Advice on head gasket

[outono]

So im a day and a half away from a 7 day trip to Death Valley. Truck is running great, but I noticed some coolant dripping onto the front axle yesterday evening. When I dug into the engine bay, I saw what appears to be the HG leaking near the front of the block



It's not bad by any means (drips when at operating temp, squirts sometimes, only small amounts), but it's enough for me to pause and rethink taking this truck on the trip. I have a back up vehicle, but since i've not dealt with a HG failure on this engine before, im not sure what is usually recommended.

Would you risk taking this on a 7 day excursion through Death Valley? Will liquid seal make much of a difference? How much are shops charging for an HG job these days?

Oil / coolant have not mixed yet and I am no longer driving the vehicle, for the time being. Truck does not overheat - not even close (using ScanGauge).

 

[Flyfish]

Hard to tell from the picture, but possibly it’s the intake manifold leaking and you just need to go through the torque sequence?

But a compression test should tell you if it’s a HG leak or not. But if your radiator hose doesn’t feel over pressurized, something is probably just loose and you’ should be fine.

 

[discostew]

So im a day and a half away from a 7 day trip to Death Valley. Truck is running great, but I noticed some coolant dripping onto the front axle yesterday evening. When I dug into the engine bay, I saw what appears to be the HG leaking near the front of the block

View attachment 63446

It's not bad by any means (drips when at operating temp, squirts sometimes, only small amounts), but it's enough for me to pause and rethink taking this truck on the trip. I have a back up vehicle, but since i've not dealt with a HG failure on this engine before, im not sure what is usually recommended.

Would you risk taking this on a 7 day excursion through Death Valley? Will liquid seal make much of a difference? How much are shops charging for an HG job these days?

Oil / coolant have not mixed yet and I am no longer driving the vehicle, for the time being. Truck does not overheat - not even close (using ScanGauge).

Not a chance in hell I would take that thru Death Valley leaking like that.

 

[boxster]

Looks like intake gasket leak, maybe retighten the intake, pressure test the system, could try some stop leak, no on the trip unless its fixed. As far as repair costs intake gaskets $$$ head gaskets $$$$.

 

[LRDONE]

What ever you do, do not use stop leak. That's a good way to plug up the radiator. If the intake gasket is leaking, then you've got 7 days to kick ass and get a new gasket in it sealed up properly. From my neck of the woods we like to call this a little midnight thrashing.

 

[outono]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses. Truck is staying home, the FJ Cruiser is on deck for tomorrow. I'll take a deeper look at things when I return.

What a damn shame. So much work on this vehicle only for it to disappoint right before show time. At least it didn't happen while I was out there.

Hey @Flyfish, Greg sold me this truck - it's the one you and Lunchbox worked on.

 

[p m]

Once in a similar situation (including the Death Valley circumstance), I posted a similar question.
I was surprised that John Lee suggested using K-Seal. I did, and nothing bad happened. I used it many times since, without any adverse effects.

 

[jymmiejamz]

I’d roll with it. External head gasket coolant leaks don’t scare me because they are usually gradual leaks

 

[Blueboy]

I was surprised that John Lee suggested using K-Seal. I did, and nothing bad happened. I used it many times since, without any adverse effects.

I’d roll with it. External head gasket coolant leaks don’t scare me because they are usually gradual leaks

Based on especially these responses I’d buy a bottle of K-Seal, load up the truck, and go have fun. Especially as you mentioned engine not even close to overheating. Just my 2cents.

 

[LRDONE]

Based on especially these responses I’d buy a bottle of K-Seal, load up the truck, and go have fun. Especially as you mentioned engine not even close to overheating. Just my 2cents.

What if it's leaking internally too? Coolant loves washing the bearings. I'm all for band aid fixes to get you out of the woods but it's an easy fix to do the right thing. The truck will thank you.

 

[MM3846]

My head gasket popped internally and I drove it for another two weeks back and forth to work with K-Seal holding it together.

x2 on checking the manifold bolt torque and pressure testing, but if it were me I'd say FIRI.

 

[p m]

What if it's leaking internally too? Coolant loves washing the bearings.

That's super easy to check with an oil change.

 

[terryjm1]

That's super easy to check with an oil change.

I have one that weeps out of one of the long bolt holes in the timng/front cover. No coolant is getting inside. Not worried at present but know I will need to address it sooner or later.

I cant tell from your photo… but didn’t you just replace the water pump? Could that be the source of your leak?

 

[outono]

I have one that weeps out of one of the long bolt holes in the timng/front cover. No coolant is getting inside. Not worried at present but know I will need to address it sooner or later.

I cant tell from your photo… but didn’t you just replace the water pump? Could that be the source of your leak?

I did replace the water pump, but this is quite far from it (its on the side of the block, frontward). I went all around the areas I touched and everything is tight, clean, and not leaking. So this is definitely new.

 

[Blueboy]

So this is definitely new.

Do you know how long this has been weeping?

 

[Blueboy]

I have one that weeps out of one of the long bolt holes in the timng/front cover. No coolant is getting inside.

That happened to my D1 as well. It was towards the end of Winter and didn’t want to take it off the road to put the Rangie in rotation. Waited for about 5 weeks and no coolant got inside.

 

[outono]

Do you know how long this has been weeping?

3 days now. The flow out of the leak is a little faster than the first day.

 

[jymmiejamz]

What if it's leaking internally too? Coolant loves washing the bearings. I'm all for band aid fixes to get you out of the woods but it's an easy fix to do the right thing. The truck will thank you.

I’ve personally never seen a composite RV8 head gasket leak internally. Any time I’ve seen coolant in the oil it has been a cracked block, unsealed water pump bolt, or timing cover gasket.

 

[terryjm1]

3 days now. The flow out of the leak is a little faster than the first day.

If I am remembering correctly, your D1 had head gaskets done shortly before you purchased it.

 

[outono]

If I am remembering correctly, your D1 had head gaskets done shortly before you purchased it.

The engine was allegedly "re-gasketed" about 2-3 years ago, right before the previous owner bought it. Flyfish and Lunchbox worked on the truck and then the vehicle was sold to me this summer.

I emailed the shop that did the engine work and they said they don't remember what they did and had no records. To me, that says it was a crap job or they didn't actually do anything. When I redid the cooling system, there was no thermostat in the engine and a couple of the lines were 13+ years old. So, if they did any sort of engine refresh, they cut a lot of corners...

The engine is a 4.0 from a RRC P38. Im not sure if there are minute differences...