Another Head Gasket
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
Another Head Gasket
Just bought my first vette, a 92 with a bad head gasket. The amount of liquid antifreeze (in addition to the steam) coming out the exhaust has me wondering if it is more than the gasket. The oil did not smell burnt like a bad overheating. I know aluminum heads can warp, but is it likely they deteriorated? Is that a thing with these older aluminum castings? Thanks for your experienced input.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 414
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
There are some threads on here where people have had some of the aluminum crack/break near the seating surface of head to block.
if it’s just leaking from old age/mileage I would think just gasket. If it was severely overheated you might have head damage.
I would avoid running it more than you absolutely have to, if the leak is bad enough you will bend a rod.
if it’s just leaking from old age/mileage I would think just gasket. If it was severely overheated you might have head damage.
I would avoid running it more than you absolutely have to, if the leak is bad enough you will bend a rod.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
Heads off
so I got the head off and #7 was clearly being steam cleaned. The ring on the right side is crimped. I’m thinking I may not be the first one into this engine and the prior gasket was defective and installed as such. I have trouble picturing a stock engine doing that. No clear damage to the heads but will send them out.
