Posted by oscar on Thursday, January 03, 2002 at 11:10PM :
In Reply to: more head gasket trouble posted by Jerry Dunaway on Thursday, January 03, 2002 at 9:18PM :
It sounds like you are doing everything correctly. Check the stream holes are clear and lineup with their holes in the block and head. If there are alignment pins check that they are not keeping the head from seating completely.
Check the head gasket closely. It should match up to both the head and block very closely. Maybe they are getting you the wrong gasket (books/computers have been wrong before). I hope you have the original gasket to compare with.
The block may need to be surfaced.
Check for block flatness by placing a straight edge on the block and using a 0.001 feeler gauge try to slip the feeler gauge between the block and the straight edge. The feeler gauge should not slip in anywhere.
Another technique:
Clean the block surface and head surface.
LIGHTLY coat the head and block surfaces with machinist bluing.
Use a piece of glass and a piece of 600 grit
wet dry sandpaper glued to the glass.
Lightly sand the block and head surfaces until the metal BEGINS to show through the bluing. Where the bluing remains is where the surface is low, where the metal shows is where the metal is high. You CAN (this takes time - lots of time) slowly surface the head and block until both surfaces are dead flat.
Both the head and block need to be flat and smooth.
BTW - From my youth I remember the manual says to coat the head bolt threads and holes with sealer. Try Permatex #2 (not #1!!) and feel free to use plenty. Antifreeze will come past the threads and rust the bolts if you do not seal the threads.
good luck
oscar