

Still no word on when I can return home. At least they reopened the freeway to my place. I'm about 30 miles from home at my dads house. Lastnight looking south towards the areas on fire, I could see the sky glowing orange. It's pretty bad with no end in sight. Just like last years Thomas fire. I wasnt able to return home for 3 days during that time.

I agree with ya on the tape Vs. Sealant quandary. I install fire sprinklers for a living so I'm familiar with quite a few different methods of achieving a water tight seal. The only method off the top of my head that possibly would interfere with an electrical connection would be a dielectric union. Only because they're design to prevent electrolysis in dissimilar metals. And are used to transition from different pipe material to another pipe material. Teflon tape and thread "sealant" arent really "sealers" at all. Sure, your almost guaranteed a leak free joint when they are used. And you should always use something when screwing pipe together. But NPT fittings and threads are tapered. It's the interference fit that creates the seal. With the tape or sealant actually acting more like a lubricant to over come the friction of the thread engagement. Regardless, I prefer sealant mostly over tape.

I had still been getting wa weird reading on my gauge. So I went for s drive lastnight. Ended up behind the grocery store, and backed down the loading dock. Got out, relieved the pressure on the radiator cap, very carefully, and sure enough it was low. So I squeezed and moved the upper radiator hose all around. All the while making sure I didn't get clipped by the alternator fan or the belt. And I got a big burp out of the radiator. Dropping the level some more so I headed straight home. Got some pretty hot water from the kitchen faucet, (the hot tap in my dads kitchen reaches 155°) and while the engine was running I topped of the system. I let it set for about an hour to cool down. Checked it again, and it didnt drop. So I went for another drive. This time to get a burger. Well, apparently a few other people had the same idea and I was stuck in late night traffic at the drivethru. I was watching my temp gauge like a hawk. It stayed in my "normal" zone the entire time.
I think I finally "cured" my temp fluctuations. I know these sensors arent meant to read anything other than liquid temperature. So steam is probably gonna make it act a lil funny. And now I'm almost positive this was another factor in my recent blown head gasket. I'll keep vigilant on the temp gauge and the coolant level over the next week. This is my daily driver and the only vehicle I own so I cant manage another incident like this. I was barely able to keep my job after this last time. There cant be another time. Or else.

[HO455]

Good to hear some better news from you on the truck front. Now let's all pray for rain.

[Mike_The_Grad]

Rain in itself can be disastrous in post-wildfire effected areas. The fires remove whatever growth existed roots system and basically baked the land so that it cannot absorb the percipitation. This happened immediatly following the Thomas Fire. Rain was badly needed and it came, but with a price. The Montecito area is a neighborhood in Santa Barbara that many high profile celebrities and well off residents call home. They had massive mudslides sweep through this area around 4 in the morning. 30 people lost their lives. My dad was caught in one of these debris flows while driving to work on the 101 freeway. It pitched his car sideways while he was driving about 50 MPH. He said it scared him, which is something to say coming from him. He was stuck in traffic on the 101 for 8 hours in his car before the CHP came to escort the traffic back the wrong way on the freeway. December of last year was one of the craziest months in my 32 years on this planet. "Fire Season" is officially a "season" here in So. Cal.

What's really needed, and has already happened, is for the Santa Ana winds to die down. The Winds were blowing between 50-70 MPH for much of the past two days in some of the areas where the fire burned the most. T.V. and internet service for the majority of So. Cal. Is out. And it may be as long as 10 days before service is restored. Good thing I have Verizon unlimited data on my cell phone. And being at my dads house gives me plenty of time to finish building the 292 for his 64 LWB c10. Also, finish the American Autowire install on it too.

[Steeveedee]

I'm on the north side of the Woolsey fire in Simi Valley. We're half afraid that the winds will drive the fire back over here and burn all the way around the valley, just like in '03. We were out of phone, internet and TV, since we have the same provider (Spectrum) for all 3. If where you live is hilly, expect mudslides. What a mess!

BoT, good to see that your heating issue is cured.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Mike_The_Grad

Rain in itself can be disastrous in post-wildfire effected areas.)

Unfortunately I know this all to well. The slide after math of the Eagle Creek fire last year caused lots of havoc on the local roads and really caused issues with the commercial river traffic on the Columbia River. Navigating the debris and fouling the wheels and cooling systems on the tugs where serious problems on and off for a couple of weeks. Every new storm system that rolled through took its toll.

[Mike_The_Grad]

I just installed a new to me alternator bracket. My buddy that is swapping in a LS1 into his 71 SWB c10 had a factory original alternator bracket setup and he gave it to me. Glad to get away from that cheap overseas chrome crap. I did have to get a new V-Belt. But it's worth not hearing that horrible screech whenever I'm getting on it.

