Started my engine today and noticed coolant dripping from head.

[TX58]

Started my truck today since I figured out what was wrong with my wiring. I let it run for a few minutes and noticed oil leaking (old valve covers) then coolant from the rear driverside of the engine (v8 283). I traced it to the head gasket, it's a small leak thats dripping down the side of the engine. The engine was rebuilt by a local shop that does good work and one that I have used before. I hate to think that I have to remove this engine to return it to the shop. I'm not done putting my truck back together and this is certainly not the direction I want to go in. Any suggestions?
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[Wheelie]

retorque your head bolts to specified torque. Put in stop leak pellet formula for added protection. Still no dice after that then the gasket is bad or incorrect gasket or worst case scenario bad machining.

[hp1957]

TX58, Use a Coolant Pressure Tester & pump your cooling sytem up to 18-20 lbs. Check your intake manifold gkt. poss. leaking coolant down toward the cyl. head.

Harvey

1957 Chevy Stepside
1958 GMC Fleetside C4 project build thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...65#post5510465

[TX58]

I'll try that but I'm sure I could see a small drip coming between block and head. Almost looked like it also was leaking from a head bolt hole too. I'll check it out in better light tomorrow
Thanks
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[meter swinger]

Like the other guys said do a pressure test and check the ft/lbs with a torgue wrench but dont over torgue them. Do you have studs or bolts on the heads? If yiu have bolts and there is gunk in the holes it will give you a bogus reading on a torgue wrench. I would call the shop that assembled the engine and have them tell you everything they did. Could be one of several culprits. Sucks to have to pull it. But better now than later.
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[Stepside Jim]

I've had this before. The head bolts are threaded into the block which enters into the water jacket of the block.

Unlike the tapered thread of a pipe thread, the head bolt will not fill the extremely small gap between the threads of the block and the head bolt. The coolant will follow the threads then to the shank of the bolt, then to the head of the head bolt.

Since the head bolt and head has no gasket between them, the coolant will find a way to escape, then we have the slow drip.

ARP performance fastener company has a thread lubricant/sealer for bolts that go into a water jacket. I used it when I assembled the engine, after I found the slow leak, I removed the bolt and applied much more, then reinstalled the bolt and torqued the bolt.

My problem was solved, I hope for yours to be a easy fix as well.

Jim