Discussion
I had an interesting situation this weekend.
After finally fitting the Aldon 'Ingiter' dizzy to my 'black' rally car and setting the timing somewhere near the engine started easily. Lots of lovely oil pressure, 70 psi on the starter motor and 80 at about 3000 rpm, it all settled down nicely. We set the CO2 to the correct figure at 1000 rpm and then I allowed the engine to get nice and warm whilst I checked for fluid leaks (well, it is a Mini!).
All was well at first, then I noticed a very small amount of bubbling water through the stud on the front right (o/s) of the head. This was clearly pressurised water weeping very slightly from the cooling system when hot. I te-torqued the head to 53 lb.ft, but it still weeped, although a bit less.
The gasket was the latest copper-faced/composite competition gasket. So I removed the head yesterday for a closer look and could see absolutely nothing wrong. The block and head have both been re-faced during the re-build. I have now fitted a BK450 black 'sticky' gasket like the ones I use on my 'red' rally car, and this evening I'll re-start the car and warm it right up. Keeping fingers crossed.
I've really never had much success with copper faced so-called competition gaskets as I have had several 'blow' after only a short time, but this is the first one which has leaked from new.
Anyone else ever had this happen?
After finally fitting the Aldon 'Ingiter' dizzy to my 'black' rally car and setting the timing somewhere near the engine started easily. Lots of lovely oil pressure, 70 psi on the starter motor and 80 at about 3000 rpm, it all settled down nicely. We set the CO2 to the correct figure at 1000 rpm and then I allowed the engine to get nice and warm whilst I checked for fluid leaks (well, it is a Mini!).
All was well at first, then I noticed a very small amount of bubbling water through the stud on the front right (o/s) of the head. This was clearly pressurised water weeping very slightly from the cooling system when hot. I te-torqued the head to 53 lb.ft, but it still weeped, although a bit less.
The gasket was the latest copper-faced/composite competition gasket. So I removed the head yesterday for a closer look and could see absolutely nothing wrong. The block and head have both been re-faced during the re-build. I have now fitted a BK450 black 'sticky' gasket like the ones I use on my 'red' rally car, and this evening I'll re-start the car and warm it right up. Keeping fingers crossed.
I've really never had much success with copper faced so-called competition gaskets as I have had several 'blow' after only a short time, but this is the first one which has leaked from new.
Anyone else ever had this happen?
i have seen that very slight bubbling before, and i'm sure it was on the front right stud. But i put it down as a dont even think about worrying about that one. I always thought the copper gaskets were the ones to use, even though i blew 3 of them in quick succession (tapping the extra 2 studs helped cure that one). Swiftune and Slarks both use the black payen gaskets.
Definately cooling water. After taking head off there was no obvious fault witht he gasket, although the sealing ring around the water hole adjacent to the stud did look a bit on the thin side, but that may have just been where the head was torqued down and it didn't look like a failure area.
I've never had one fail at start-up before, but there's a first time for everything.
I'll post on how it goes with the BK450 fitted. Also I'm going to borrow a different torque wrench in case mine is out in some way.
I've never had one fail at start-up before, but there's a first time for everything.
I'll post on how it goes with the BK450 fitted. Also I'm going to borrow a different torque wrench in case mine is out in some way.
Peter
I've never had a problem with the Payen type copper faced head gasket (I forget the correct part number......). Even the profits of doom who predicted all 1380's consume head gaskets have been proved wrong in my experience.
Mind you I haven't had a problem with the silver/fibre composite one's either, but they are a pain in the bum to clean off the block/head when you split them again.
If you refaced both the block and the head there shouldn't have been a problem. Water propergating up the stud threads ?? Porosity in head or block anywhere ??
I've never had a problem with the Payen type copper faced head gasket (I forget the correct part number......). Even the profits of doom who predicted all 1380's consume head gaskets have been proved wrong in my experience.
Mind you I haven't had a problem with the silver/fibre composite one's either, but they are a pain in the bum to clean off the block/head when you split them again.
If you refaced both the block and the head there shouldn't have been a problem. Water propergating up the stud threads ?? Porosity in head or block anywhere ??
Phil,
I don't think it is a block or head porosity problem. The water jacket's quite thick in that area and I only planed 0.015" off the head and 0.008" off the block deck. Maybe it was just a duff gasket - it happens - and my change to the BK450 shold, I hope, do the trick. We shall see this evening.
I did have one of the copper faced ones leak through the oil way hole from almost new a few years ago, and I blew another copper faced one on a rally when it went between 3 & 4 (I still won the event, by the way!).
About 2 years ago I pumped a lot of oil into the water on my 'red' car, and I never did find out why. The gasket looked purfect when I took it off and I stripped the block and head down and had them crack tested, but no problems there either. I just fitted a new gasket and the problem was solved. Now I use the BK450 on the 'S', but was sort of talked into the copper faced one for my black car on the basis that it is the latest comp gasket from Payen.
I don't think it is a block or head porosity problem. The water jacket's quite thick in that area and I only planed 0.015" off the head and 0.008" off the block deck. Maybe it was just a duff gasket - it happens - and my change to the BK450 shold, I hope, do the trick. We shall see this evening.
I did have one of the copper faced ones leak through the oil way hole from almost new a few years ago, and I blew another copper faced one on a rally when it went between 3 & 4 (I still won the event, by the way!).
About 2 years ago I pumped a lot of oil into the water on my 'red' car, and I never did find out why. The gasket looked purfect when I took it off and I stripped the block and head down and had them crack tested, but no problems there either. I just fitted a new gasket and the problem was solved. Now I use the BK450 on the 'S', but was sort of talked into the copper faced one for my black car on the basis that it is the latest comp gasket from Payen.
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