Head gasket fail... what's the verdict?

[VB242]

Here's my 2 week old Victor Reinz HG, just wanted to see what y'all T-brickers think. I autocrossed the car on Sunday, 12 psi boost, only 4) 50 second runs, car drove home fine from the venue. I drove it to work on Monday in a torrential downpour, and my cone filter is located right behind the headlight, lots of room for water to possibly get around the antique headlight doors, did not have a problem til I got off the highway at the exit for work. The previous failure was between #4 passenger side and water jacket, this time it was on 1 & 4 on the drivers side pushed out to the water jacket. I can't get a piece of paper past a straight edge anywhere on the block and head (feeler gauges are AWOL) nor see any light underneath, will give them a good check once feelers are found. So I'm thinking hydrolock, unless perhaps is was an install failure...I had help from a Ford tech who's done a few 2.3 Ford Turbos, plus I did beat on it pretty good for the 2 weeks it held together but if anyone has any other ideas please post 'em up. Thanks in advance!!
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/image..._large.jpg?v=1
http://carphotos2.cardomain.com/imag..._large.jpg?v=1
http://carphotos2.cardomain.com/imag..._large.jpg?v=1
http://carphotos2.cardomain.com/imag..._large.jpg?v=1

[740atl]

Doesn't take very long for detonation to work its magic. Get thee control of thine tune.

[gmtgmt]

This has actuly happend 2 times before for me, both where VR headgasket.

they blow like yours has done but only on cylinder 4. this was a stock 740 turbo B230FT 2.2 it would run for under amounth and the headgasket blew again.

Bought a OEM volvo gasket and cleaned the surfaces good. used nothing else but the headgasket, no copper spray or anything. 3 years later still running same gasket. and has about 150.000km on now

[tiredoldtommy]

Did you make sure the holes for the head bolts (in the block) were clean when you did your gasket the last time? I missed one on mine at the left front, and it blew coolant all over my distributor. When I changed the gasket again, I used the gun cleaning kit for my .45 with cut-up red rags for patches and got'em real clean. Three years later, still holding at 12psi.

[740volvo]

Did it over heat or just the HG failed??

[satanburns1]

OEM gasket

[ryan242v]

Probably not from water consumption. I dunked my b230ft into some deep water stahling the engine. Cranked for a bit until it finally kicked over running like poo and bellowing smoke. Next day drained 20oz out of intercooler and been running fine ever since. Granted my engine is a little loose at 350,000 miles.

[VB242]

Ordered an Elring, how many votes for or against copper spray?

[Wilford Brimley]

I've never used it and never had an issue

[shellshock]

I always use it. Probably fine with or without.

FYI, every Fel-Pro gasket set I've got for redblocks have had a Elring HG in the box.

[nathaninwa]

Stock with spray here when I ran them. Made a ton of power till I did some more work and went to cometic. Also, drill like 3/16 holes in the head where the head is blind to the block. I had a Elring pushout there. Theory has it, air will accumulate and under boost not provide support like denser water does.

[satanburns1]

Against copper spray.

[VB242]

I cant' get the thinnest feeler gauge under the straight edge anywhere on the head or block so I'ma just try the new gasket. I found one head bolt a smidge shorter than the others, I made my own torque angle gauge out of cardboard, I will go buy one for this install. I didn't let it overheat, at least according to the dash temp gauge. I'm thinking coolant or brake clean in the bolt holes, I didn't blow them out at all. Nathan, I took this failure with great equanimity after reading about your spectacular build and subsequent spectacular failure, total respect. What exactly do you mean about drilling holes in the head? All over the head where there's no holes for coolant, pistons, oil? Just enough for the gasket to grab onto the head a little better? Golf ball dimple size or deeper?

[towerymt]

Originally Posted by VB242

I cant' get the thinnest feeler gauge under the straight edge anywhere on the head or block so I'ma just try the new gasket. I found one head bolt a smidge shorter than the others, I made my own torque angle gauge out of cardboard, I will go buy one for this install. I didn't let it overheat, at least according to the dash temp gauge. I'm thinking coolant or brake clean in the bolt holes, I didn't blow them out at all. Nathan, I took this failure with great equanimity after reading about your spectacular build and subsequent spectacular failure, total respect. What exactly do you mean about drilling holes in the head? All over the head where there's no holes for coolant, pistons, oil? Just enough for the gasket to grab onto the head a little better? Golf ball dimple size or deeper?

assume he meant at the back of the head, two spots where there are holes in the block, holes in the head gasket, but no holes in the head.

this one has two small holes after #4
http://www.pbase.com/towerymt/image/103864404.jpg

this one hasn't been drilled there
http://www.pbase.com/towerymt/image/105898752.jpg

[VB242]

How far do you drill? Does that go all the way to the water jacket?

[towerymt]

you don't really need to do that so if you're not sure what you're doing and you don't have a spare scrap head to test with, I wouldn't advise you go drilling holes into the deck of your one and only cylinder head.

it would go into the water jacket of the head, yes.

[VB242]

I think we can drill a couple holes here, what are the benefits and the potential of damaging something... only drilling too far? I haven't cleaned the head up yet so I can easliy see where the holes are supposed to be located.

[towerymt]

You can also use the headgasket as a guide.

[VB242]

Does it keep #4 cooler? What can I expect to gain from doing this. PS I want that clutch disc Towery, all my $ have been going into the engine lately :(

[VB242]

One more question for the experts...I had the camshaft seal replaced when I had the head decked, but it still seems to be leaking copious amounts of oil even with the new seal. I found this hole behind it when I popped it out today. Is this normal or a defect? The head is upside down, so this would be underneath the camshaft when it's installed.

http://carphotos4.cardomain.com/imag..._large.jpg?v=1

http://carphotos3.cardomain.com/imag..._large.jpg?v=1

[nathaninwa]

Use the head gasket as a guide, and just through the deck surface into the water jacket. Cant really hurt anything. The holes in the block are much larger than the 1/8th to 3/16th hole your going to drill. Theres a link in the high rpm cooling sticky thread.

[nickm]

there is something missing from that cam. A chunk of it.
Are you sure the head is straight, it may have been decked so the surface is flat, but other bits are twisted.

[VB242]

I'm pretty sure it's part of the head casting that's missing, it runs really quiet with the new hushers installed, car runs like a scalded cat when it's not blowing coolant out the tailpipe. I will rotate the cam tomorrow and see if the hole moves with it. Thanks Nathan, I appreciate everyone's time and responses.

[VB242]

The hole is definitely in the casting, is it a drain or is it busted?

[linuxman51]

probably a drain. Copper spray on the stock headgaskets is not required but also not a bad thing. I've done it on almost all of mine.