[quattrocrazy]

I have finally started to tune my car and as I started tuning everything was fine. About an hour into tuning I noticed my head was puking oil... I'm positive it's coming from the headgasket. the head has been decked and the block was just cleaned and checked that it was flat. I have ARP head studs, metal headgasket from a 20vt, and copper spray on the gasket so I am pretty sure all I have to do is retorque the head studs and I should be fine? Anybody have any tips or ideas? I have never had a metal headgasket not seal so I am kind of frreaking out...

 

[quattrocrazy]

the cap is new and sealing nicely. The oil is coming from the back side of the head kind of by the heater valve. I know it's coming from between the headgasket I just want to know if I torque it down and the surfaces are straight will it seal?

 

[quattrocrazy]

I also know that you have to retorque the heads after like 500 miles but the instructions don't say anything about if fluid comes out... you can't compress a fluid so I am worried there's enough oil to createhydraulic pressure and break something.

 

[quattrocrazy]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to retorque the head in a few days I am working hard snowboarding. I have used copper spray on all my metal headgaskets and have never had an issue. This is my first head to ever leak and it freaked me out a little. I was thinking the hydraulic pressure from compressing the oil with warp the head or crack it but you can't compress a fluid in a sealed container so it should squeeze out.

 

[quattrocrazy]

Yesterday I started the car and it ran fine for about 30 mins. after about 30 mins it started to missfire. I had a problem running too rich and figured the spark plugs were fouled. When I took out the plugs I had oil in cyl 1/2, oil being pushed out of the headgasket between cyl 1/2, and my dipstick blew out...

Here's a quick list of what I have done t the car and maybe some guys will throw out some ideas. The engine is a 10vt.

I got a 20vt metal headgasket victor reinz
sprayed it with copper spray which I have always done...
had the head machined new valve guides etc...
didn't have the block machined looked straight with straightedge

A couple scenarios I was thinking...
1. the copper spray blocked the oil passages when the gasket was squished.
2. I installed the larger filter from the 1.8t and maybe the check valve is screwing up my pressure. Kind of a stretch...
3. blocks not straight as it looked with feeler guage and straight edge.
4. Heads not straight from machine shop.
5. my torque wrench is off and didn't get to 80ft/lbs for the final torque
6. I warped the head after running the engine and not retorquing the head after the initial heat cycle.
7. I warped the head after retorquing the head after the second heat cycle.

Now for the questions...
1. can I reuse the gasket? I have never but I am super broke right now...
2. I have 3 5000t paper gaskets from buying whole seal kits. How much power can they take?
3 Should I try to torque the head 5ft/lb more where it's leaking?
4. can I back off the nuts and retorque the whole head?

Any ideas and comments are welcome. Thank you.

 

[quattrocrazy]

I retorqued as instructed by arp. Stopped leaking but still dumps oil into the cylinders and pressurizes the crankcase. I am a qt too full and I have the big 1.8t filter on there. So, I am going to take a qt out and put on the stock filter and see what that does. I suspect nothing. I got a new gasket at our local German parts store for 49 bucks! I also took a pic so everybody can see hy you shouldn't spray 20vt head gaskets with copper spray. Look how small the oil passage holes are... I have sprayed a lot of headgaskets with that stuff and never had a problem until now and I can see why.

 

[quattrocrazy]

Here are the small oil passage holes probably filled with copper spray... but first take out the extra qt of oil and the 1.8t big filter just in case being over full a qt and having a diferent filter would change my oil pressure drastically. I have worked with people who used this oil filter on their 5k's but you never know... Have to take every easy route first.

 

[quattrocrazy]

I have always used copper spray as well... I have 3 cars right now running and diving just fine with copper spray on the head gasket. But... The oil passage holes in the head gasket are pretty damn small. Maybe 1/4 of an inch... I suspect they're plugged... Also, my whole crankcase get pressurized and oil comes out of everywhere like compression is getting into the oil system not an over pressure condition. Or both over pressure condition from plugging the oil passages in the gasket and compression getting past the gasket.

 

[quattrocrazy]

I have decided that if I replace the gasket and I still have an issue I'd burn the car down. So, I must get an oil pressure guage and verify what my oil pressure is etc... It's missing the small steps that always bite you in the ass. I dont see how excessive oil pressure could make oil seep past my head gasket and fill my 1/2 cylinders with oil but I must check so I can sleep tonight.

 

[quattrocrazy]

All I have for a breather right now is the hose from the top of the valve cover to the block and I have the 3 way tee on the valve cover blocked off on one port that should be going to the cis box. I shouldn't have that much compression in my crankcase you'd think. I was getting oil out of the side of the head and in the 1/2 cylinders. I took a qt out and nothing. Didn't change the filter or check the check valve because I tested the oil system and got about 85 psi with my foot on the gas couldn't get to 3000rpm and around 60 at a kind of idle. Those numbers sound a little low and with the crankcase being pressurized it's starting to sound like the head gasket.