Head leaking water

[tomcraig]

Old iron super stock head leaks a little water at the number 4 exhaust valve. Not a lot maybe half a cup per week end. Put a package of sealer that GM sells. Round golden pucks. Worked well. The motor is apart for service. Whats the best fix? Thanks

[Mike Pearson]

clean the water jacket the best you can using a caustic cleaner like Purple Stuff. Let it dry real good. Go to your local craft store and get some Enviro-Tex epoxy. That's the stuff they pour bar tops with. Mix it up and pour it in the water jacket and position the head so the epoxy will run to the area that you suspect it is leaking. I have fixed several heads this way and it has been permanent on them. Of course if you can see where it is leaking hit the area with some weld and then the epoxy treatment

[randy wilson]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

clean the water jacket the best you can using a caustic cleaner like Purple Stuff. Let it dry real good. Go to your local craft store and get some Enviro-Tex epoxy. That's the stuff they pour bar tops with. Mix it up and pour it in the water jacket and position the head so the epoxy will run to the area that you suspect it is leaking. I have fixed several heads this way and it has been permanent on them. Of course if you can see where it is leaking hit the area with some weld and then the epoxy treatment

Hey Mike, could you fix a set of iron Bow ties that Haskell did for me 15 years ago? They were awesome, till the epoxy broke loose, and filled about 5 cylinders with water. Just wondering, or should I trash them. Had a ton of $'s in them, and it's hard to trash them.

[BillK]

Tom,
First thing to do is pressure test the head and see where it is leaking. Good possibility it is around the exhaust guide. If that is the case they make oversize OD guides that should seal it up. If it is something in the casting itself then the other suggestions might work but the first thing to do is see exactly where it is leaking.