Was hoping you would reply...thanks. I have no problems with leaking oil. I only changed the valve seals because they were old. I meant that I am thinking of not doing all this work because of the 1000 miles I drive a year...should I hurry?...how big is the risk of blowtorch on a strong running engine right now that I cruise around at maybe 800-1000 miles a year?
Once the leak begins, the damage to heads and/or block can happen quickly. It's something that needs to be repaired for a small expense now, or a very large expense (as in engine dis-assembly and possibly block replacement) later. The sure way to know the extent of the problem is to pull the heads and inspect. I'm afraid that ignoring it now and crossing your fingers for the future is just wishful thinking. Devon
Thanks Devon...for the pictures too. I am sure it doesn't run well anymore when it looks that bad. I guess I am not going to wait for it to run/idle bad...the damage would be done by then. Still I wonder because it's on both sides so 4 cylinders are involved (100% sure when the engine is cold). I removed the rocker shafts so valves were closed. Typical that it's on both sides...
By the way Devon, the pictures you show here. Did this happen under normal driving conditions, without detonation and normal operating temperature? Thanks.
Robbie, I don't have the answer to that question. I found the photos online in order to illustrate the potential damage. In my personal experience, when a head gasket is suspect, I simply stop driving the car and investigate due to the danger of causing irreparable (or at least costly to repair) damage. Devon
Okay, I understand. Well with the very small leaks on both sides I am not going to run the engine to this kind of damage...looks like a combination of high temperature and detonation to me. I am sure it did not run well with this kind of damage. I will check next year and see what damage is causing the little blow.
Considering the extremely low compression pressure afforded by the massive cylinder leakage, I don't know how the engine could detonate.
Robbie, put "high temperature" and detonation aside. If your head gasket has lost its seal between cylinders, the photos show the result, and the damage can happen even with casual, part-throttle driving. The point is, you don't know! I wish you the best; please let us know how it goes. Devon
If there is water leaking into a cylinder that can melt the exhaust valve as well from where it seats inward. I pulled apart a 455 and couldn't believe it. This engine had a leaking head gasket. At the valve seat there was nothing there on the valve about 1/8" wide and 1/4" inward. Ray
Ofcourse...my car has very little detonation part throttle on European 95 Octane gas. On 98 Octane it runs flawless. So I guess the leak is still very small. I am gonna see soon what's going on there...
Thanks Devon. You're right, first have to pull the heads to see what's going on there. I am pretty sure that the thin factory steel gaskets are still there. They have had a lot of warm/cold and pressure situations in 42 years! For sure I'll keep you posted!
Thanks for your reply Ray. We did test it here with the rocker shafts off. No leaks via valves, pistons or intake. No water involved. Engine is not losing Coolant. Only the inner cylinders on both sides do have a little leak to eachother (when engine is cold). We found out when replacing valve seals and putting air in the cylinders to keep the valves from falling on top of the piston.
