Tall tale signs of broken head gasket?

[Isaiah92260]

It looks worse in person, but I see my green coolant leaking on the left side above the push rod covers. At this point I'm considering paying for a full rebuild.... But what do you guys think I should do? Buy some head gasket stop leak for the time being? Pay for a rebuild or just replace the gasket?

[Isaiah92260]

Along the head

[Isaiah92260]

Last one

[Isaiah92260]

Or could it just be a procedure of re-tourqing the head bolts and nothing serious? There isn't any oil in my radiator

[Isaiah92260]

Someone with experience please let me know

[Brad54]

You said there's no oil in the radiator... please tell us you also checked and made sure there's no water in the oil? (It'll look like chocolate milk)

I just tried to do a head-gasket-only repair on a Dodge 400ci big block.
It didn't last a week before it went again.

If you've got a blown head gasket, you should have the head surfaced, and probably the block decked.

-Brad

[geezer#99]

Leaking head gaskets don't leak green fluid. It comes out dirty brown. That's because the coolant is mixed with fuel vapor or oil.
Clean that motor up so it's spotless, then find your leak. Likely coming from the front on the thermo housing.
I had a thermo housing leak that showed up on the drivers side rear of the tranny.
The coolant ran down along the top of the pan.

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Leaking head gaskets don't leak green fluid. It comes out dirty brown. That's because the coolant is mixed with fuel vapor or oil.
Clean that motor up so it's spotless, then find your leak. Likely coming from the front on the thermo housing.
I had a thermo housing leak that showed up on the drivers side rear of the tranny.
The coolant ran down along the top of the pan.

Thank you guys for your replied. I checked the oil as well and everything looks good. I'll start look long for a leak, I did my thermostat 6 months ago so I'm hoping that's what the leak is

[Isaiah92260]

Oil

[PGSigns]

Clean it up good and pressure check it. An old head gasket can rot from the coolant passage to the outside. Clean oil and coolant just tells you it did not go bad in those directions. If it still runs good I would just put a head gasket on it after the pressure test.
Jimmy

[TJ's Chevy]

Pressure wash that engine and then run it and see where the leak is. If your Sure it leaks from the head after the wash then consider a rebuild or gasket. The oil and water look fine. Is that coolant under the oil line on the passenger side or Oil? lol The blue underneath distorts the color of the liquid there so I wondered if its oil leaking from the pressure line there?

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by TJ's Chevy

Pressure wash that engine and then run it and see where the leak is. If your Sure it leaks from the head after the wash then consider a rebuild or gasket. The oil and water look fine. Is that coolant under the oil line on the passenger side or Oil? lol The blue underneath distorts the color of the liquid there so I wondered if its oil leaking from the pressure line there?

Good eye, yes there is actually a little bit of green coolant that collects under the oil pressure like there

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by PGSigns

Clean it up good and pressure check it. An old head gasket can rot from the coolant passage to the outside. Clean oil and coolant just tells you it did not go bad in those directions. If it still runs good I would just put a head gasket on it after the pressure test.
Jimmy

I heard about the rotting before. I've flushed my coolant 3 times there because of a radiator swamp and for a new water pump, I suppose this could be because of old coolant before I got my hands on the truck... At this point in considering picking up a rebuilt 283 long block and swamp that in. I don't want to wast my money rebuilding this motor, but I want to still keep it running. Sounds like I'll have to do the head gasket, do you think head gasket stop leak would work for the time being? I only drive the truck for about 25-40 miles a week

[Isaiah92260]

How do I do a pressure check?

[Isaiah92260]

My head gasket is definitely busted

[TJ's Chevy]

Its hard to see in the picture, but what is all that white stuff by the oil pressure line? lol Silicon?

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by TJ's Chevy

Its hard to see in the picture, but what is all that white stuff by the oil pressure line? lol Silicon?

The green is coolant. Yeah silicon, the P.O. Did that, I believe the oil line was leaking

[Isaiah92260]

Does anyone know of an engine rebuilder near me in the Coachella valley?

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by PGSigns

Clean it up good and pressure check it. An old head gasket can rot from the coolant passage to the outside. Clean oil and coolant just tells you it did not go bad in those directions. If it still runs good I would just put a head gasket on it after the pressure test.
Jimmy

Should I get it resurfaced too? I'm trying to see what is the best route. This is my daily driver, I'm hoping I don't have to end spending a lot of money

[Isaiah92260]

So to whoever is reading, the coolant seems to be coming out of the copper oil pressure line. I'm not sure what that means. I am saying this because while I was revving the motor I was watching the leak.

[Isaiah92260]

:UPDATE: to who ever is watching, that puddle is leaking from oil Pressure line, and I clean the edges around the head and it isn't showing any major leaks, two pin small areas that a little wet but I am not sure if that is anything serious. A maybe wrong on a head gasket leak, but I going to replace the line or possibly plug it and see where we go from there

[GASoline71]

There could be a hair line crack in the block in the water jacket that is close to that fitting. I'm sure that's what all the goop is there for.

Gary

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

There could be a hailing crack in the block in the water jacket that is close to that fitting. I'm sure that's what all the goop is there for.

Gary

I believe it could have been from the oil pressure like. It was pretty wet of oil at the end meets the fitting

[GASoline71]

Only way to tell if there is a crack in the block or in the head that you can't see with the naked eye, is to have them magnafluxed at a machine shop.

Gary

[GRX]

If coolant was coming out of that bad oil line fitting you would see it in the oiling system too. Definitely have the head checked for flat when it is off. Those I6 almost always show some warpage. And do replace the freeze plugs at that point. Don't want an old corroded one blowing coolant behind your manifolds later on.