Re: 288 Head Gasket Planning

Posted by TxGoat On 2023/6/15 11:31:05

I would bypass the heater before doing anything else. It could be leaking.

If you're losing water, look everything over very carfefully. External water leaks can be very sneaky.

If you have an internal leak, it could be a crack or you may still have a gasket issue. If the studs are clean, the gasket should slip down over them without much trouble. The studs need to be totally clean right down to the block and there should be no crud or rust around the base of the studs. It can be tedious to get the studs and the gasket surface of the block completely clean. It might be helpful to make a dummy head out of 3/4" plywood to install the gasket. Lay the head on a straight, clean piece of quality plywood, clamp it, and drill through the head stud holes and plywood with a drill bit 1/32 smaller than the bolt holes in the head. Then re-drill the plywood with a bit 1/32 larger than the head stud holes . Then use the plywood to help get the gasket down over the studs. If the plywood jams, look to see where it is hanging up, and see if the stud is bent or has scale on it.

Check for water in the oil.