427 foam in valve covers

[Richard L.]

Re: 427 foam in valve covers

Problem found, I think!!! Sealed the rocker studs and pressured the system. Leaking has stopped. Will put oil back in the motor and run, hopefully this will fix the problem. For info, the heads are 077 and have thread inserts in all the holes. All but 2 stud holes go thru to the water jacket so they definitely need sealed. The person who put them together did seal them with blue permatex but did not do a good job. You have to be sure to get the sealant inside the tapped hole so the thread insert is sealed as well, I don't think you can just put sealant on the bolt and expect it to seal. I put the sealer in the hole as well as on the bolt.

[Loren L.]

Re: 427 foam in valve covers

I don't pretend to have the experience that some of the respondents have, but I was struck by one statement you made after you said you attempted to retorque the head bolts and "the bolts wouldn't move"; any chance that between the new heads & block that you have run into a situation where the head bolts are too long and are bottoming out and you're ending up with a false reading.......?

[Richard L.]

Re: 427 foam in valve covers

Loren, no the head bolts were the correct length and they run into the water jacket without bottoming out. When I tried to retorque them they were tight and the torque wrench was set at the proper setting. If you will notice in the previous posts that the type of gasket I used does not need retorqued, so this proved out with my attemp to retorque. Also notice that the leaking has stopped and I am in the home stretch. It was the rocker studs not being sealed correctly.