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Thread: replaced head gasket, still have coolant in oil

  1. #1
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    replaced head gasket, still have coolant in oil

    1995 m50 e34 with a brand new headgasket,

    still getting coolant in the oil.

    what are the common bone head mistakes that I could've missed - before I pull it all apart and do it over again?

    I used an Elring gasket with NO copper gasket sealer. new studs. new everything. '

    Very best,

    Chris

  2. #2
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    Not having the head pressure tested by a machine shop. Did the car over heat?

  3. #3
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    Yea, if the head is cracked replacing the gasket would not help.


    Andy

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by south42 View Post
    Yea, if the head is cracked replacing the gasket would not help.


    Andy
    Head was checked and machined.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by jclausen View Post
    Not having the head pressure tested by a machine shop. Did the car over heat?
    Car did not overheat - not in the first place or now. Runs fine. It was tested before I pulled it apart and the head was not cracked or warped. It was cleaned and machined.

  5. #5
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    How much coolant? Are you sure it's not just left over that hasn't burned off?

  6. #6
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    Improper torque procedure.
    No harm in running the bolts down again at this point. * If the gasket just wasn't compressed correctly you may get lucky.
    On that topic; Did you clean and DRY all the head bolt holes? Old coolant or oil in the holes will effect torque readings dramatically, you can even crack the block from the hydraulic pressure when running a bolt into a blind hole full of oil or coolant.
    * remove and re-torque them one at a time(reverse of install sequence) and clean the holes if you didn't before
    Lightly oil the threads and washer
    Last edited by ross1; 01-16-2019 at 08:37 PM.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by m735is View Post
    How much coolant? Are you sure it's not just left over that hasn't burned off?
    I lose coolant at a slow-ish pace. I don't think it is from before because the first 60 miles with the new gasket I thought i was golden - no white smoke or smell. It has been the last 40 miles that I've noticed it.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by ross1 View Post
    Improper torque procedure.
    No harm in running the bolts down again at this point. * If the gasket just wasn't compressed correctly you may get lucky.
    On that topic; Did you clean and DRY all the head bolt holes? Old coolant or oil in the holes will effect torque readings dramatically, you can even crack the block from the hydraulic pressure when running a bolt into a blind hole full of oil or coolant.
    * remove and re-torque them one at a time(reverse of install sequence) and clean the holes if you didn't before
    Lightly oil the threads and washer
    This seems like really great advise. Thank you. Re: the bolt holes - I do not believe I was meticulous at cleaning the holes. I simply threaded them in all the way and then out one time. Hopefully I didn't crack the block...

  8. #8
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    Assuming you changed the oil and filter (sorry, you never know). My old tech use to always check the top of the block with a level when the head was off. More than once he installed a thicker than normal head gasket to compensate for irregularities.

  9. #9
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    Have you inspected the spark plugs? If you are losing coolant into the cylinders, one or more may look like they have been steam cleaned. Coolant can leak into the cylinders overnight making the car difficult to start in the mornings. In severe cases, if you take the plugs out and crank the engine, you get a nice coolant fountain coming out of the affected plug hole.

    I am just hoping that when gtopaul refers to his 'old tech', he actually means former. I do the same check and am not quite ready for my pipe and slippers yet

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by ross1 View Post
    Improper torque procedure.
    No harm in running the bolts down again at this point. * If the gasket just wasn't compressed correctly you may get lucky.
    On that topic; Did you clean and DRY all the head bolt holes? Old coolant or oil in the holes will effect torque readings dramatically, you can even crack the block from the hydraulic pressure when running a bolt into a blind hole full of oil or coolant.
    * remove and re-torque them one at a time(reverse of install sequence) and clean the holes if you didn't before
    Lightly oil the threads and washer
    Ross1, when you say “one at a time” do you mean pull one out; clean the hole; torque it stage 1; go to next one remove; clean; stage 1; etc. Then do stage 2 and 3 in a circuit, as usual?

  11. #11
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    Of course not, how could you even clean out the other holes with one or more head bolts torqued as you progress?
    Remove the head as reverse of tightening order, clean all the holes out
    Refit head (I'd get a new gasket -it's cheap for your time on the job and fluid costs anyway), tighten in the prescribed order.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by papapela View Post
    Ross1, when you say “one at a time” do you mean pull one out; clean the hole; torque it stage 1; go to next one remove; clean; stage 1; etc. Then do stage 2 and 3 in a circuit, as usual?
    My suggestion is do them one at a time. Remove, clean & dry, re-torque, move to the next. The gasket remains compressed by the other bolts. A nudge more in the torque (5#) won't hurt anything either, just keep 'em all the same.
    I'm not proposing this is a correct method but you may get lucky as it is a fresh gasket and may have just been improperly torqued the first time around. It costs nothing but a little time to try and will do no harm.
    There was a GM 4 cyl engine in the eighties that would experience broken head bolts with alarming regularity. It was at the corner of the head and they would initially just leak coolant. If caught quickly the broken bolt was extracted with the head in situ and a new bolt installed. The head gasket usually survived fine.
    Good luck

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by fo3 View Post
    Of course not, how could you even clean out the other holes with one or more head bolts torqued as you progress?
    Remove the head as reverse of tightening order, clean all the holes out
    Refit head (I'd get a new gasket -it's cheap for your time on the job and fluid costs anyway), tighten in the prescribed order.
    1. Remove the bolt
    2. clean the hole, air, solvent, air
    3. re-fit the bolt
    Last edited by ross1; 01-20-2019 at 12:43 PM.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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