Re: Tom has a gas leak and it isn't Wanda's cooking

[John Hofstetter <hofs@domain.elided>]

>Hmm...
>
>The water level was fairly full when I pulled the cold rad cap off.  I
>started the truck up, and let it run for a while... after a bit, I assume
>the thermostat opened (kept checking the temp gauge) and then the antifreeze
>started to run over the top of the open radiator.. I don't know how much for
>how long, but there was a nice big wet spot on the ground.  
>
>No bubbles... but lots of smoke.

Tommy,
That smoke was probably engine gas. If you want a definitive test, take 
it to a radiator shop and they "sniff" the gases coming out of the 
radiator top and can tell you for sure whether or not they are engine 
gases. In my opinon, in this case, an unnecessary expense.

>
>What is my next course of action?
>
>There *is* antifreeze in it, so I'm going to guess it didn't freeze and
>crack the block (and wouldn't I "really" know it if I did?)
>
>With the radiator capped, it doesn't seem to leak coolant anywhere...
>
>It wasn't RUN, so I assume there could be nothing catastrophicly wrong with
>it... 
>
>Would the head gaskets shrink or otherwise stop functioning through lack of
>use?  Or as a friend suggested, the rings have shrunk from lack of use (and,
>as Willy said, I'm just not able to tell the smoke difference)?

Well, what Willy said was good advice, but not applicable to what you 
describe, in my opinion. No comment on the shrunken rings.
>
>NAPA should have new head gaskets for me by Wednesday or so.. $50 for the
>pair.  How much of a chore is it to yank the heads and swap the gaskets?
>Anything I should know about?  Can I do this w/o removing the intake?  What
>*else* should I do "while I'm in there"?

Compared to some of the work you've done underneath, I don't see changing 
the head gaskets as that big a job. No, you have to remove both exhaust 
and intake manifolds. While you have the heads off, you might check the 
valve and valve guide conditions. When it comes to valves, labor is 
everything, well almost.
>
>And of course... *is it* the headgaskets?  How do I go about narrowing it
>down to the head gaskets?  I do believe I have the tools to do a compression
>check, though I've never performed such a check before.

A compression check now could give you some valuable information. It 
might indicate that you only have to remove one head. If the gasket is 
blown out between two cylinders, then the compression check will show low 
compression in two adjacent cylinders. If you get the low compression in 
two adjacent cylinders, then it almost has to be the gasket. As to 
whether or not it is the head gasket in other scenarios, you probably 
will easily be able to tell that when you get the head off.  
>
>I really want to make sure this motor's solid (like I thought it was) before
>I finish yanking it out this weekend and swapping it.
>
>At the same time, there may be issues with the 196 that need to be
>resolved... unless, of course, I place it in a dark corner of the garage for
>a while.  ;)  
>
>Argh.
>
>Maybe I just scoot down to Bozeman and put my "new" 304, wide T19, Dana 20
>all in as a unit.... that's plan B.  Then I'd just need to put some
>tailpipes on the glasspacks, and I'm ready to roll... (currently exit under
>the cargo bed.. it is, after all, a race car)
>
>Where do I go now, old wise Saline?
>
Do your compression check first Tommy. Remove all the plugs, screw the 
compression tester into one plug hole at a time, crank the engine over 
until the compression gauge needle stabilizes and record the pressure. 
Release the pressure at the Schrader valve and take the tester loose. Do 
this for all the cylinders and report back. 
John