Water leaking by head studs

[hotrod 80]

Anybody ever used the radiator sealent tabs to stop water seeping by head studs ?

[cableguy0]

Rather than crud up the rest of the cooling system I would pull the studs and use sealer on them. If you pull them one at a time and retorque you will probably be fine. I know pulling the studs is last resort but its probably the only sure way to fix the problem.

[hotrod 80]

Thanks , i only had one barely dripping . Called the machinist and he said the same thing . Pull the stud and reseal it . These heads have like .060 ( cant remember the actual number ) angle milled off them . They ended up like 20 degrees . the chambers have been cnc 'd to get the cc back . Being a small body getting to the one stud is a pain . Pasengerside outboard 4th stud from the front . Right under the header tube . I unbolted the header and to pull the stud i have to remove the header . Which meant starter , torsion bar , exhaust etc , etc . Machinist told me he runs GM coolent sealer tabs that they used for the northstar cadillac . Ground up 4 of them and pre dissolved them in a cup of water and dumped them in . Watched the leak seal before my eyes . Let it cool down and heat cycled it again . no leaks .

Probably not the correct fix , but i am working days and dont have time to tear into it . I also have a points race next weekend . I will flush the system soon and im moving from a 22 x 19 rad with short pump and flex fan to a 26 x 19 with a shroud and electric fan and a edelbrock electric water pump . So cooling system crud i will flush . If this was a full size i would have pulled the offender and resealed it .

[cableguy0]

You will be fine. Believe me I get it. Tearing stuff apart over a simple issue is enough to make you crazy. Its domino effect and then the you might as well's kick in. All the sudden 10 cents worth of sealer on a bolt turn into a 2000 dollar job. LOL

[71Dragtruck]

I hear you also, I did my oil pan gasket and had no leaks at all on my motor, got the vac pump setup, look at it and there is one small drip on the oil bung, snug it up more but still one small bead of oil on the the bung after I drive it. Piss me right off, every time I change oil I put a new bung gasket on, a good Moroso bronze one too, but screw that it has fresh Lucas in it now and it I'm not dealing with it until next oil change.

[hotrod 80]

We will see . I will heat cycle it tonight . I will know when i open the garage if there is a spot on the floor .

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

I can look at this two ways.. Sealant on the threads ( dart blocks are dry holes he he ) or the use of aluma seal. I myself do not see any issue with that. It is extremely common today to have major car company's use this product. Aluma seal does not gunk up the system. I have delt with a heat core weep. Two company's claim to have fixed it due to the 62 deluxe system I cannot buy a new heater core. Bars seal is a great product . In fact for bead locks 2-4 OZ of this and 1-2 oz of antifreeze will stop bead locks from loosing air. I use this in my sand rail as I have 4 wheels with bead locks and the tires are less than great construction. Stopped the leaks cold and even with long off season sitting air pressure down a few lbs. Silly maybe but in the end I have found that times are you can put all things together the best you can and you get a slight weep. Sucks I know and if I can use a something to stop it and prevent any tiny weepage issues.

[POPO1984]

I used the sealant tabs that you get at the dealer. They worked good for me no problems.

[Marv D]

Last GM 400 block I built had problems with coolant wicking up the head studs. I pulled each one,, one by one and put them back in with a smear of the rightstuff (thinking my worries were over).. HA!! not a chance. Was still finding milky slime under the rocker covers and it isnt humid here in this DRY HEAT Bull Crap....I finally pulled it apart and put the head studs in with Locktite GREEN (Sleeve retainer)

That will seal them up every time. And with a MAP gas torch, it will let loose when you need to disassemble.

[hotrod 80]

Definately have a temp problem . I will be flushing this morning and adding some type of octal alcohol or water wetter . I flushed it once last night before the semis . It was 215 after the finals . Stuff coming out looked like mud . I have a electric water pump and electric fan . Will probably order a larger radiator also . Not real happy about the mud water though

[hotrod 80]

Update: i fired the truck Sat and went straight to the water hose rack . Pulled the bottom water hose and flushed the block and radiator for about 20 minutes til it came out clean . It was better heat wise , but i was still fighting the temp . Head studs continued to stay sealed though .

[71Dragtruck]

You running a stat or restrictor plate? Mine ran cooler with the smaller restrictor plate in it, rad took out more heat with the fluid moving through a bit slower.


On a side note, I just went from a Edelbrock aluminium mechanical pump with a Moroso electric drive motor on it and dual cheaper puller fans with a full custom aluminum shroud to a Moroso electric pump and dual good spiral blade pusher fans no shroud and runs WAY cooler now.

I think the key words are the pump and good fans, puller with a shroud would be even better yet, but it's night and day difference with the new pump, not sure if its moving fluid slower yet or just faster, maybe just right, but seams to be the ticket. My old pump I tried bigger and smaller drive pulleys on the electric motor and ran same either way, heard someone else complain about the Edelbrock aluminum pump so not sure what was up, but it's off now. I had also at one time ran that pump with pulleys off the crank, large and small and would run warm on the street, I also have a huge BeCool rad setup, system just wouldn't work for me, even tried taking some timing out on the street. Now its like woo hoo success at last.

Just throwing out some random findings.

[hotrod 80]

The truck will only allow me to use a 22 x 19 radiator right now . I am taking it to the chassis shop to have the core support strenghened to allow me to trim it to make room for a 26 x 19 with 1 puller and and electric water pump . I have a thermostat with the center removed right now .