Ughhhh....could it be a gasket issue???

[bth0320]

Only way to really fix this right is to pull it apart and take it to the machine shop. The deck of the block doesn't appear to have been machined recently, and it is prob not flat. The Block Shop in Denver did all my work on my 451 and a 383, no issues. Have them check it and the heads for flatness. That 8519 gasket should work well. I used steel shims, and no leaks. Has to be a warped deck or maybe a head. I will send you a PM and you can call if you need help, I live in the L Wood area. Not far from you. Good luck.

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Also use the factory recommended torque sequence on the head bolts. Start at 30 ft lbs, then repeat the sequence at 10 pound increments till you get to 70 ft lbs. That pulls the head down very evenly.

Thanks for reaching out Gary! I am not familiar with The Block Shop but have been talking to Ridge Reamers over in Arvada. Pete over there has been great and let me borrow his deck plate just to confirm all of this before tearing it down. Thanks for sending your number as it is good to find fellow Mopar folks in the area and hopefully we can meet up sometime as I would love to see your cars!

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Let me just relate an issue I had with a 302 I stroked to a 347. Yes I am equal opportunity and do not discriminate. The machine shop decked the block to clean it up. I assembled the motor and it ran great. I didn't get alot of miles put on so the next year it started using water. I had neglected to check how far the head bolts went into the block and with the milling I was just short of getting my max torque. I had washers that came with the head bolts but didn't think I needed them because these heads came with inserts that I thought replaced the washers to make them useable on a 351 also. Luckily I just had to replace the head gaskets and add washers and all was good. To sum things up the head bolts were bottoming out before they were able to clamp the heads enough. Make sure you don't have the same issue or have crud down in the bottom of the threads in the block

Definitely a good thought that I didnt think of and wish that was it! I am sure that is not it though as I used a deck plate with the shop's bolts they provided which were slightly shorter than my head bolts.....still leaks. I will definitely check that after they clean up this block though!

 

[bm02tj]

It is all the little things that make a better motor biggest being cleaning and checking threads ,surfaces and clearances