FYI FORD - MustangSteve's Ford Mustang Forum
The Internet's Most Knowledgeable Classic Mustang Information
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT CLASSIC FORD MUSTANGS, YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE!
MustangSteve has over 30 years of Mustang experience, having owned 30 of them and restored several others. With the help of other Mustangers, this site is dedicated to helping anyone wanting to restore or modify their Mustang.... THERE ARE NO DUMB QUESTIONS!!!!!
Visit MustangSteve's web site to view some of my work and find details for:
FYIFORD Contributors' PICTURES - Power Brake Retrofit Kits for 65-66 Stangs - Classic Mustang FAQ's by MustangSteve - How to wire in a Duraspark Ignition - Mustang Ride Height Pictures and Descriptions - Steel Bushings to fit Granada Spindles to Mustang Tie Rods - Visit my EBAY store MustangSteve Performance - How to Install Granada Disc Brakes MustangSteve's Disc Brake Swap Page - FYIFORD Acronyms for guide to all the acronyms used on this page - FYIFORD Important information and upcoming events

You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?

  • Index
  •  » FYI Ford, Classic Mustang Tech Discussion
  •  » Coolant Leak Update

    • 1 of 1

       

    12/06/2020 4:56 PM  #1

    kardad
    I FYI 24-7

    Offline

    From: Lexington Ky
    Registered: 12/03/2019
    Posts: 305

    Coolant Leak Update

    Couldn’t figure out how to add photos to an existing post.

    I believe Bullet Bob had the answer.

    It looks like a Fel Pro gasket was used and that doesn’t line up with the AFR water port.


     

    12/06/2020 5:01 PM  #2

    RV6
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

    Offline

    From: Pine Junction, CO
    Registered: 3/01/2016
    Posts: 1,249

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    Well that sucks large time. 

    Gary Zilik - Pine Junction, Colorado - 67 Coupe, 289-4V, T5
     

    12/06/2020 5:38 PM  #3

    Bullet Bob
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

    Offline

    From: Montrose, Colorado
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 4,887

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    Yup, that's what I found also.  I'm going to try just a smidge of RTV this time.  Or...more pepper.  AFR, best you can get.  Except for this kind of crap and the rocker studs on mine look like porcupine quills as far as the angles go.  And the valves stem height varied as much as .060.  All of that makes setting push rod length and rocker position on the valve a major PITA.
    My machinist fixed the valve stem length but the goofy rocker studs would require major work...just not worth the expense for a street engine.  If I had my mill set up.....

    "you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
     

    12/06/2020 5:43 PM  #4

    Bullet Bob
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

    Offline

    From: Montrose, Colorado
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 4,887

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    If I had been thinking I would have had my Tiging friend fill that hole a bit before the headwork was done.  I'm going to try a very shallow trough in the gasket filled with RTV.  It's getting just like when we had to make custom head gaskets for the old Riley 4-port.

     

    "you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
     

    12/07/2020 6:13 AM  #5

    TKOPerformance
    Hyper FYIFORD ADDICT

    Offline

    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,502

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    Yep, I'd just skin both sides with silicone in the effected area.  The hole is probably just beyond the sealing bead on the gasket.  Odd that its like that. 

     

    12/07/2020 6:54 AM  #6

    kardad
    I FYI 24-7

    Offline

    From: Lexington Ky
    Registered: 12/03/2019
    Posts: 305

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    The Gasket that was on there is a Fel Pro 1011-2 4.100 Bore and .039 Compressed thickness.

    The Cometic MLS is 4.030 Bore and .040 compressed thickness. I don't see any reason it would hurt to apply a paper thin layer of silicone around the water ports, any thoughts.
    The Cometic sealing ridge looks to be further out vs the Fel pro which is good.
     

       •Thread Starter
     

    12/07/2020 12:24 PM  #7

    6sally6
    Hyper FYIFORD ADDICT

    Offline

    From: Surfside Beach,SC
    Registered: 4/02/2013
    Posts: 6,855

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    I would check with AFR and see what they recommend.. Maybe Cometic also.
    It's a bunch of work pulling heads and gambling on a squirt of RTV to seal'em up.......(I'm sure you have thought this too)
    Cometic is suppose to be a 'top-shelf' product though!
    Let us know.
    6s6

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    12/07/2020 1:45 PM  #8

    kardad
    I FYI 24-7

    Offline

    From: Lexington Ky
    Registered: 12/03/2019
    Posts: 305

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    I was thinking Cometic and a thin fingers swipe of RVT at the cooling ports.

