250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

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chris
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 7:52 am

250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

Post by chris »

Dear All,

here comes an engine question.

I have mounted both heads on my Gte engine and want to pressure test the head gasket sealings.

Two questions:
1.) The 330 handbook says to test with 125 psi, thats about 8.5 bar. This is very high compared to the normal running conditions! What pressure do you use for testing?

2.) I blanked of the side exit where the water coming from the water pump enter the block and use a warm water hose to feed water via the water rail running beside the block. I will use the y-piece in the V between the heads to a.) let air escape while filling the system and b.) apply pressure via a hand pump with manometer. See pictures. What do the experts think? Am I able to fill the block with water this way or are there better ways?

Any comments on how you do it are very welcomed.

Thanks a lot.
Christopher

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tyang
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Re: 250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

Post by tyang »

Hi Christopher,

Most of the head gasket leaks I have seen on fresh installations has been from the water passages, and have come immediately after filling the engine with coolant without pressure! Considering the radiator caps should be running under 10 pounds of pressure, you should see leaks pretty early on if you have them. The higher pressures are to check the combustion sealing.

On an interesting side note, I had an email exchange with an engineer at Elring a couple of weeks ago about their gasket failures. They're finally considering addressing this ongoing issue by making a special run of gaskets. When I discussed the issues we've been experiencing for a dozen years, they feel the problem does not lie with the hardness of the fiber material, but with the amount of crush the fire ring was designed to allow the water passages to seal. Considering we already have a solution with Australian made gaskets, I don't know if I want to be the guinea pig to test these new gaskets!

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
chris
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 7:52 am

Re: 250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

Post by chris »

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the helpful answer.

Does the proposed setup for the test as described by me make sense?

I must confess that Elring did contact you because of me. I made them aware of the trouble with their gaskets and recommend to speak to Piet Roloefs and you to get info on failures. What I like about it that they immediately took up the problem and look for a solution.

Hope you do not mind me mentioning you.

Christopher
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tyang
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Re: 250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

Post by tyang »

Hi Christopher,

I believe Elring knew about these issues, but failed to do anything about it until recently. They seem to be coming to the party a little late. Although I feel Murray Clegg in Australia deserves to sell his gaskets as the only solution to this long time problem, but I am willing to help anyone who brings a solution to this problem. It will yet to be seen if Elring comes up with a solution to a problem that has already been solved, and to see if their gaskets are any cheaper than Murray's. I don't know if I would want to try out an untested gasket when we have one that works, especially when you consider how much labor it is to change out a bad gasket. I'm sticking with Murray!

Your setup seems fine. Pressure to the cooling system will equalize however you plug up the passages. You'll know pretty quickly if you missed a water passage!

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
chris
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 7:52 am

Re: 250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

Post by chris »

Thanks Tom!
chris
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 7:52 am

Re: 250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

Post by chris »

Hi Tom,

Two questions in regard to the gaskets from Murray Glegg:
1.) what torque do you use for the head bolts with this gasket?
2.) do you use any additional spray sealing like VHT?

Thanks a lot
Christopher
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tyang
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Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: New York
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Re: 250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

Post by tyang »

Hi Christopher,

I use a torque setting at about 55lb/ft. We have gone as high at 60ft/lbs, but it's pushing the limits of the head studs pulling out of the aluminum block.

Although a coating on Murray's head gaskets are supposedly not needed, I still use some kind of gasket dressing. I use a spray on copper gasket dressing, and have used a brush on product as well. With the issues we've had with bad gaskets in the past, we want to insure no leaks by sealing the gasket with every tool in our arsenal! The labor to pull a head off because of leaks is not worth not taking these extra steps.

Good luck!

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
chris
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 7:52 am

Re: 250 engine water pressure test cylinder heads

Post by chris »

Hi Tom,

Thanks a lot for the info.

Thanks
Christopher
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