429 Head Gasket

[Marty Krizay]

I believe I have identified the drivers side cylinder head that has a blown head gasket on a 1967 429 engine. I found water on one spark plug and the exhaust is wet with a strong smell of coolant. Once I remove the head, I anticipate finding a puddle of water and rust. My question is what should I use to clean-up and prep for a new head gasket? Should I have a machine shop look at the head to see if it contributed to the gasket failure? What should I expect to pay for the machine shop to prep a head? I know the cylinder heads were torqued to specs. when installed one year ago---what went wrong? Does anyone have tips so I dont have to do this again down the road?

Marty

[Mike #19861]

 There should be no problem with rust in the cylinder bore of the engine. Just make sure all the coolant is cleaned out before you reinstall the head.

 Unless the gasket shows obvious signs of failure, you will need to have the head checked for cracks. Make sure it is flat as well. Maximum warpage specs should be published in the shop manual. But I would think anything more than one or two thou would be cause to have the head resurfaced.

 Also, rotate the engine so that the piston is a BDC and thoroughly inspect the cyinder bore for cracking. This could lead to coolant intrusion also. Not common, but possible.

 Since you have one head off, it would be wise to do them both. If one head gasket has failed, it may be possible that the other is not far behind. It is not a whole lot more work to remove the other head at this point.

 Make sure the other head is flat as well. Also, the dowels that locate the head are important. If they are loose, then they can allow the head to migrate during heat cycles leading to gasket failure.

 Check the block also for flatness. If it is out of spec, then it will have to be decked. Again, the specs should be published in the manual.

 Cleaning is important too. Block sand the head and block surfaces untill they are spotless clean. Only use any sealer if it is specifically recommended by the gasket manufacturer.

 And, use only quality parts. I could recommend Victor-Reinz or Fel-Pro gaskets. Other gaskets may not have the quality for a good long term repair. They may cost a bit more, but will be much cheaper in the end if you have to do it again because you used second rate parts.

 Another thing, keep in mind that the 1967 429 is unique from the others. Oiling to the rockers is done through the pushrod tubes, so this eliminates the need for the oil passage to the rocker shaft. So you should use only gaskets designed for the 1967 engine.

  Mike