Overheating issue

I used fel-pro I believe last time I did them. The heads are 1968 cast heads with a little work done to them. When I do the gaskets I have a lead on twisted wedge aluminum heads for 500 bucks from a buddy of mine so I'll probably just do that and put a little better gasket on each side.

 

Just curious, in my opinion you cant beat felpro

 

Hate to bring this back around but I just did the headgasket on the side that was low in compression. The gasket was indeed starting to go. I replaced just that side as the gaskets where only a year and a half old to begin with. I figured that would solve my overheating issues. I put it all back together and the car STILL overheats. I'm at a complete loss. What else could it possibly be. Cracked block/head? It still wants to build up a good amount of pressure too. I guess I'll compression test the car now that I did the headgasket and see if the numbers are still low.

 

Double check your tune up. Many people fail to realize or completely understand how tuning can affect the heat output of an engine. Check the plugs, timing advance, and see what the manifold vacuum is.

 

While I completely agree with you on that ,I don't think it's a tuning issue. I did new plugs and wires. Timing is where is has been for the last 3 years. I haven't checked vacuum yet though. The car is building up a lot of pressure which leads me to believe there is something pushing air into the cooling system. If I rev the car it tends to push coolant out of the overflow.

 

May I suggest a block tester tool. There are demos on U-tube. You could drain and refill your cooling system first, then place the vial with a seal against the fill hole in the rad. The vile is filled with a fluid that will change colour in the presence of combustion gas.

MD

 

when you took your head off did you take it to a machine shop for atleast surfacing? every time my heads come off regardless if there was a problem or not I have the checked for valve seat a flat surface and check for cracks before putting them back on?
if not I can almost guarantee theyre warped and youre getting exhaust gas in your water

 

It does sound like exhaust is getting into the coolant, and if revving it up creates enough pressure to push water out the overflow, I would think coolant will leak into a cylinder or two after you shut the engine off. I would be curious what a compression test of your engine would be at operating temp vs cold. If you pulled the plugs cold and cranked it, water should push out through some of the plugholes I imagine, but may need a set of eyes on each cylinder bank.

 

I would think that if it's exhaust in the coolant there should be bubbles in the radiator and smell like exhaust.
Lester

 

Personally, I think that there is something pushing exhaust gases into the cooling system just because of the pressure it's building up. What that might be is the question. There's only a few things it could be. The pressure doesn't exactly mean it would overheat though. That's what doesn't make sense to me. My game plan tomorrow is to flush the cooling system with some acid or one of those corrosive things that you flush the system with and then I'll do a exhaust gas test. I have been getting upset about it recently so I'm just taking my time doing one thing at a time. It just feels as if I'm not getting where and spending money on a lost cause.

 

I also don't get how this can just happen out of no where. I never had issues with ovehatimg and the car ran a CONSISTENT 185/190 in traffic for 20 minutes everyday.

 

Coolant that is full of bubbles probably will not be very efficient. Do the gas test to see if exhaust is in there.

 

is the bottom hose still collapsing?

 

Last time it I had it running it didn't even budge.

 

Hey Nick:
We think it's a " Head Gasket Issue" .. or possibly more than likely you have a cracked head . I think You mentioned the possibility of getting some trick-flo aluminum heads earlier . NOW may be the time for that . If not , have the ' Existing' heads checked and they're NOT cracked , Re-surface them before installing. Lemmeno if we can help.
Cometized
(Chip)