Essex Head Gasket

30essex

I pulled the head off my 30 Essex SuperSix today and installed a new head gasket since the old one was leaking and I have a few questions I'm wondering about.

1. What is the correct torque for the head nuts?

2. I found that the small holes down the centre of the block and head were blocked. Those in the head were completely filled. I tried to remove the material but was not successful. I assumed these holes were for the coolant to circulate around the valves. Perhaps they were filled for a reason since this motor was redone in the '40's or '50's. Any ideas?

3. I kept antifreeze in the rad for the past year. A mechanic friend told me to put in water only as the antifreeze eats up the gaskets. Is he right?

Geoff

30essex wrote:

I pulled the head off my 30 Essex SuperSix today and installed a new head gasket since the old one was leaking and I have a few questions I'm wondering about.

1. What is the correct torque for the head nuts?



40 pounds, with the engine at operating temperature, check them twice.



2. I found that the small holes down the centre of the block and head were blocked. Those in the head were completely filled. I tried to remove the material but was not successful. I assumed these holes were for the coolant to circulate around the valves. Perhaps they were filled for a reason since this motor was redone in the '40's or '50's. Any ideas?



Unblock them, and flush the entire block out - they are necessary for proper coolant flow.





3. I kept antifreeze in the rad for the past year. A mechanic friend told me to put in water only as the antifreeze eats up the gaskets. Is he right?

He is dead wrong.



Geoff.

[Deleted User]

"3. I kept antifreeze in the rad for the past year. A mechanic friend told me to put in water only as the antifreeze eats up the gaskets. Is he right?"

I don't know anything about the Essex or Terraplanes but I do know that antifreeze is essential in an automotive engine. Generally the engine will run cooler wih antifreeze than with just water. Antifreezes also include a lubricant for the waterpump and rust inhibitors.

I agree, He is dead wrong.

Bob

Joe30Essex

Regarding antifreeze; The Essex has a siphon feed system-no water pump that I know of. When I had my engine overhauled, I put antifreeze in the radiator. It always seemed to run hot, the temp would go way up and settle. My dad told me they always used water in the car, and would add alcohol in the winter to keep it from freezing. I tried adding just diluted wated and the engine seems to run cooler, I can see the temp guage go to about 200 degrees and go down to about 180 very quickly. There is a physics principle involved somehow (water being more dense than an antifreeze mixture?) and therefore runs through the siphon system faster making the engine cooler. I don't know, but it seems to work for me. During the winter months, I put an antifreze mixture in and run it throgh the engine so I don't risk cracking the block.

Geoff

The thermo-syphon makes no difference to the action of anti-freeze. It should run cooler with this in. My Essex always sits just below the red mark on the temperature gauge when cruising on the flat, but as soonb as I start up a hill, it runs cooler. The actual temperatre doesn't matter a lot, so long as it doesn't boil and lose water. What happens is the temperature in the cylinder head rises, causing the water to circulate faster. If you don't use anti-freeze, at least use a rust inhibitor, otherwise the inside of the block will shed rusty particles and eventually block the radiator. anti-freeze is also anti-boil, and rust inhibitor. It also affects the surface tension of the coolant, causing it have better contact with the metal, thus transferring heat quicker, and stoping the build of vapour pockets within the block. If it affected head gaskets just about every car on the road today would be potential head gasket replacment material. Your mechanic may be a very good technical guy, but he is definitely wrong on this one.

Geoff.

hudsonsplasher1

I have a 28 Essex sedan, and have always run water with a antirust agent in the summer. It runs about 180. If I use antifreeze in the warm weather it runs about 200. It doesn't boil over, but runs hotter than I'm comfortable with.

Antifreeze seems to run cooler in a pressurized cooling system.

Gene.

Unknown

Interesting topic. I work in the refrigeration , heating and air conditioning field and when we use ethylene glycol ( anti freeze) in chillers and boilers we have to make allowances for poorer heat transfer compared to straight water with additives for anti rust.

30essex

A big thank you for all those who responded to my questions. I was really worried about breaking the studs when torquing the nuts. Forty pounds seems to be about right as as none broke. However it's impossible to torque the centre ones at operating temperature since the coolant riser has to be off to do it since the nuts are underneath.



My question about antifreeze generated a lot of interest. Actually my mechanic friend suggested putting in the cheapest antifreeze with the least amount of additives. I do know some cars have had problems with antifreeze eating gaskets. I had to replace my intake manifold gasket in my 96 Explorer for this reason. My friend told me he has had to replace lots of these gaskets. I understand both Ford and GM had this problem. Working on a modern vehicle with it's multitude of electrical and vacuum connections really makes you appreciate the simplicity of the oldies.



I took the Essex for a nice run out into the country this afternoon so it could be used for wedding pictures. I'm happy to report that it ran great, no vibration even at 50 mph on the freeway, even though a snow storm was threatening and the generator is still in for repairs.

Geoff

To set the centre head bolts to the correct tension reauires a special offset for the torque wrench, but it can be done by the "feelomoter" method. I use a short 9/16 offset ring spanner. Torque one of the accessible nuts down to 35 pounds, and then using the ring spanner, tighten it down just a little more, to get the feel of how much tension you have to put on. When the engine is warm, use the torque wrench on the outside studs, and the ring spanner on the centre. I've been doing my Essex for over 50 years this way, and never had gasket problems. By using a short spanner it is almost impossible to over-tighten. Good luck, and glad to hear that you have a nice running Essex.

Geoff.