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head gasket "seeping" oil?

2K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  NEW INTERIORS 
#1 ·
I just finished my first engine build...a 383 sbc with trick flow heads. A question I have for you all is, After breaking in the cam, I noticed some oil at the bottom of the heads near the exhaust ports that appeared to be "seeping" from the head gasket? I wiped it, and it came back one more time. A friend of mine said it was just the oil on the block from assembly getting warm and finding its way to the bottom just from gravity. Its a very small amount, but I want to be sure I dont have a seroius problem hiding somewhere before I call my first build a success. Anyone had this before? the gaskets are Mr. gasket ultra seals.
 
#4 ·
Head gaskets don't seal oil on SBCs. There are no oil passages. Oil is pushed into the head via pushrods, and passively drains back through holes in the head directly into the valley.

If anywhere it would be leaking from that little leg of the deck surface that goes up to meet the intake, but its highly doubtful. A much more likely thing is that its leaking at the intake gasket and just following the channel around the head gasket to the bottom where it becomes visible.
 
#5 ·
The left side of the deck on a SBC has an oil plug in it near the top rear. I had one leak on a customers car and had to pull the head that night to deliver it at 8:00 AM the next day for a trip to Alaska from Houston. Nothing like a test drive to check your work.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Mike H said:
The left side of the deck on a SBC has an oil plug in it near the top rear. I had one leak on a customers car and had to pull the head that night to deliver it at 8:00 AM the next day for a trip to Alaska from Houston. Nothing like a test drive to check your work.
I had one do me that too.It would only leak when I put my foot in it.. :smash:

I posted a picture of the plug that will leak,If not installed right..
 

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#8 ·
Mike H said:
The left side of the deck on a SBC has an oil plug in it near the top rear. I had one leak on a customers car and had to pull the head that night to deliver it at 8:00 AM the next day for a trip to Alaska from Houston. Nothing like a test drive to check your work.
not that i wanted to go through all that work, but thanks a bunch on the plug there. i knew it was there but have never had 1 leak, so i never considered it. ive been fighting a oil leak on my 72 and that was it... now for cleanup and reassembly. :pain:
 
#9 ·
Much like New Int said it will only take one to make you remember the pain it is when they leak. You can almost do it with the head on but not enough room to get anything in there.

I also remember years ago on the same customers car I had the back plate leak on a water pump. You know the years when everything attached to the water pump and 4 V belts. Nothing like a little fun when you have a deadline and the car is hot. I don't think that car liked me very much. So now when the water pumps come out of the box the back plate comes off and gets sealed.

It only takes one to get your attention was my point in all of the rambling.

Mike
 
#10 ·
It will be impossible to fix that plug without removing the head.if you look at it with the head on,You will only see half the plug...The head cover's the other half.. :pain: (If that's your leak).Mine would only leak when I had my foot on the floor.It would leak right down on top of the exhaust pipe.The cloud of smoke behind the car looked like the tire's never stopped spinning.. :D
 
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