Hey guys. I am slowly building up this new motor. I installed the head with the MLS head gasket and arp head studs. Then I installed the crane cams and lubed everything with some std motor oil, so some sent down into the crankcase. Yesterday I noticed a small amount of oil seeping out on top of the HG where you can see in on the back of the motor. I torqued the head nuts down to 65 ft/lbs, as the sheet that came with the arp studs said "due to the expantion rate of aluminum torque nuts to 65 ft/lbs". So my question is... Is the head supposed to expand and seal up? Its not a lot of oil, but any leak is a bad leak and I want to have everything sorted out so i don't have to tool around with the motor once its installed. thanks

bumpity bump bump :thumbsup

In the first couple days after I got mine back out on the street, my HG leaked some coolant down the front of the block. I didn't do anything with the head, just took it off and put it back on (for now). After a couple days it just sealed right up.

I think the MLS does expand somewhat after exposed to heat and you're just losing the oil you used to lube your cams, etc. Maybe someone else can help to ease your nerves by confirming this? Denying?

bump.

Its coming from between the HG and the head? Is that right? That is not normal at all..once you torque the studs down, that sucker should be sealed for good..you did use the copper spray gasket stuff on both sides of the MLS gasket right? You SURE its coming out of the head-to-block connection?

copper spray??? I always thought you are suppose to use a light coat of Cellulose Mopar gasket spray on the HG.

I guess copper spray is a better sealer.

>copper spray??? I always thought you are suppose to use a
>light coat of Cellulose Mopar gasket spray on the HG.
>
>I guess copper spray is a better sealer.


The mopar sealer may be the same thing really. If its copper colered, smells terrible, and is sticky, then its the same stuff..

The spray you used should be fine.. the only things I can think of is either: didnt bolt down your bolts in sequence (makin it not seal thoroughly) or your head either needs to be scraped or isnt flush perfectly with the top of the block...... that's my .02 hope it helps.. holla

I havent check this thread since i started it, heh. Yeah it looks like the oil I used to assemble the valve train. It was in one small spot, I dont know if it was some spillage from the table or what. Im going to throw a quart in and see what happens. I torqued the arp head studs down in the proper order to 65 ft lbs. Thats what the instrustions said that came with the head studs for aluminum heads. I does not mention anything about a final 1/4 turn like the overhaul manual does. do i need do to do that 1/4 turn? I think thats only for strech type head bolts...

You are correct. You follow the specs that ARP give you, not the stock specs since ARP fasteners are not torque to yield bolts.

well since you have the arp studs.. and it still is leaking.. take them out since they are usuable.. and get the the block and head checked for flushness..if that is a word :)... that has to be the problem..and you did right by doing the 65ft lbs and not the 1/4 turn.. I went all the around on both sides of my head gasket when I replaced it w/ the loctite 581.. no problems thus far.. g'luck

>well since you have the arp studs.. and it still is leaking..
>take them out since they are usuable.. and get the the block
>and head checked for flushness..if that is a word :)... that
>has to be the problem..and you did right by doing the 65ft lbs
>and not the 1/4 turn.. I went all the around on both sides of
>my head gasket when I replaced it w/ the loctite 581.. no
>problems thus far.. g'luck

he means to go have your head decked. shouldn't be more than 50 bucks.

If you followed the torque specs for the ARP studs I'll bet money it's just spillage from lubing/disassembly/etc...

...that is unless it's leaking at a constant rate, and not slowing up.

yeah decked.. much better way to put it :) and yeah, heat has alot to do w/ the seal of the gasket.. especially in oil pan gaskets, so small amounts of oil is cool, constant rate would be bad... so if you can tell a difference on your dipstick from day to day, then you gots a problem.. if not, then let it go a few 100 miles and check then.. just keep an eye on that oil level..... purdy important I hear :)

hey thanks guys. I do think it was some spillage now. I was looking at it last night and thier is a small amount of the mopar spray gasket stuff on the HG and a very small amount of oil over top of it. So thier is no way that oil cam through the sealing surface because the spray gasket has kinda hardend there. If you saw it you would understand. :-) I am really just tring to take my time with this, its the first time I have done anything like this. Ill be bolting up the clutch today. And as soon as a find a SID for a decent price ill be installing that and reinstalling the motor. Im excited! Its almost fall now, perfect turbo weather!

Only 65ft/lbs? Seems like a waste of a good stud to me.

thats kinda what I was thinking. But it kinda makes since when you think about the head expanding, i guess. I am going to be running quite a bit of boost some day so I want to make sure its solid. Think 65 ft/lbs is ok?