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GT6 GT6 engine question

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tomgt6

Jedi Warrior
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I have an oil leak at the back of the engine. I am going to replace the head gasket but I understand that this engine tends to seep from the this area anyway.

Does anyone recomment using any gasket sealers when I replace this gasket or has any one had luck stopping this problem.

Thanks. Tom
 
Tom, before you rip the head off, check the left rear corner of the head. There is a small plug that goes into the oil galley. These have been known to leak, and seep all over the place. It also could be the valve cover gasket leaking, and making its way down the head. Head gaskets generally don't leak oil.
If you must change the head gasket, I have had excellent luck using spray Copper Coat, by Permatex. Make sure everything is clean and follow the instructions. I do all my racing engines with this stuff, and haven't had a gasket problem yet.
What year is your GT6? If it's an early one, with the exposed pushrod tubes rather that a cast iron surface, well, they leak and you just have to live with it! mine is a '67, and I'll guarantee the engine will never rust!
Good luck.
Jeff
 
Jeff is right on target about the small bolt in the rear of the engine. Mine was leaking, too, and the engine was otherwise very clean. After close inspection I found that a P.O. had bolted a ground wire to this bolt hole, which leads to the oil gallery in the head. Oil was seeping through the (improperly placed) ground wire.

I removed the ground wire, annealed the copper washer on the oil gallery bolt, and it hasn't leaked a drop since.

If you remove or replace this bolt, be sure to replace the copper washer with a NEW copper washer, or heat it with a torch to anneal it.

This is one of the FEW easy problems I've had recently. These are always fun to deal with!
 
It is a 1970, I will look at the bolt this weekend and let you guys know. Thank you. Tom
 
I finally looked and the oil didn't seem to leak out of the bolt. Thanks for the help but I guess I will have to change the head gasket. Also when it ran I would get some oil spitting out the tail pipe. I hope this will help.
 
Tom, I doubt if it's oil coming out the tailpipe. More likely would be carbon mixed with water condensation. If you were blowing oil out, there wouldn't be a mosquito alive in four states, considering the amount of smoke you would be generating!
And, I still have never heard of a head gasket causing an external oil leak. I'm not saying it can't, just that it would be a new one on me.
There are dye kits available that have an additive for the oil, that will fluoresce under infra red light, and are a great way to find troublesome leaks.
Jeff
 
Tom,

I agree with Jeff, if you have oil seeping from your head gasket, I think you would also have a significant runability problem, I would make sure I looked at everything else possible before pulling the head, (just sound like alot of work to me), unless you were going to pull it any way for something else. Have you checked your plugs for discoloration?
iagree.gif
 
Thanks for the info. I spend alot of time this weekend looking at this problem again and most of the oil leak is the valve cover gasket but I do see some seeping around the head gasket as well. It seems to be very minor and I think the big issue the valve cover.

I spent more time on my other car that was just recovered after being stolen. It looks like that one is really in trouble because when I pull the plugs they are wet with radiator fluid and it will not start. That poor car sat in a snow bank for 4 months after the theives overheated it. It is a 89 volvo turbo. Oh well. I guess I will get to replace a head gasket one way or another.
 
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