My day ruined......

[dunhamfield]

I finally got all my coolant system buttoned up and so I tested it today. I put two gallons of water in before hearing that dreaded noise of water hitting the concrete floor.:doh
I found water pouring from the head gasket at the spark plugs.:cuss
I am out of time for now cause I gotta start cleanin up for our annual 4th of July party. So it will be after the party before I can start back peddleing and try to find out what I did wrong....:bang
I was really working overtime trying to get it running before the party:cry

[johnnyrod]

I just put new Felpro head gaskets on my 348 and had the same thing happen. So we retorqued the heads and still leaked. With nothin to loose we put barrs leak and wow all better now. There was antifreeze comin out all along the bottom edge of the engine on both sides,right at thr head and block mating area. No water in the oil pan either. So maybe this might help you. John:D

[Ronnie Russell]

4 years ago , after building a 455 Buick, and doing Buick research, I read where one of the Buick gurus always fires the engine dry and lets run for 1 min. His theory is that the initial heat helps seal the head gasket. Evidently this is a common problem with Buicks. Even though I havent experienced problems with the W-heads, I now fire them dry also, because it makes sense to me. Am not recommending this, only an opinion.

[jim_ss409]

I noticed that one of the 409 parts supliers, I'm not sure, might have been Showcars:scratch actually includes a can of Barrs Leak in with a rebuild kit.

[SS425HP]

I've never fired one up dry, but I never put antifreeze in until I'm sure there are no leaks. Bearings don't like antifreeze.
Also have been told lately, antifreeze is a no no at NHRA tracks. Probably IHRA, too. Might want to keep that in mind.

[dunhamfield]

I did use felpro gaskets. I would never put stop leak in an engine. I did use pure water just for the reasons that you mentioned.
Guys, this is not a minor seep, it is literally pouring out!!!!!
I have been searching threads (as I always do when I run into a problem) and found mention about holes that are at the spark plugs. I cannot remember paying attention to that particular hole. I have another engine that was a running engine and has never been taken down. I notice that the head gasket pertrudes out at the spark plugs. My newly rebuilt engine does not. Maybe my unbuilt engine is before the water jacket around the spark plug. My new built engine obviously has them. They both have 333 heads.....
OH WELL I will find the problem once I have removed the heads.....
SOOOOOOO CLOSE YET SOOOOOOO FAR

[dq409]

I hope you installed that head gasket dry and did not use any copper paint on it.

good luck curing the problem,, dq

[models916]

Your block must have the pad and be drilled for the water passage for the 333 heads. If the block does not, passage in heads needs to be plugged. Welded or tapped and plugged, I don't remember if the hole in the head is round. We're talking early 1958 348 block only here. 409 blocks all had the pad and hole.