Head gasket I guess

William Kelchner

William Kelchner

Senior Member
Is this what I think it is? The photo shows the only place on the head where this is present.

I understand that for every stud you are able to remove from the block you snap 2 off at the block surface.....FYI the car does not suffer from overheating....Thanks
 

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I run water during the summer and then put antifreeze in for the winter. Took the car out after its long winter stint in the garage, ran decent, but this sticky stuff along the mating surface seems to have grown...
 
1930 coupe said:
To remove stuck head studs that are NOT broke off. I take a large flat washer a drop it over the stud, I then heat the stud red hot with a acetylene torch, hold the torch sideways to keep the flame away from the block, the flat washer helps keep the flame away from the block. Just heat the stud do not heat the block and do not let the flame touch the block.
After the stud is bright red let it air cool for about one minute then squirt water on it from a squirt bottle until it quits sizzling then use a stud remover to take it out, sometimes you have to do it twice before it will come out. After a little practice you will never break another stud.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that info 1930 Coupe.
 
Wire brush the head around the nuts. Use clay to build up around the nuts and fill with penetrant allowing it to soak.

After a couple of days, Heat the nuts and while cooling spray on penetrant.

Is the picture a picture of a seep over time or after the last run?
 
Its like 1930 coupe says. This is fairly common. As long as its not getting in the combustion chambers and causing problems, I wouldn't worry about it . I sure wouldn't even consider removing the head for a simple outside gasket weep. I usually paint the outer edges of the headgasket with spray can flat white paint to seal the edges of the headgasket filler . I do this before installing a new gasket and prefer lacquer when I can find it. Paint on the edges will help for a while.
 
as a former northeast boy, we were fed a special Gerber baby food that consisted of rust in a library paste binder. Awful stuff, but it taught us how to remove frozen bolts and studs.

There is no reason to ever break a stud or bolt if you are careful, take your time, and do a little at a time. Only work during your most patient time of the day, typically the AM.

I have a slightly modified method from one above. Yes, heat the nut or stud with an O/A torch until it is cherry red. Do not play around with propane or Mapp gas, that stuff is a waste and will give you a false sense of security and then you WILL break something. Get a friend over with such a torch if you do not have one.

Once heated cherry red, WALK AWAY until the next day. Let it cool naturally. The part expands as it is differentially heated from the block and squishes the fine rust, and then when the part cools there is a microscopic void between the parts.

Next, using a 6-pt wrench or socket, actually try to tighten the part first. Notice I said "try" to tighten. You will not actually be tightening anything. With some tightening torque you will actually feel the part 'give way' ie you will feel and often hear a slight sound as you break the rust bond. If the part has rotated more than 1/32 of a turn you have tried too hard. Once it 'lets go', then loosen very slowly. The yankee mantra is 'tighten first'. Go back and forth: loosen some, re-tighten some. Once loosed about a quarter turn now is the time to spray your fav penetrant in there. Keep going back and forth until it is out. If you encounter resistance doing this and the part doesn't want to move DO NOT FORCE it. This is about physics, not brute strength. Repeat the entire process by re-applying heat to cherry red, etc.
Propane etc doesn't work because not enough heat can be applied quickly enough and instead everything heats up so the 'squishing effect' is lost.

I have never had this method fail, ever. In fact I just removed the head from a 1932 GMC 1.5 ton truck that had never been off using these exact methods. All the bolts went into the water jacket creating a horrible rusted mess.

When you install studs in the block, some use Permatex #2 on the threads to keep water from creeping up the studs. That works or you can use another Permatex product in a tube: they make a Teflon paste that you use the same way as Perm. #2. Be sure your threads are chased and clean. This stuff makes a great sealer. Once the stud is screwed in wipe the excess.

Do yourself a favor and get new studs.
 
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Thanks for the responses. This situation is fairly new and I really only noticed it recently. I'll try the suggestion of wire brushing the area and see if it will seal back up, anything but remove the head :eek:
 
William Kelchner said:
Is this what I think it is? The photo shows the only place on the head where this is present.

I understand that for every stud you are able to remove from the block you snap 2 off at the block surface.....FYI the car does not suffer from overheating....Thanks
Click to expand...

Did you retorque the head ?
 
That type of weeping is common and not serious. Most Model 'A's will weep at some stage. It will be very slow. Just wipe away with a cloth and forget about it. Don't try re-torquing and studs, it usually won't help the problem.
 
I've been driving Model A's since 1954 when I was 12 and snuck my Father's 1929 Town Sedan out for a spin. Even knew how to crank start it. 26 different A's since then and I never dorve one that didn't seep. If you use enough goop to prevent seeping you'll never get the head of when you need to. If the car doesn't overheat and the oil isn't milky, drive it like you stole it. Enjoy your A. They weren't "perfect" when band new. Just close to perfect.

Les Bliss
 
every Model A that has ever been in my shop has needed a head re-torque. If you don't know what you are doing with older rusted nuts you can break something off. Caution here.

BTW just finished a rebuilt-motor break in. Re-torqued (HOT, and *no* backing off of the nuts) after 10 minutes of running, then again after 30 min, then again after 5 miles. Head is nice and tight and I can't take up any more on the nuts. I use copper based spray-on sealer with the Felpro copper gasket (NOT the silicone one).
Obviously the first re-torque took up the most slack.
 
just took the head off my A last rebuild was in the 70's,I soaked the studs for a couple of weeks and then heated them up with o/a torch,never broke one,some made a snap noise when they broke loose.Arp fasteners recommends hand tighten the studs into the block,I use a little anti seize on them.
 
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