engine and drivetrain Water Leaking Between Head And Block, After Installing A Head

[markos]

Hi, i have just freshened the head an it's parts, last night installed it and started the engine and run smooth, when I turned off I notice a little water spray Coming out between the head and the block just down spark plug number 4.

I done all the job myself, not a pro neither a mechanic just a adventurer enthusiast, does it means I have to start all over or should I make any other thing? Help

[Buckeye]

Did you have the head machined? How much was removed?

What was your torque procedure and target

Did you clean top of block before installing head gasket and head?

Did you clean taped hold in the block?

Gasket manufacture ?

And thickness?

[jimk]

Without answering all those questions, you can plan on removing the head and reinstalling.  The head gasket is not reusable.  You might check the head bolt torque before pulling the head, it might stop the leak, but the hazard is that coolant may be getting in the cylinder as well.

Edited October 27, 2013 by jimk

[markos]

Thank you men, I re torque it with no results. I pull it out and check the leak I did not found any issues. I will send it on Monday to the machine shop to test it. The question now is : what about the block ? Do you think is the problem ? In fact when I pull the head the first time I noticed some damage in the gasket near the area where the actual leak is. With my short experience I understand both surfaces block and head should be super flat, getting to the conclusion that the block isn't flat as it should so, what next if this is my problem?

[markos]

Gasket brand: "AJUSA" from Spain

Torque procedure: Haynes service manual at 54 lbs first torque and 60 lb the second time.

The block smoothly cleaned.

Thickness : mmmm.. Don't know! The machine told me that they just brushed on the flat part of the head for cleaning.

The gasket is just as it was before the head installation, useless?!

Yes I clean the tape remain from the block...

Yes I clean the tape remain from the block...

[cj]

If the head or block was machined, the dowel that locates the block by the number 4 cylinder may need to be trimmed down. Same with the one by the number 1 cylinder.

[markos]

To trim the dowels you mean trim the holes where the guides of the block get into the head? That sounds reasonable... Let me check that point. Thank you buddy

[cj]

Double posted. Sorry

Edited October 27, 2013 by cj

[Buckeye]

If machine shop milled to minimum then standard head gasket which is 1.5mm thick should be okay. I will not reuse gasket if I was you.

This time try to use torque and angle procedures. It is much better and in fact gasket manufacture recommend it and so does BMW.

If you going to take the head back to machine shop, then ask them to check deck height as well.

Torque specs can be found on the first tab of this Google spreadsheet:

https://docs.google....p=sharing#gid=0

If you use torque value and procedure outlined in the link above, then you will need torque and angle meter. I did mine with torque and angle and don't have go back and re- torque after 600/1000 miles

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-28100-Torque-Angle-Meter/dp/B0002STSW6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380925790&sr=8-1&keywords=torque+angle

Post a few pictures from bottom of head and cylinder block top here

[Tommy]

To trim the dowels you mean trim the holes where the guides of the block get into the head? That sounds reasonable... Let me check that point. Thank you buddy

 

Trimming the guide dowels means shortening them in height. If the head is shaved many times the dowel may bottom out.

 

  Tommy

[TobyB]

I think it's picture time.

 

If you had a clean head and block surface and torqued to 60 ft- lbs, you should have been fine.

 

Unless the head is REALLY cut (more than 1.5mm) the dowels don't bottom...

 

The gasket is not reusable.

 

t