[Mike_The_Grad]

Well it's been a little over a week now. The truck hasn't gotten hot. But the temp gauge is still moving above normal. So I've gone through and double checked for vacuum leaks, checked all clamps and connections, and repositioned the upper radiator hose. I had air in the system still, and I think I still do have a small bubble in there. Just to eliminate possibilities, I replaced the radiator cap with a 16 LB. Non-levered style cap and added half a bottle of "Water-Wetter" coolant additive to the system. Then I drove the 30 miles home and really laid into the truck to try and get it to burp on it's own. Well the temp gauge didnt flinch a hair. I think I've got about 99% of the air out. I'll keep at it and report back if anything significant changes.

[AussieinNC]

Hope you have it fixed young man....

Have you thought of installing a cheap mechanical gauge to validate the temp of the engine?

[Mike_The_Grad]

No I havent. Mostly because I rewired the truck with an American Autowire kit a few years ago. And I checked the sensors reading against a infrared thermometer gun. Plus I use the tried and true "can I grab the hoses after driving it for a while" test. the upper was warmer than the lower. Like I said it ain't getting hot. But the needle moves more than I'm used to. It usually creeps up to the first line of the solid white section on the stock temp gauge. And I'm used to seeing it stay right there. Always. Regardless if I'm driving up a step grade, cruising, stuck at a stop light, or 100° outside. I'm thinking I may have either a vacuum leak, issue with timing at moderate throttle acceleration, may be to lean in secondaries on the 1406 edelbrock, fuel delivery problem with the new replacement mechanical fuel pump( not getting sufficient fuel volume at upper rpm's. Which is where I'm fairly certain might be the reason. I mean I have a stock fuel pump with return line to the stock behind the bench tank, feeding my aftermarket 1406 carb on my aftermarket EPS intake, along with my comp cam kit, recurved HEI distributor, headman headers, and 3" super 40 flow master exhaust. My engine I'd no longer stock. So I may as well need an aftermarket fuel pump.

[Grumpy old man]

Your over thinking a 50 year old truck . A sure fix is to place some black tape over the gauge and drive it .When you see steam coming out from under the hood it's over heating .Other wise just drive it

[Low Elco]

Man, I was out your way in late February and remember going down the 101 headed to The Rock Store and thinking, "man, look at all this dry heather. All it'd take is one good spark and this whole thing'd be off to the races." I'm very sad to see that come true in the exact spot I was thinking that. At least it barely missed the Store. Your Dad has a cool little truck. Just let the temp gauge ride, it'll be fine. And dear God, get rid of the Dexcrap, it eats gaskets. Good luck!

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Mike_The_Grad

Well it's been a little over a week now. The truck hasn't gotten hot. But the temp gauge is still moving above normal. So I've gone through and double checked for vacuum leaks, checked all clamps and connections, and repositioned the upper radiator hose. I had air in the system still, and I think I still do have a small bubble in there. Just to eliminate possibilities, I replaced the radiator cap with a 16 LB. Non-levered style cap and added half a bottle of "Water-Wetter" coolant additive to the system. Then I drove the 30 miles home and really laid into the truck to try and get it to burp on it's own. Well the temp gauge didnt flinch a hair. I think I've got about 99% of the air out. I'll keep at it and report back if anything significant changes.

What are you using as "Normal"? The reading before you removed the top end? The guage circuit works on resistance so anything that changes the total resistance of the circuit will make the guage read different. This means all connections between the positive and the negative posts on the battery. Your guage may just be reflecting the new normal. I'm not sure I would go as far as Grumpy, but I think his initial and last statements are good.

[Mike_The_Grad]

Up until recently I never second guessed any of my doings on my truck. When the head gasket blew, my truck was driving great, no weird noises, gas mileage was good, throttle response, brakes, steering, gauges were all great and "Normal" until I got home and seen white smoke out the drivers side exhaust pipe. I turned the truck off, waited a moment, turned the key to start but didnt crank the motor and checked my gauges. Everything was normal. So I went inside and went to bed. When I came out to go to work in the morning I started the truck and it sounded different. So I turned it off and popped the rad cap and half my coolant was gone. That's when I knew. It's hard to ignore what happened and to think it cant happen again. This is my only vehicle and I drive it everywhere. I have to because it's all I got.

I was trying to find out if I had a vacuum leak somewhere because I could hear a slight whistling sound today as I was driving the truck. So I started thinking logically what would cause a whistling sound while the engine was running? The only thing that came to mind was vacuum. I know my transmission modulator is brand new, I have the o.e. steel line running off vacuum elbow in manifold. Pcv is new and new hoses. Carb and base gasket and manifold are brand new. So that left me with brake booster or the line to the brake booster. Sure enough the brake booster vacuum line coming off the back of the carb was the culprit. I removed the rubber line from the flared line at the base of the carb. I couldn't blow into the brake booster but I could pul a vacuum on it. So I looked at the hose itself and sure enough there was a cut inside the rubber line where I had forced the rubber line over the flared brake line going to the back of the csrb that I bent and flared myself. Single flare, not double. So I made a new one and double flared it. I also reconfigured the throttle return spring to pull from the front of the csrb to counteract the throttle cable pull.