Oil seepage between head and block

[Jordan]

You can make one yourself. Not hard. Or many real tools are available.

I have a electronic degree angle device at work. Clips onto the extention, you enter the desired angle, "zero" it, then tighten. It beeps when it has been rotated the set angle.

[Sean]

You can make one yourself. Not hard. Or many real tools are available.

I have a electronic degree angle device at work. Clips onto the extention, you enter the desired angle, "zero" it, then tighten. It beeps when it has been rotated the set angle.

So, if we follow the directions EXACTLY - tightening JUST the right amount of degrees and whatnot - we won't have this issue?

Do you have the issue with your engine still, like you said, Jordan?

When i rebuild me engine, and really can't afford to have this problem. I'd hate to have to keep adding more oil, specially on a rebuilt engine.

[Jordan]

I personally (and the opinion seems to be shared among several techs at the shop) think that its just a poor design, and is prone to failure. Not tightening the right angle could just be the icing on the cake.

What I find funny is none of these cars leak compression, or mix coolant and oil. They just seep oil out of that oil return drain from the head. Its by no means a big problem, hardly a little one. Its just an annoyance.

[Sean]

So, it really wouldn't affect my amount of oil after about 3-4000 miles then? (my oil change interval, usually)

That oil return line that seeps - it's located at the front of the head, right?

[Jordan]

eh.. Mine has gotten progressively worse and worse. I realllllly need to slap my new head on with a new gasket and such.

At first it was 1qt/1500mi or so. Going across country it was 1qt/8-900mi, its down to about 1qt/300mi now.

Not sure what causes it to get expodentially worse, but it needs fixin soon.

[Sean]

eh.. Mine has gotten progressively worse and worse. I realllllly need to slap my new head on with a new gasket and such.

At first it was 1qt/1500mi or so. Going across country it was 1qt/8-900mi, its down to about 1qt/300mi now.

Not sure what causes it to get expodentially worse, but it needs fixin soon.

Could you let us know how you fix it? I would HATE to have that problem. That's kinda lame.

[nando]

how long did yours go before it started to leak?

about 2500 miles on my new head, it's not leaking at all from anywhere. I'm not sure I got the torque angle right the first time I swapped gaskets on the old head (eyeballing it), and it leaked. the second time I made something to measure the angle a little better, and it seems fine. hopefully it stays that way. my motor always had a small leak in that spot, but it was never enough that I had to add oil.

[Sean]

how long did yours go before it started to leak?

about 2500 miles on my new head, it's not leaking at all from anywhere. I'm not sure I got the torque angle right the first time I swapped gaskets on the old head (eyeballing it), and it leaked. the second time I made something to measure the angle a little better, and it seems fine. hopefully it stays that way. my motor always had a small leak in that spot, but it was never enough that I had to add oil.

So, from what it sounds like - making sure you turn the right amount of degrees tends to eliminate this issue.

Interesting..

[nefarious7907]

anything more on this?

[nando]

well mine is still bone dry, but that doesn't help anyone :P

[nefarious7907]

Maybe mine is because I 210k on the stock non hex headbolts, yeah I dont think my headgasket has ever been changed either.

[325ise30]

Mayby higher quality gasket would remedy this problem, havent saw any avalable, do the make one? I ended up using the standard fiber head gasket on mine (leaks) but did do a little bit of searching for alternatives with no avail.

[nando]

I don't think the gasket is the problem. it has to be a combination of not having a flat surface and torquing the head bolts on wrong. like I said mine is bone dry (I think I had the Febi gasket kit), and the way I drive if it were going to leak it would already be doing so.

[E304life]

You can make one yourself. Not hard. Or many real tools are available.

I have a electronic degree angle device at work. Clips onto the extention, you enter the desired angle, "zero" it, then tighten. It beeps when it has been rotated the set angle.

Were did you get your digital angle degree tool? I have a manuel one from
matco but a electronic one would be great.

[Jordan]

It's not mine. It's a shop tool for everyones use.

It has white screen printed lettering on it, but its long sense rubbed off beyond being able to read.

I can ask around though and see who it was purchased from?

I know it is a $500+ tool.


I wanted to add about the leaks problem. Mine has gone from a horrible leak, to next to nothing. I don't know why. It's just all but stopped.

I used to find a nice puddle after parking the hot engine overnight.

Now I get 1-2 drops.

No idea....