Now that we're on the topic of Head gasket work....

There is a small leak of coolant at the rear of my head on a newly rebuilt 223 of mine; I have spoken about it in my other thread.
I've been told and have figured out that the real only way to fix it is to replace the head gasket. I've voted against using sealer.
I have a couple questions.

1)I don't know what the shop used in the rebuild, but I was going to go to autozone and get a Felpro, is that a good idea? I've heard a lot of good things about Felpro.

2)I need this done in a timely manner, would this be doable in less than a day?

3) Would I have to worry about getting coolant spillage into the cylinders?


All I want to do is take the head off, clean surfaces, then slap it back on, nothing fancy--the motors already friggin rebuilt. I'm personally infuriated that I should have to be doing this on an engine that started doing this after less than 500 miles(all surfaces were decked).

Thank you.

Have you tried just re-torquing the head to see if that would stop the leak?

Oh yeah, that was the first thing done. Part of me wants to go out there and just get a breaker bar and tighten them as much as I can, but I've learned too much about engines to do such a foolish thing.

None of the bolts tightened any more. It doesn't leak when hot. After observing it very closely for a while now I've narrowed it down to one circumstance where it leaks: Cool down.

It is bone dry when hot or after sitting for an hour or two, but the next morning you'll feel it wet. Which means it waits until the head has retracted.

1)I don't know what the shop used in the rebuild, but I was going to go to autozone and get a Felpro, is that a good idea? I've heard a lot of good things about Felpro.

1. The Felpro Perm A Torque are IMOP about the best unless you can get a Felpro Print O Seal if made for a 223.

2)I need this done in a timely manner, would this be doable in less than a day?

2 Yes if you have the necessary tools and skills and since it’s a recent rebuild it should come apart easy. Figure about two to four hour’s.

3) Would I have to worry about getting coolant spillage into the cylinders?

3 If you drain the coolant out or at least so the level is down below it's deck surface should be almost none. Wipe out cylinders dry and go back together.

Additional notes
To save some time you can also leave the intake and exhaust bolted on. Even try to keep the push rods laid out so they go back in same hole. You might also pick up a bottoming tap and chase all the head bolt holes in the block to make sure they are clean, also look at the head bolts to see if they were bottomed out too. You will probably need to re set the valves too, as the gasket is thicker than a steel one. Good luck.

bubba22349 has it right on target. I'll add a couple more notes.

You will probably want a helper to lift the head off and on, especially with the manifolds attached. Lining it up when it's going back on is sort of critical and the extra hands will make it easier. Your back will thank you too. If not today, later for sure.

If you are concerned about getting the level of the anti-freeze low enough, there is a drain plug in the block, in the area of the exhaust pipe. It should be a pipe plug but you may find a petcock there too. It used to be common practice too add one when these trucks were new and coolant was changed twice a year (alchohol anti-freeze in winter, water in summer).

Lou Manglass

Bubba, can I get either of those Felpro types from autozone, or will they just give me some generic Felpro?

Is setting the valves just as easy as simply loosening the lash lock nut and starting the lashing from scratch? That's not too hard.

Man--I will be helped by a friend, and yet, I remember that drain plug! It probably hasn't been opened in 25 years....

Bubba, can I get either of those Felpro types from autozone, or will they just give me some generic Felpro?

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You should be able to get them at any auto parts that carry the Felpro line. The standard Felpro head gasket is a light blue color if you look at the gasket they used to have it marked with that trade marked name of Perm A Torque. To my knowledge they haven’t made anything less than them for many years now so in a way now they are the generic ones. They may not make the Felpro Print O Seal for a 223 they were designed for heavy duty and performance use are a bit better in sealing. They will be black in color and has extra red / orange lines (wide) around all the coolant holes etc.

Is setting the valves just as easy as simply loosening the lash lock nut and starting the lashing from scratch? That's not too hard.

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Yes right not hard sure you have probably had to do this before. With the composite type head gasket in place of a steel shim head moves up about .020 to .030 valve lash will be loose by roughly that amount too.

Man--I will be helped by a friend, and yet, I remember that drain plug! It probably hasn't been opened in 25 years....

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on having a freind to help, those drain plugs are usually made of brass so should be okay I think they are a left handed thread so it turns in towards the engine so it should move easy with your fingers or light pressure from some fliers