318..blown head gasket??

[DusterKrazy]

Okay, I was working on the 1974 Dart today and backed it up into it's usual spot. I then noticed steam coming from under the hood (temp gauge on this thing is tempermental) and on the driver's side rear, the header bolt looked like it had turned out quite a bit and it was streaming out coolant right onto the starter. I checked the oil and noticed it that their was a strange tint but not milky.

I figure I have blown the head gasket and thought I'd ask because this would be the first time that this has happened to me. My luck is striking out fierce lately...

 

[hcarr]

It is prob. just leaking from the loose header bolt. That bolt goes into the water jacket on the head. I would wrap some teflon tape on the threads and tighten it back down.
Howard

 

[zakimodo]

If its the stud on the very end of the head it could just be leaking coolant. Those studs go directly into the coolant passage of the head. That doesn't explain your oil color but is something to check. Is your oil level high? If there is enough coolant and oil mixed together it makes the oil a very gooey, sticky and a brown color.(allot lighter than dirty oil)

 

[dustermaniac]

That rear header bolt is also a water jacket bolt and will leak coolant if not sealed and torqued properly.

 

[DusterKrazy]

If its the stud on the very end of the head it could just be leaking coolant. Those studs go directly into the coolant passage of the head. That doesn't explain your oil color but is something to check. Is your oil level high? If there is enough coolant and oil mixed together it makes the oil a very gooey, sticky and a brown color.(allot lighter than dirty oil)

Thanks for your insight. The oil could be a little old and maybe that causes the color? It has been sitting a while and you do tend to forget things when you have more than a few vehicles. I will tighten that up and go from there.

I also noticed that you have shaved 360 heads on your 318. Did you shave the intake face on the heads or shave the intake? I am going to do this soon.

 

[zakimodo]

I shaved the intake down. I think the correct way to do this is to shave the intake side of the head. The reason I shaved the intake is because it had some pitting on it that needed to be taken out (and it was free). When I build my next engine I will probably get the intake side of the head shaved down.

 

[dodge freak]

Change that oil. U had a rough winter and likely moister just got in to the oil. That morning drew on your windshield can also happen inside the engine. When oil was cheap, people changed the oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles. Today I see people go 15,000 miles