I've been putting in either Bars Leak or Alumaseal in every time I have things apart for 50 years. Thats how the old timers did it in the 50's and it still works for me. I even put Alumaseal in my over the road trucks. I turn the water filter off for a thousand miles or so and then when I turn it on again, I suppose it filters out the sealer, but its already done its job.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

ARP is adamant that a fastener must be in tension to perform properly. When you back off on the recommended torque you lose any advantage there is in a higher quality fastener. In other words, a cheap fastener torqued correctly might do a better job than a high quality fastener that has not be stretched sufficiently.

Its a matter of preload, so when the parts expand and contract with heat the fastener will always exert pressure on the parts being clamped together.

http://ford-y-block.com 

20 miles east of San Diego, 20 miles north of Mexico

Fellas- The "cubes" that Tim refers to are also available as a Delco part # (#slips my mind at the moment) available at any GM dealer. The factory uses them in new engines, I was told. Tell them you want the engine coolant sealing tabs, they SHOULD know what you want. The local engine shop highly recommends them and have been using them for years. I always dropped a few into the water jackets on any engine I've ever rebuilt, and they do work well.... /Duck

BOO- YA!!!

I've used Bars Leaks in the past and it WILL stop a BIG leak, it also decreased the efficiency of my heater and I imagine the pellet goop also settles out in the lower part of the engine water jacket.

I have a friend who worked for Ford at the Cleveland plant and he told me that FoMoCo used ALUMASEAL in every engine at the factory. I was skeptical, but he swore by it. I guess this is a case of preventive "medicine"?

It's available at most auto parts stores. Its a silver powder and comes in a small plastic tube.

Has anyone tried it?

FIGHT CONFORMITY! 

I torque all my studs too 80 lbs and that seems to work out better than the 75 lbs and I always run a small bottle of bars stop leak to seal anything that may need it in a new engine. I've been told that new cars have bars stop leak added before they leave the factory?? to thke care of any leaks that could happen.

-Gary Burnette-

Tim,



Also curious about product-use details. It occurred to me that some soak time would likely be indicated, so cubes could be well dissolved before the thermostat opens (after starting up a fresh rebuild)? In case heat is required to accomplish an adequate seal, what about filling the block with boiling water, soaking until cool, and then draining/refilling before first start-up to eliminate any possibility of radiator clogging?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Tim,

Google search for "Well-Tight" block sealer cubes came up zilch. Do you have a package handy with manufacturer data that might help locate a source? Variations on that name & spelling seem quite common (valve seats, adhesives, etc.).

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

had a similar leak myself;finally tried the Bar-Leak... the stuff had kind of a gold fleck look to it... put it in with just water in the rad and engine; started it up, let it get hot, no more leak...

then drained it out and replaced with 50/50 water and antifreeze... still no more leak and the temp is right where it should be...

so... there ya go...

Mark

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

The gaskets in use are the new JM design.  I thought they were made by Felpro but he said not a couple days ago.  He said that the specs called for 80 ft. lbs., but not sure if he was referring to the gaskets or studs.  At the time it seemed to be the studs.  The gasket's cylinder rings apparently have not been compressing sometimes, and the maker has begun rolling the gaskets, I guess to get a partial compression.   Maybe this set was prior to the rolling.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

John Memmert has a newly designed head gasket for y blocks that may eliminate your problem should it reoccur . Hopefully it will not