antifreeze could point to cracked heads or manifold issue
87 Head Gasket Woes
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport TN
87 Head Gasket Woes
Hello everyone. I have an 87 Vette that has some minor leaking on the head gaskets. You can see where its leaking and also smell antifreeze pretty strong when you cut the engine off. Whats the best head gaskets to put on this car? Ive checked into Multi-Layered Steel but they are kinda pricey if I dont really need them. Its a stock 87 with 60k miles. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 48
From: Lakeport CA
Is it an iron or alum head car? I can never remember when the change happened.
Corteco gets my vote. They also offer the thin version for about .5 bump in compression.
http://www.corteco-usa.com/
Corteco gets my vote. They also offer the thin version for about .5 bump in compression.
http://www.corteco-usa.com/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
If the head is leaking externally, it's usually crackied. Make sure you don't have an intake manifold leak instead. You might check compression hot and cold in the area you feel that it is leaking.
Safety Car
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 3,651
Likes: 5
From: Atlantis
Cruise-In I Veteran
Is it an iron or alum head car? I can never remember when the change happened.
Corteco gets my vote. They also offer the thin version for about .5 bump in compression.
http://www.corteco-usa.com/
Corteco gets my vote. They also offer the thin version for about .5 bump in compression.
http://www.corteco-usa.com/
That Conteco website surcks......btw.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,884
Likes: 3
From: Magnolia Mississippi
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport TN
hmmm...It looks like it is dripping onto the cat on the right side. Could be intake gaskets....
Ill do a compression check as soon as it warms up, its about 20 here right now.
Were those heads bad for cracking? I know the car has never been hot.
I appreciate the replies.
Ill do a compression check as soon as it warms up, its about 20 here right now.
Were those heads bad for cracking? I know the car has never been hot.
I appreciate the replies.
Safety Car
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 3,651
Likes: 5
From: Atlantis
Cruise-In I Veteran
You may find nothing amiss at all with the compression test.
If the leak isn't from the combustion chamber into the water jacket
you probably won't find anything.
'Most' times when there is a leak from the combustion chamber into the water jacket it will 'puke' fluid out when it gets up to operating temperature.
Then, when it's turned off the cooling system has more pressure in it than the cylinder so coolant will weep back into the chamber.
The heads 'could' develop a leak that only leaks to the outside but it doesn't happen that way often.
Check around the HEAD BOLTS. Most of the HEAD BOLTS go into the water jacket (ALL of them on the outside of the valve covers) and if they weren't sealed they WILL leak coolant up by the bolt head and MAKE IT LOOK like the heads are leaking.
You REALLY want this to be your problem so CHECK those HEAD BOLTS. This is a lot easier to fix than a head gasket.
If the leak isn't from the combustion chamber into the water jacket
you probably won't find anything.
'Most' times when there is a leak from the combustion chamber into the water jacket it will 'puke' fluid out when it gets up to operating temperature.
Then, when it's turned off the cooling system has more pressure in it than the cylinder so coolant will weep back into the chamber.
The heads 'could' develop a leak that only leaks to the outside but it doesn't happen that way often.
Check around the HEAD BOLTS. Most of the HEAD BOLTS go into the water jacket (ALL of them on the outside of the valve covers) and if they weren't sealed they WILL leak coolant up by the bolt head and MAKE IT LOOK like the heads are leaking.
You REALLY want this to be your problem so CHECK those HEAD BOLTS. This is a lot easier to fix than a head gasket.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport TN
Got to take a look at it tonight. Strong smell of antifreeze, but the heads look dry. Its moist towards the back of the engine, maybe the intake gaskets are leaking? They were replaced before I got the car.. Original Head gaskets....
Could I get a better look from underneath?
Could I get a better look from underneath?
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 42
From: Baltimore, MD USA
Go to a Autozone and rent a radiator pressure tester. You put a deposit down and get your money refunded when you return the tester.
You install the proper test cap and use the hand pump and pump the coolant pressure to around 15 psi. Hopefully you'll get a better idea where the leak is.
You install the proper test cap and use the hand pump and pump the coolant pressure to around 15 psi. Hopefully you'll get a better idea where the leak is.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
Probably not a head gasket but to answer your question:
If you are replacing only the head gaskets and not honing the block you should install the same type gasket that was removed if possible so that you don't get unwanted bore distortion. The multi layer steel gaskets will pull the bores differently at the top than the OEM gaskets did and your ring sealing could be upset. For this reason always hone your block with torque plates and the same type gaskets you plan to use. Different gaskets can result in bore distortions over .001
If you are replacing only the head gaskets and not honing the block you should install the same type gasket that was removed if possible so that you don't get unwanted bore distortion. The multi layer steel gaskets will pull the bores differently at the top than the OEM gaskets did and your ring sealing could be upset. For this reason always hone your block with torque plates and the same type gaskets you plan to use. Different gaskets can result in bore distortions over .001