    AFR still says use the Fel Pro gasket that I have, No Thanks

    Looking at the photos of the Cometic, its raised boss around the cooling ports looks much further spread apart compared to the Fel Pro.

       •Thread Starter
     

    12/07/2020 5:10 PM  #9

    Bullet Bob
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

    Offline

    From: Montrose, Colorado
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 4,887

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    kardad wrote:

    I was thinking Cometic and a thin fingers swipe of RVT at the cooling ports.

    AFR still says use the Fel Pro gasket that I have, No Thanks

    Looking at the photos of the Cometic, its raised boss around the cooling ports looks much further spread apart compared to the Fel Pro.

    I'll be waiting for your pix and opinion. 

    "you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
     

    12/07/2020 7:00 PM  #10

    kardad
    I FYI 24-7

    Offline

    From: Lexington Ky
    Registered: 12/03/2019
    Posts: 305

    Re: Coolant Leak Update





    The Cometic raised boss appears to cover a much larger area and should solve the issue. I also considered tigging an area at the corner of the water port but then I would need to resurface the head as well, which isn’t out of the question.

       •Thread Starter
     

    12/07/2020 7:31 PM  #11

    Bullet Bob
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

    Offline

    From: Montrose, Colorado
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 4,887

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    I think the TIG is the best answer but the would have to be lightly surfaced.  That Cometic gasket looks like it will work also.  I'm considering a bit of JB weld instead of TIG.  I've used that stuff for a lot of things I didn't think would work but it did.  Worst case, I'm back to the pepper.
     

    "you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
     

    12/07/2020 9:36 PM  #12

    Nos681
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

    Offline

    From: Atlantic Mine, Michigan
    Registered: 7/14/2016
    Posts: 3,336

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    what vintage of AFR165’s are those?

    Alignment issue with heads os what your title refers too.
    Your pictures are on the engine block.

    Do MLS gaskets require a particular surface finah to work correctly?

    Last edited by Nos681 (12/08/2020 6:02 AM)

     

    12/08/2020 6:25 AM  #13

    kardad
    I FYI 24-7

    Offline

    From: Lexington Ky
    Registered: 12/03/2019
    Posts: 305

    Re: Coolant Leak Update



    AFR 165 model # 1472, bought around 2009

    The AFR water ports are bigger than the water ports in the block and the gasket sealing surface of the Fel Pro gasket recommended by AFR doesn’t extend out enough. The dark brown spot it the gasket is the water passage of the head, and as you can see that is why it leaks.

    Apparently I’m not the first to run into this issue. The fix is either add material to the corner of the water passage of the head or use a different gasket that extends out further. I believe I am going to do both after I talk to my machinest. I would want to take off as little head surface as possible when I have to clean them up from adding material.

    This is my second set of AFRs and love them, the last set was on a 351(392) and I used the multi-layer gasket with no problem.

    Don’t ask why I had someone else assemble this motor, long story and lesson learned.

       •Thread Starter
     

    12/08/2020 6:58 AM  #14

    TKOPerformance
    Hyper FYIFORD ADDICT

    Offline

    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,502

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    Nos681 wrote:

    what vintage of AFR165’s are those?

    Alignment issue with heads os what your title refers too.
    Your pictures are on the engine block.

    Do MLS gaskets require a particular surface finah to work correctly?

    Not really.  They want a 60 RA, which is what a composition gasket is designed to be used on.  Factory MLS gaskets want a finer finish like a 30 RA, but the Cometics are meant for repair use and are designed to work on deck surfaces with standard finishes.  I can tell you that the Cometics are a really nice product and I did not notice any issues with any of the passages in the heads or block with mine. 
     

     

    12/08/2020 7:15 AM  #15

    kardad
    I FYI 24-7

    Offline

    From: Lexington Ky
    Registered: 12/03/2019
    Posts: 305

    Re: Coolant Leak Update

    SOLD, I'm going to order a set today, the longer this thing sets apart the more tempted I get to make changes.

       •Thread Starter
     

     

    1 of 1

  • Index
  •  » FYI Ford, Classic Mustang Tech Discussion
  •  »  Coolant Leak Update

    • Board footera


    REMEMBER!!! When posting a question about your Mustang or other Ford on this forum, BE SURE to tell us what it is, what year, engine, etc so we have enough information to go on.