Vintage Minor Register

Hi, I am getting on slowly with my restoration, there's always something else that needs attending to.

I have a water leak from my head gasket into the engine and have tried to torque to the settings but pulled a couple of studs out so very wary of going that far, (have even bought a new torque wrench),
question is can I use a gasket sealant or is this frowned upon,I am thinking of taking my head to see if it want's skimming ect.,

All very disappointing and any help would be appreciated.
Colin
(off to Morris Rally this week end) three days

when you say that you have water leaking from the head gasket into the engine do you mean that water is getting into the oil?
The only way for water to get into the oil via the head gasket is fo the water to leak into the bore(s) and the past the piston, unlikely without other problems!

Yes Trevor, That is what's happening, water is leaking from the head gasket into the two middle bores and somehow getting into the oil.

I have had a rebore and new pistons.

new development since I posted question, I have had the head checked for flatness and discovered that It had 10 thou bow in middle and has now been skimmed(picking up asap)..
hope this helps Colin

My understanding is that sealant should not be used, but the gasket should be given a wiping of grease before fitting. Having said that, I have used sealant myself in the past! I'm sure than the head skim will go a long way to fixing the problem.

Is your head gasket copper asbestos of gray fibre?

My head gasket is copper with some sort of material in the middle,just bought it from Gideon Booth at the Morris rally Thorseby and he said just grease both sides.

Drained the oil today and its in a very poor state, it must have had lots of water in it.

Question is how has it got there? could it have seeped through the head studs? it found its way into the middle bores could it have mixed with the oil via the valve stems, its a mystery.

Hope some one has a suggestion or a guess for a answer????
Colin

When I had water in the oil on my engine it was leaking from the bottom of the water jacket inside the valve chest. Nearly eighty years of corrosion had finally made it through!
I would be very surprised if enough water was passing the pistons into the sump without having other major problems.
The same would apply to valve guides.

Trevor, How did you find this problem and how did you fix it?

Mine has had lots of water in the oil, when I drained the oil out the filter was greasy and thick with emulsified oil.

Don't think I can face taking engine out and cleaning all that mess from the oil ways! ( looks like I have to face it!!).

Changing my name to Desperate!
Colin

I took the tappet cover off and could see adrip slowly forming where the block was porous. Having got over my initial shock I flushed the block through and then treated it with a block sealant.

Trevor,I would love to ring you re this issue..

Would you mail me your number to colinjohnson@ntlworld.com

Hope you agree..

Hi All,

Trevor thanks for ringing me and your advice,I have removed the tappet chest cover and to my amazement its clean as a whistle,just as when I screwed the cover on with no sign of emulsified oil,in fact no sign of any oil .

I am trying to find out how the oil is fed to the chamber is it splashed up there the same as the bores,( I know the OHV engine has oilways).

I think I will replace the head and flush everything out with some flushing oil and then add some block sealant to the water and hope for the best?.

Unless you or anyone has any other Ideas?

head back on and system filled with water, no sign of any leaks as yet, see what happens tomorrow morning

I'm intrigued: what exactly is 'block sealant' ? Also, whenever I have to fit a head I stuff the water holes in the head with a bit a grease - it stops any loose bits falling out onto the nice clean gasket.

Ian

Hallo Ian,
Block sealant is a product you mix with the water and it stops small leaks on the engine like core plugs ect,some claim to seal gaskets and metal perforations!.

I havn't discovered what exactly is causing my problem but Im'e jolly well hoping this will.

Colin