Ford Muscle Cars Tech Forum banner

Aluminum SCJ Head leaks

1609 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  FEandGoingBroke
I put a set of the new SCJ Heads on my 460, F350 4X4. I did retorque the heads @ 600 miles. I have noticed a small anti-freeze leak, drivers side when the truck has set for a day or two, on the cold days, under 30. After it is warm or on a warmer day like today 40+ it dosent leak at all. Seems to seep at the #5 cylinder area only. Enough to se a spot under the truck. The block was decked prior to assembly by the best machinest in the area, so I don't suspect that. I used Felpro head gaskets with compresson thickness of .051 I live in Minot North Dakota, the temps can be from 20 in the mornings & to 65 by afternoon. So is this typical of aluminum heads to leak when cold, or should I be looking into different head gaskets?
SCJF350
1 - 2 of 7 Posts
Thanks for the replies to the leaking head. The block was decked by the best enging builder in the area, & the heads were brand new, so I don't suspect any of that. The intake has leaked in the past, but other than pukeing oil out the rear above 3500 rpm the anti-freeze leak has stopped. I have new intake gaskets & a couple valve cover breathers coming to fix that problem. Before I retorqued the head @ 600 miles it seeped just at the small gasket tab sticking out at the front. Now it is farther back & below. I talked to the machinest today & he said that it could be the Felpro gasket might allow some slipage / seepage when it is cold, being Fords have one less head bolt than bb chevys. He recomended Cometic Head Gaskets if I do have to relace it. They are @ $100.00 EACH, but he said he has never had one of them fail even up to 16:1 comprtession with out an O Ring. So I will keep an eye on it. It only leaks out on the ground & when it's cold. Spring is almost here. I'll have to look closer to see if it might be from the intake. Not an easy task,...those of you with bifogals will understand. Thanks
SCJF350

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: SCJF350 on 4/6/06 11:50am ]</font>
See less See more
1 - 2 of 7 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top