. Besides they're going to a good home....
Under Adam's hood
You just became a lil more less broke
CK5
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Oh what the head gasket!
- Thread starter Chevy305
- Start date
You just became a lil more less broke
Those are the spring pads, they are there to prevent the springs from wearing into the head, and those need to be replaced too apparently. I think the dampners were broken and wearing on those. The spring is thicker and wider.
So, what is the general consensus of the diagnosis?
Problem 1. If I am reading it right it seems the heads were not properly planed and straight, and that's what caused the head gasket failure.
Problem 2. In addition to that, the springs were not right for the cam and they tore up the valve seals.
2 seperate problems? Just curious and looking for further education.
Problem 1. If I am reading it right it seems the heads were not properly planed and straight, and that's what caused the head gasket failure.
Problem 2. In addition to that, the springs were not right for the cam and they tore up the valve seals.
2 seperate problems? Just curious and looking for further education.
1. I think you're right,the head probably warped causing the head gasket to blow. So while the engine never overheated it was running hot and hard for a long period of time and I think that was enough to cause it because of the stupidly thin head gasket they recomend you use.
2. The springs could actually handle the cam but the spring pads don't retain the springs by design so they might have floated a little at high rpm causing the inner spring dampener to hit the valve seals and pull them up the valves.
You get what you pay for...
Now if only I came home 15 minutes earlier this morning I could have caught the Fedex guy and signed for the new Dart heads. I never asked for the package to be signature delivery.
The door tag says next deliver attempt will be tuesday. NO ****ING WAY I'M WAIT TILL THEN! I gave some poor indian customer service lady a piece of my mind and they are turing the truck around for another delivery attempt later today
I got head(s) today
Well ladies and gents, I got head(s) today
MMM beefy springs:
Overall first impressions of the Dart Pro1 head are good. Very quality valve/spring assembly, and precise machining. But the bare cast parts are a bit of the rough side, or at least compared to the Patriot heads. In a nutshell, they are still much better than the Patriots.
Installed:
I still never get tired of seeing that sexy valve train
I ended a little further than this by midnight. I would have kept going but I ran out of beer
. Tomorrow's list includes:
-beer run
-set timing
-run plug wires
-run efi harness
-run vac lines
-install radiator hoses
-fill with coolant
-turn the key!
Well ladies and gents, I got head(s) today
MMM beefy springs:
Overall first impressions of the Dart Pro1 head are good. Very quality valve/spring assembly, and precise machining. But the bare cast parts are a bit of the rough side, or at least compared to the Patriot heads. In a nutshell, they are still much better than the Patriots.
Installed:
I still never get tired of seeing that sexy valve train
I ended a little further than this by midnight. I would have kept going but I ran out of beer
. Tomorrow's list includes:-beer run
-set timing
-run plug wires
-run efi harness
-run vac lines
-install radiator hoses
-fill with coolant
-turn the key!
They look nice! So they did not come with guideplates and rocker studs?
Did you make sure to align the guideplates to center the rocker arms on the valve stems? And I would double check your pushrod length too, they should be fine but the different heads and valves could definitely warrant different pushrods, hopefully not, but I would at least check.
Did you make sure to align the guideplates to center the rocker arms on the valve stems? And I would double check your pushrod length too, they should be fine but the different heads and valves could definitely warrant different pushrods, hopefully not, but I would at least check.
Yup guide plates are aligned. The intake valve pushrods seemed to like to live very close to the sides of the intake runners but they all clear and the rocker tips are centered over the valve tips. As far as pushrod length goes, I didn't use my length checker but the rocker tip stays pretty well centered through the range of motion.
I drove by this morning, truck was outside but garage and stuff was closed up so I didn't stop in. Didn't know if you were around or in the gulf.
Heads look good on there, but then again, so did the last set.
Heads look good on there, but then again, so did the last set.
I drove by this morning, truck was outside but garage and stuff was closed up so I didn't stop in. Didn't know if you were around or in the gulf.
Heads look good on there, but then again, so did the last set.
Ya I was probably inside packing as I am headed back to the Gulf in the next two days. I think I got outside to work on it by noon-ish.
Its running! 
But it ticks...
And my timing tape fell off so I can't set timing
I have it ball park by ear right now.
Initially when I fired it up it sounded good for a few minutes then it started ticking VERY loudly so I shut it down and pulled the valve covers. Apparently I missed torquing 3 of the rocker arm studs. So I went through all of them to ensure propper torque. Then set all the rocker arms again. I fired it back up and it still has a tick. I can't quite place it though because its quiet at idle but gets very loud when you put the engine under load. I'm not sure if it's exhaust or still rockers again.
Anyways here's a vid to try to get your opinions on the ticking:
But it ticks...
And my timing tape fell off so I can't set timing
I have it ball park by ear right now.
Initially when I fired it up it sounded good for a few minutes then it started ticking VERY loudly so I shut it down and pulled the valve covers. Apparently I missed torquing 3 of the rocker arm studs. So I went through all of them to ensure propper torque. Then set all the rocker arms again. I fired it back up and it still has a tick. I can't quite place it though because its quiet at idle but gets very loud when you put the engine under load. I'm not sure if it's exhaust or still rockers again.
Anyways here's a vid to try to get your opinions on the ticking:
Last edited by a moderator:
Man, I just can't tell from the video. If I was hearing the tick, it actually sounded louder at the rear, but that might have been something else.
An old trick I have seen done, that might work here. Make sure the exhaust is completely outside the door, with a shop fan if you have one blowing the exhaust away from the truck.
Crank it up, and watching the exhaust gaskets, dribble a small amount of oil into the intake.
Two cycle oil burns cleaner.
You want just enough to make some good smoke.
If you have a gasket leak, you will usually see some small puffs of smoke.
You have to make sure the exhaust does not blow in around the engine to obscure what you are looking for.
You will often see a leak in the pipe under the truck if you look.
Don't use much, you do not want to clog the cat or affect the O2 sensor.
An old trick I have seen done, that might work here. Make sure the exhaust is completely outside the door, with a shop fan if you have one blowing the exhaust away from the truck.
Crank it up, and watching the exhaust gaskets, dribble a small amount of oil into the intake.
Two cycle oil burns cleaner.
You want just enough to make some good smoke.
If you have a gasket leak, you will usually see some small puffs of smoke.
You have to make sure the exhaust does not blow in around the engine to obscure what you are looking for.
You will often see a leak in the pipe under the truck if you look.
Don't use much, you do not want to clog the cat or affect the O2 sensor.
My stupid cell phone doesn't pick it up well. Its louder in person. Could it be detonation? How can I tell?
I tried the long screwdriver to your ear method and didn't pick up anything anywhere.
I tried the long screwdriver to your ear method and didn't pick up anything anywhere.
Good News Everyone!
It turns out to be an exhaust leak!
So I took the truck for an extended cruise today and wow I almost forgot how much fun it is to drive! It definately has some more ball now too and the timing is still off. I got a bunch of thumbs up too
It turns out to be an exhaust leak!
So I took the truck for an extended cruise today and wow I almost forgot how much fun it is to drive! It definately has some more ball now too and the timing is still off. I got a bunch of thumbs up too
congrats, good job getting it sorted out before heading south...
79rustyk10
3/4 ton status
Nice to hear there was noticable improvement too. Cant beat that.
Thanks
Flying out in the morningFo Sho! Its quite snappy and it does donuts quite well too
Good News Everyone!
It turns out to be an exhaust leak!
So I took the truck for an extended cruise today and wow I almost forgot how much fun it is to drive! It definately has some more ball now too and the timing is still off. I got a bunch of thumbs up too
Do I get a prize?
