86 triz blowing head gaskets.

[TrikerR]

my freind just bought a 86 Z and the past owner had trouble blowing head gaskets. he told us that he too kthe head and cylinder to the mechanic and got the mating surfaces checked for imperfedtions and it was all good. the gaskets were brand new. he also went through the proper procedure of torquing it down then riding it then torqueing them back down again.

[Derrick Adams]

Is the cylinder over bored, and if so, is the gasket hanging into the cylinder? Wiseco recommends that this is checked. The head itself may need modified to clear the piston as well. The piston could actually be contacting the gasket or head.

Is the water pump working? Maybe it's over heating.

[twgranger]

Too much compression will blow them out.

[TimSr]

Explain exactly what you mean by "blowing head gaskets. What symptoms occurred that made you arrive at this conclusion?

[TrikerR]

well it dosent "blow" but once it been reddin for a few minues it starts slowly leaking. and when we test it, it shows up 60psi below what we started with. all i know is it still has 4 more bores left on the cylinder and the piston is stock compression

[TimSr]

well it dosent "blow" but once it been reddin for a few minues it starts slowly leaking. and when we test it, it shows up 60psi below what we started with. all i know is it still has 4 more bores left on the cylinder and the piston is stock compression

What is leaking? You have air or bubbles blowing out the head gasket? You have coolant dripping out the head gasket? Or do you just have a drop in compression, and you are assuming its leaking out the head gasket?

[TrikerR]

its air leaking, we think. we pull the spark plug cap off and kick it over with soapy water round the head-cylinder joint and it starts blowing bubbles.