I need some Head Gasket Advice

[ChrisB]

As some may know, I'm putting Keith's (Diesel42) Turbo kit on my BJ60. I recently pressure washed my engine to determine my oil leak locations.
I noticed that oil was leaking out of the breather cover bolts and nuts above the oil cooler. No problem cheap cork gasket and I have to remove the exhaust manifold anyways.

Yesterday I noticed oil leaking directly above the water pump. Not a ton but enough that the top of the water pump was slightly wet to the touch but not pooling. I assume this is the head gasket leaking.

I have had no motor problems and only 207K Km. The engine does run slightly hot but I suspect that is due to the original 3-core Rad with 2 pinhole leaks on the top tank. This is getting re-cored.

Do I get into this head? Replace the gasket and chance seeing cracked precups, warped or cracked head? Should I just open it up, replace the gasket and close it? Or just leave it...

I don't really have the know-how to get into something like this. And I don't have the money to fork out $85/hr in labor. I do have the manual and a neighbor who's an ex mechanic with all the tools I would need.

Anyone got any advice? experience with this?

Thanks

 

[Doug384]

So is this the rocker cover leaking oil?? I can't get a clear picture. If your cooling system is not pressurising with combustion gases I would not get my shirt in a knot over what the temperature guage is saying providing it is within the normal range of operation. Why don't you install a mechanical temperature guage as a backup to the electrical OEM one? Those thermocouple units can show a difference depending on how electrically clean all the connections are which can be difficult with an older vehicle.

 

[ChrisB]

No Not the rocker cover. I'm pretty sure its the head gasket.

Ya I'm not too worried about the engine overheating I have the gauges to put in when I do the turbo.

Just looking for advice on the head gasket. I'm not 100% sure if its coolant or oil. there really isn't enough there to tell. I smelled it and touched my tongue to it and it doesn't smell or taste like coolant but then again there really isn't enough there to tell.

To be more specific about the location of the leak... its directly below the Water outlet assembly and seems to be settling on top of the water pump. It does not appear to be the water outlet assembly gasket Or the water pump. so I am just assuming its the head gasket.

 

[amaurer]

I'm having trouble imagining how oil would sneak out of a head gasket. There is only one oil passage into the head and its a low pressure one - supplied through a rotating cam bearing.

I highly doubt that a head gasket could fail dramatically enough to allow low pressure oil to sneak out without also completely ruining compression and giving you a whole host of other dramatic symptoms like a blow up radiator and water leaks.

My guess is that your new turbo kit has greatly increased the amount of oil coming through your crankcase vent and its just condensing all over the engine. My worn 3B does this and if I leave the vent open it will soak the entire side of the block and make it look like my sidecover is leaking.

 

[ChrisB]

I'm having trouble imagining how oil would sneak out of a head gasket. There is only one oil passage into the head and its a low pressure one - supplied through a rotating cam bearing.

I highly doubt that a head gasket could fail dramatically enough to allow low pressure oil to sneak out without also completely ruining compression and giving you a whole host of other dramatic symptoms like a blow up radiator and water leaks.

My guess is that your new turbo kit has greatly increased the amount of oil coming through your crankcase vent and its just condensing all over the engine. My worn 3B does this and if I leave the vent open it will soak the entire side of the block and make it look like my sidecover is leaking.

You're probably right.
I know my side cover gasket is leaking. its leaking out every possible area on it including the bolt holes and along the top and the breather tube of course.

So as you can tell, I don't know much about this sort of thing. I am glad to hear that oil doesn't usually leak out of the head gasket without there being loads of other problems that would be very noticeable.

I haven't put my turbo on yet. but when I do I will be replacing that side cover gasket.

Am I understanding you right when you say "... if I leave that vent open..." You plug the side cover oil breather vent?

 

[Dieseler]

No do not plug the blowby pipe it needs to vent the crank case.
I am also experiencing a leak in the same general area as you are mine is migrating across the side of the block when I drive long distances my thoughts are it is the gasket for the pump even though it looks like it is coming from the area where the head meets the block I doubt its a head gasket, I will be replacing the pump gasket first since its the easiest to change before I start puling a head off , I am also prepping to turbo so I want to correct this leak first.

 

[BreckenridgeCruiser]

Power wash and trace the leak after you install all of the new seals. Remember that oil has a way of moving around the engine bay in really odd ways.

For the head gasket, if it is bad...
1) Check the coolant for combustion gasses.
2) Are you overheating, or seeing a loss of coolant? Don't just check the overflow tank for coolant level as this can be inaccurate.
3) Is your oil or coolant contaminated with the other? Coolant in oil looks like a milkshake and the other looks like oil in water

I have been running my turbo (Essentially the D42 setup) for two to three years with a known bad head gasket. As long as I keep coolant in the engine, it does not seem to be getting any worse. I am planning on rebuilding an engine so I don't recommend this, but I run my engine with up to 15PSI and can't kill it...

Oh, and when you do all of the cleanup and gasket installing, put on a cheap homemade oil catch can (I made mine from a quart oil bottle, hose clamp and steel wool) to give yourself a chance to spot leaks without oil coming from the vent.

 

[amaurer]

Am I understanding you right when you say "... if I leave that vent open..." You plug the side cover oil breather vent?

No do not plug the blowby pipe it needs to vent the crank case.

Definitely don't plug the vent.

By "leave it open" I mean that, usually, I have it modified such that it vents into the intake so that my engine stays (and smells) cleaner. This is controversial in its own right, but it works fine for me. And for the 13BT. Ahem.

 

[gerg]

If you plug that vent you will start blowing gaskets in a big way.

Im in the middle of my HG replacment and am just accross the river from ya in aldergorve . Your more than welcome to come over and take a look if you want. I cant offer any advice as my HG seems to go frequently. I somehow think this has something to do with me
This next one will better though.
g

 

[BC40]

No Not the rocker cover. I'm pretty sure its the head gasket.

Ya I'm not too worried about the engine overheating I have the gauges to put in when I do the turbo.

Just looking for advice on the head gasket. I'm not 100% sure if its coolant or oil. there really isn't enough there to tell. I smelled it and touched my tongue to it and it doesn't smell or taste like coolant but then again there really isn't enough there to tell.

To be more specific about the location of the leak... its directly below the Water outlet assembly and seems to be settling on top of the water pump. It does not appear to be the water outlet assembly gasket Or the water pump. so I am just assuming its the head gasket.

You aren't sure if it's oil or coolant? What colour is it? Sounds like you might be talking about a weep from the thermostat housing. Engine degreaser and brake cleaner to get suspect areas completely clean, then assess what the leaks are. Test for HG problems as the others described.

Reseal the side cover during the turbo install.

I wouldn't open up the engine since it's low mileage and doesn't have any real symptoms of problems (other than some leaks), unless you are certain it's the HG. Mine was the same when I put my turbo on earlier this year .

 

[ChrisB]

I found another thread https://forum.ih8mud.com/diesel-tech-24-volts-systems/486039-push-rod-cover-leaks-after-3-fixes.html that seems to describe my problem accurately. It is oil. and I think its weeping around from the top of the push rod cover to the front of the motor. If you look at the picture at the bottom of this thread you can see a photo of the exact problem I am having. So I am pretty positive that its the side cover that is weeping everywhere. I am going to take it off when I do the turbo and just replace the cork gasket with RTV and we shall see if that fixes the problem.

thanks for all your help and sorry I sound completely stupid when it comes to this stuff.