Coolant leaking from Head Gaskets- Fresh Build - Before First Start

[Joeshorty]

Okay, the title says it all.

I had just built this motor and spent a week figuring out what was blowing my ECI fuse and just figured that out tonight. Well when I was under the car I noticed coolant... The car has not even fired up for its first time and there is coolant, WTF?

The only originating location looks to be the head gaskets (both heads have coolant along the gaskets). There is coolant drops in various areas below the gaskets, but nothing above.

Now the heads were surfaced so that shouldn't be an issue. They were torqued down to 76 ft-lbs then to 83 ft-lbs then taken down to 0 and then torqued back to 83 ft-lbs. And it was done in the order that the picture below shows:



The only thing is that I did not use the OEM head gaskets ( I know I know, I should have, regardless). I had purchased everything before I found out OEM gaskets are the best. None the less I still used MLS gaskets that were in the kit from 3SX: Link to Gasket Kit

But I have trouble believing that is the real issue. Has anyone else experienced this problem? What are your thoughts and what should I do? The only reason I would start the car i just to quickly check if it is in fact leaking from the heads.. But that may be a bad idea..


Edit: Here is a thread I posted a couple of weeks ago. It has pics of motor work and a list of parts. First Start - Suggestions for Break-In?

[Escape-Performance]

I have had the same problem more than once with those head gaskets. I switched to the felpro mls and have not had that problems on any other engines since. There are a few threads out there with people having the same problems. You are not alone.
You can try draining the coolant and re-torquing the heads down to 100ftlbs. Small leaks have been fixed this way but if you are leaking along the whole seam of both heads I wouldn't recommend trying this. Also make sure that you run a thread chaser down the bolt holes in the block whenever you take the head bolts out. Then clean the holes out and blow them clean.

[Joeshorty]

Originally Posted by Escape-Performance

I have had the same problem more than once with those head gaskets. I switched to the felpro mls and have not had that problems on any other engines since. There are a few threads out there with people having the same problems. You are not alone.
You can try draining the coolant and re-torquing the heads down to 100ftlbs. Small leaks have been fixed this way but if you are leaking along the whole seam of both heads I wouldn't recommend trying this. Also make sure that you run a thread chaser down the bolt holes in the block whenever you take the head bolts out. Then clean the holes out and blow them clean.

Thanks for the quick response.

If it is just the gaskets that makes me feel better. Those are at least changeable at low cost. There are about 2 places on each head. The coolant has been in the car for about 1 week and it is a pretty slow leak. I may just torque them to 100 ft-lbs and see how it does. I really hate doing timing with the motor in the car.

[Escape-Performance]

just keep in mind that it can be other things. This was my personal experience that I know a few other members have shared. Seeing how both heads are leaking I would believe it is your problems as well. Some will advise to run the engine before re-torquing some will not. On some older cars the factory spec is to run the car up to temp before the final torque on the head bolts. Bmw did this, you only put 40 ft/lbs to the bolts before you ran the engine.

[Joeshorty]

Originally Posted by Escape-Performance

just keep in mind that it can be other things. This was my personal experience that I know a few other members have shared. Seeing how both heads are leaking I would believe it is your problems as well. Some will advise to run the engine before re-torquing some will not. On some older cars the factory spec is to run the car up to temp before the final torque on the head bolts. Bmw did this, you only put 40 ft/lbs to the bolts before you ran the engine.

Yeah, my first thought was oh great are the heads cracked but they looked fine when I installed them and I doubt both would be right out the machine shop.

I had planned to re-torque after its first warm up before I even saw this leak. So since the leak isn't real bad on either head from what I can tell, Maybe i'll do the 100 ft-lbs after the first warm up while monitoring everything.

[speedy25]

Originally Posted by Escape-Performance

make sure that you run a thread chaser down the bolt holes in the block whenever you take the head bolts out. Then clean the holes out and blow them clean.

This is an important and often overlooked step. If you dont have clean threads and nothing in the hole you wont get even torque. Its easy for liquid or gasket bits to end up in these holes and have the bolts "bottom out" before proper clamping occurs. Instead of just going to 100'#, pull the bolt out and make sure the bottom of the hole is clean.

-SP

[Joeshorty]

Originally Posted by speedy25

This is an important and often overlooked step. If you dont have clean threads and nothing in the hole you wont get even torque. Its easy for liquid or gasket bits to end up in these holes and have the bolts "bottom out" before proper clamping occurs. Instead of just going to 100'#, pull the bolt out and make sure the bottom of the hole is clean.

-SP

Alright will do. I don't have a thead chaser, i'm assuming I can just get one at autozone. Do you know what size it would be?

[Forest Gump]

fyi the spec for turbos is 90, not 83, but I am sure that is not the problem.

I guess you didn't install the gaskets upside down, did you?

[Joeshorty]

Originally Posted by Forest Gump

fyi the spec for turbos is 90, not 83, but I am sure that is not the problem.

I guess you didn't install the gaskets upside down, did you?

Ah, I did not know that, thank you.

That was my friends first thought but I remember I tried it each way and it only lined up perfectly one way. And I compared the fit to the OEM gasket, so I don't believe they are upside down.

Thanks again everyone for the input.

[GTOJOE]

Hmmm I an also running the same 3sx MLS head gasket and I have noticed coolant on uh trans but couldn't find where it was coming from. I hope I don't have the same issue. Going to buy a pressure tester now.

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