That head gasket I replaced last month is already weeping again

Tbh I thought I had it sorted after watching three YouTube videos and borrowing a torque wrench from a guy at Palm Harbor marina. Three years ago I would have just called a pro, but now I'm out here with a socket set and a leaky seal wondering if I should have just spent the $400.

2 comments

2 Comments

james_martin932d ago

Head gaskets are one of those things where YouTube makes it look way easier than it actually is. You gotta make sure the deck is perfectly clean and flat, which most people skip. A straight edge from Harbor Freight is like ten bucks and worth checking, because that little leak is probably coming from a warped surface you didn't catch. And honestly, borrowing a torque wrench from a marina guy might be part of the problem. Those wrenches get banged around in toolboxes and lose calibration fast, especially if they've been used for boat motors. I've seen guys overtighten head bolts by 20 ft-lbs without even knowing it. You should also check the manufacturer's torque sequence, not just the number. Doing it in three stages in the exact order is what keeps pressure even. If you just zipped them down in a circle, that's probably your leak right there. The $400 for a shop job stings, but a blown head gasket that warps the head will cost you way more than that. Might be worth pulling it apart again and cleaning everything with brake cleaner and a razor blade. Good luck man, we all learn the hard way sometimes.

zara_hunt2d ago

Hold up, wait... you're telling me that torque wrench was borrowed from a marina guy? I can't believe you trusted that thing. Boat mechanics beat the absolute crap out of their tools, I wouldn't trust one of their torque wrenches to tighten a lug nut on a lawnmower. Did you at least try to test it on a bolt you knew the spec for first?