What do you think caused this?

365 Saleen

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MG0h3

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Fluid got in there. How’s the gasket look? You can see the pattern in the combustion chamber that indicates fluid. Looks like some started going into the cylinder next door as well.


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365 Saleen

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The other side of the gasket looks the same.
This was after a total of 10 min of run time. Most of that 10 min was getting the engine to idle, run for 30 seconds, die, make adjustments, run for 45 seconds, die, make adjustments. Finally got the engine to idle at 1,400 rpm for about 3 min and water temp reached 170*F and the cooling system started to boil over and the remote water pump was cavitating. Trans was never put into gear, engine was never put under load. Engine has 11.0:1 compression. Fuel is from OneEthanol, octane of 117. Engine had 25* of timing at idle speed.
 
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Relaxed Chaos

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But from where?
Look closely at the discolored areas on the head. Done of the areas look great, like they sealed up correctly. Other areas look like they were potentially leaking into two cylinders. Could be either around or through the head gasket.
 

MG0h3

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Do the head bolts go into coolant jackets? Boosted engine?

Look at the clamping areas from the bad cylinder and to the right.

You can see they aren’t defined as well as the clamping areas to the left.

You can also see where it may have leaked between cylinders slightly.

The whole bottom side of the head, especially to the right, looks like it wasn’t clamped as right or lifted.

I’d have the head and deck checked for flatness.


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MG0h3

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Look closely at the discolored areas on the head. Done of the areas look great, like they sealed up correctly. Other areas look like they were potentially leaking into two cylinders. Could be either around or through the head gasket.

Ha. Didn’t read this until I posted but I spotted the same thing.


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365 Saleen

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This was a fresh rebuild. Bored to 4.135, Heads surfaced, valve grind, new valves, new pistons. Yes, it is a boosted engine, but it never got above 1,500 rpm, car on jack stands. Max of 10 min of run time, no load. Brand new ARP studs (1/2) torqued in 4 steps to 110 ft/lbs. Dart Iron Eagle Block. Brand new MLS head gaskets sprayed with high temp Copper Coat on both sides. I seriously doubt that it is from a gasket failure. Possible cylinder head crack in the combustion chamber? Otherwise only other think left is the block it's self.
 
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365 Saleen

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On Monday, the short block, cylinder heads and head gaskets are going back to the machine shop to pressure test the heads, get a 2nd opinion on the head gaskets and to get the block checked on that #6 cylinder.
I paid $6,400 to have this "re-fresh" done. They had the engine for over a year. I got it back a couple of months ago.
 

MG0h3

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Brutal. Never heard of spraying with copper.

Guess that’s what the print is from.

Might have something to do with the odd coloring inside the combustion. Chamber as well.


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365 Saleen

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What is even more brutal is the fact that this machine shop had the engine because another machine shop really screwed up the original rebuild. It was so bad that the heads were never bolted onto the block. That first machine shop took the engine from 4.090 out to 4.125 in the typical 363 build. I paid that first machine shop $6,200. So far I am into this re-build about $13K if you count gaskets, fluids ect. and it still is not right.
The first re-build had a lot of taper in the cylinder walls, pistons were tight at the bottom of the bore, they stripped out a head bolt hole, there was sand in the cylinder heads, they put back in a 4 year old oil pump, even though I asked for new, they charged me $450 for a "competition" valve grind and did not do a valve grind, I asked for 11.0:1 compression and it was actually 10.4:1 and about a half dozen other little things.
All told, this engine has spent over 2 years in 2 different machine shops.
The frustration level is over the top.
 

railroad

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With that piston deck height, I would be sure to run a thick composite head gasket.
Cylinders I have seen that had a coolant leak were clean like the 3 in your pics. The one cyl with color was not getting coolant, my interpretation.
I would be OCD on tightening sequence and tq steps on heads after that episode.
Good luck on getting it right and enjoying.
 

beau t

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Did they deck the block or heads? Might be worth grabbing a straight edge and cleaning the block and head and laying a straight edge across it in a bunch of different locations looking for gaps with feeler gauges or a light on the back side and see if light is shining under it - its a free check if you got a straight edge and gauges. Between cylinder 2 and 3 does not look to be clamped like the others (looking at the head) the clamp force didn't leave a nice clean impression like you see on the others - midway up to the top side it looks likely that might be where it was a issue - - Maybe?
 

365 Saleen

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With that piston deck height, I would be sure to run a thick composite head gasket.
Cylinders I have seen that had a coolant leak were clean like the 3 in your pics. The one cyl with color was not getting coolant, my interpretation.
I would be OCD on tightening sequence and tq steps on heads after that episode.
Good luck on getting it right and enjoying.
Not going to run a thick composite head gasket at 20 psi.
It is a MLS gasket at .041 compressed thickness. That is more than enough with a zero deck.
The reasons the pistons are clean (except for #6) is because the engine burns E85 and it ran for a max of 10 min with only 3 of those min being continuous run time.
Even on pump gas you would not have seen any color on the pistons after that short of running time.
 

Roots-type

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Don't know what caused this, but I hope you get it fixed CORRECTLY this time and on their dime. You've spent enough of yours already.

Ive only ever dealt with one machine shop and they wouldn't own their mistakes. I hope your luck gets better. I'm sort of a factory motor guy now. If one lets go, it's either a new crate engine or a good running pull out of another car.
 

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