were you using a coolant in the engine and changing it regularly?
Member
Blown head gasket, left side, cylinder #1. Photo of gasket follows.
Any educated guesses how it blew between cylinder and jacket?
In my haste to remove the head bolts, I failed to use a torque
wrench to check the upper/lower head bolts at #1.
Thoughts?
1964 Canary Yellow Buick LeSabre Convertible - bone stock, approaching 93,000 original miles.
300ci, aluminum heads, 4bbl, 2spd, A/C, PS, PB
Member
were you using a coolant in the engine and changing it regularly?
Member
I haven't personally changed it - I took possession of theOriginally Posted by nzmuzza
car (from my parents) over a year ago. The car has, for
the most part, been sitting in the garage with an occasional
drive around the block. But for the last few weeks, I've
been driving it on a more daily basis.
I had, in the past, checked the coolant with a hydrometer,
which checked okay, and a visual check showed it to be
"clear" (not 'clear' as in water-only) ... no particulates.
1964 Canary Yellow Buick LeSabre Convertible - bone stock, approaching 93,000 original miles.
300ci, aluminum heads, 4bbl, 2spd, A/C, PS, PB
Senior Member
I've read that certain coolants mixed with the iron block and alum heads = eloctrolysis that eats away the old gasket materials... that + loosing torque on the bolts =
blown head gaskets.... no one to fault really... just another learning experience
Butch
64 Wildcat 445
64 LeSabre 310
455 sitting on trailer
ready to be dropped
into something
Member
A respondent to me out at v8Buick.com mentioned that
Buick switched to iron heads in '65 because of the many
head gasket failures they had dealt with.
Looks like I'll just have to anticipate it and maybe every
10k miles, check the torque on the head bolts.
Another thought - could '65 heads be used (if another
head gasket blows)?
.
1964 Canary Yellow Buick LeSabre Convertible - bone stock, approaching 93,000 original miles.
300ci, aluminum heads, 4bbl, 2spd, A/C, PS, PB
Member
very important to use the correct coolant and amount and to change it regularly as it does break down,
check that the heads are flat. If the engine has ever been run hot they may have warped. Take them to an auto machine shop to confirm.
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Thanks Bob ...
I got my trusty straight-edge out and, sliding it parallel
from exhaust end to intake end, then checked at an
angle (various angles) along various sections of the
heads. I couldn't ask for flatter heads
1964 Canary Yellow Buick LeSabre Convertible - bone stock, approaching 93,000 original miles.
300ci, aluminum heads, 4bbl, 2spd, A/C, PS, PB
Senior Member
That is absolutely the most common place for Buick's to lose the head gasket. The iron headed ones do it too. It is just age and corrosion that do it. Even if your heads are flat if you can feel an indentation on the head where the fire ring of the gasket sits ( this is called Brinnelling ) I would still have the heads surfaced before bolting them back on. If the heads are aluminum you will want the smoothest surface that the machine shop can put on them. If you properly install the heads you should not need to periodically check the bolts for proper torque. Another coolant check to do is to use a volt meter to see if your cooling system is generating any voltage. As any two dissimilar metals with a liquid between them will act like a battery. If you are getting a current it's time to flush and refill the cooling system with new coolant.
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