Possible Nord 2lt Head Gasket problems

[SimonR]

Hi guys I am hoping someone out there can confirm if my headgasket is stuffed or should I not be worrying.

The other day I checked my radiator overflow tank (2 days after a long drive on a fairly warm day back from Wakefield VRA drive day) only to find it was pretty much empty and I have never had this problem before with this water level ever moving, on the drive home there was also no issues with the temp gauge reading hot as it sat on about 90c. I then looked around the head/block area and found a green stain on the block under the head (on the carby side of the motor only), which I think was the radiator coolant remnants. I then rang a friend who said dont panic and maybe put some "silverseal" on the radiator overflow and go for a 15 min drive and maybe also re-tension the head as this could be the cause for the leak.  I placed the silverseal in there and after 15 mins of driving found that there was no leaking or issues with a hot temp guage either.   A few days later I managed to borrow a torque wrench and when I loosened off the first head nut (to oil before retensioning) found green coolant spurt out of the head stud hole. This has never happened before when I have done this! I then nipped up the nut re-tensioned all other nuts without loosening off first and have panicked since then. My friend said this spurting from the stud doesnt appear to be a positive sign and it may need a new head gasket as insurance. I havent started the car since then.

Has anyone ever had this experience before and have they seen coolant spurt from a head stud? If so was it the first telltale of a later headgasket problem. Maybe the silverseal and re-tension will be enough to fix the problem.

I am meant to be driving from Sydney to Melb this thursday to attend the all alfa Phiilip Island 2 day meeting as a competitor and feeling uncertain as to taking a chance with this problem only to be left with a blown headgasket half way down to Melb or at the 2 day event itself.

Should I just book it in now for a new head gasket or stop worrying?

Thanks for your advice Simon

[alfagtv152]

Hi Simon,
Firstly do not panic over the coolant coming up the head studs as there is nothing to stop it happening as the clearance hole in the head for the stud is exposed to the water galleries around the liners.
I would not use any of those chemical leak stoppers for this reason as I have had an engine with the head
CHEMIWELDED ON and impossible to remove from the engine with 8ton jacks.The water leak can also come from the inlet Manifold,sometimes they can leak where the Manifold mates to the head.
If you do not have water in the oil,oil in the water or excessive moisture in the exhaust when hot,missfire on cold start and no overheating it sounds as though it is OK.Just keep an I on the coolant level and try to pinpoint the leak if it happens again as coolant can travel around the place and trick you.
See you at the Island next weekend
Cheers
Andrew Scadding

[jimnielsen]

Hi Simon, I have seen this plenty of times with these engines when re-tensioning the head if you back off the head nuts first. It has never been a problem for me.

jim.

[Stuart Thomson]

Hi Simon,

First of all I should preface this with "I'm an idiot who managed to bend a valve in his motor whilst installing a set of cams yesterday", but...

Yes, the water spurting from the holes is normal, if you have some water higher than the top of the head.  So you have an overflow tank, which by design is higher than the top of the head, you crack the seal on the top of the head (by undoing the nut) and the water runs downhill, from your header tank to the top of the head.  Drain the coolant from the engine first, bottom radiator hose is the way to go here, disconnect it.  Then retension your head, which is not a bad idea anyway.

The original leak was probably from the inlet manifold.  If you have time and the necessary parts I would pull the carbies and IM off to check, but beware the IM gasket is one of the stickiest SOBs and will take a long time to clean from both surfaces before reinstallation.

Cheers
Stuart

[SimonR]

Thanks guys, I feel a whole lot better now after reading your replies and advice!

I will re-check the carby manifold as it does make sense that the water is leaking from here as there was no green stain anywhere else. I am pretty sure there is no oil in the water or water in the oil etc so now not worrying so much about the head gasket.

I will drive down with a few orange juice containers full of water as backup!

THanks again Simon