Discolored FE pushrods

[Eljaro]

Rick,
I installed the SCE Titan gasket dry, as per Mfg instructions.
I believe that the oil leaks out where the oil return opening on the head meets the block, finding its way out around the silicon beads along the outer edge. Anyway, the heads are going to come off one of these days and I will see what is happening. I'll try to have a set of Felpro 1020 at hand when I do that, in case I have to dump the SCE Titans.(which claim to be reusable).
When I had the heads shaved they took off 0.020", and the SCE gasket installed is 0.061 instead of the usual 0.040 compressed thicknes to make up for that. Felpro does not have a 0.060 thick gasket. Only Cometic can make them as far as I have seen. Dont't know it those 20 thou make much difference. From the compression calculator compression would go from 9.8 to 10.2.
I did fill some more oil , about a quart more , into the engine and had incredible oil smoke comming out off the exhaust at idle, which dissappeared when revs would go up. At a certain point it stopped smoking, , and that was when the oil level reached the upper full mark on the oil dipstick.
The car ran fine, compression very good, no water leaks,
It is just a big PITA taking all the Weber setup off and getting those lower rear head nuts off.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Eljaro

I believe that the oil leaks out where the oil return opening on the head meets the block, ...

...which is more reason to crack test the heads as I suggested above. "Especially in the oil drain corners."

[RICK LAKE]

priobe I over fill the race motor about 1.5 quarts over full. This is to the bottom of the windage tray. Here are MY reasons,
#1 FE motors have poor oil returns without the rocker shield that you get with stock motors. I don't run shields. I flood my heads with oil to the bottom of the pushrod holes. The valve spring generate alot of heat when racing. This oil cools them better that a light mist or very little fluid at the bottom of the spring. I also run a HVHP oil pump with a 100# spring. Cold the motor pressure is 135-138 at idle and hot off the track is 65-80 depending on how hot the day is. My car spends 95% of the time at the track. I either autocross or road race. Both at hard on motors if you are racing and turning high "G" turns for short and worse long turns. The oil can't return to the oil pan. A also have a 3 quart accusump that works as a preoiler and pressure controller to help maintain good oil pressure on high long "G" turns. Dry sump system is the way to go but I don't have the money to do a complete system at this time. I have found no bad effect of the extra oil hurting the motor to date. I do run a canton windage tray. I like this over the solid one but it doesn't do the same to keep oil from hitting the crank or being pull up out of the pan. With the high skirts the FE block has, a windage tray is not that important like on other motors to keep the oil from sucking into the crank. FE crank is high in the block. The solid one a ran caused some longer time for oil to return to the oil pan. I had 15-20 psi at Gateway's road course. This means that there is no to very little oil going to the rocker arms. I know because I could hear them ticking. The accusump stopped this noise and raised the oil pressure to between 35 and 40 psi. For my oil level in the motor I installed the windage tray and filled the oil pan with oil until the level reached the tray. I measure the dipstick length and cut it and marked it to the same height if the pan was on. The only thing a get is a small rear main seal leak after hard running. The rear seal is rope and it need to be kept lubed.
I am not a pro builder, pro racer, or machinist. I do have over 30 + years of working on alot of different motors and apply this to my motors. I also know the limits of my motors and stay in the safe zone. I $13.00 trophy is not worth spilling a $20K motor all over the track. I am there for the fun. If you are running 95% on the street, you don't need to run 100 psi pressures, HOWEVER, IMO running a 60# spring on an FE original motor with FE bottom end and .003" clearances I wouldn't do. I think that #80 is a safe number. I will tell you that running HP oilpumps is hard on the gears of the distributor and camshaft. I have a little extra oiling going to the location. The correct end play of the camshaft is also important to keep gears meeting smooth and not shaving off either gear. I have run the 452 motor for 8 years and now run the 482 motor going on 8 years. Basic maintainance and common sense are the best things. Motor don't live without oil and some motors like the FE need more pressures than others. Small rod bearings and heavy bottom ends. I check bearings #4 & #8 after every year. Barry R stroker kit was dead on for clearances and with preoiling there is no real wear. This is also a BBC bottom end with rods, wider bearing. Rick L.

[Ant]

Is the Felpro gasket issue just an FE problem or does that apply the current stock of Felpro gaskets for other engines and 351w?
My engine was fitted with Felpro in mid 2005 and it hasnt moved in the car yet.

[RICK LAKE]

Ant The only time I had a problem with gaskets was matching aluminum heads to iron blocks. The expansion rates are different. Over a couple of years the seep between head and block. As far as Head gaskets on the same material of either iron or aluminum, I spray them with 2 coats of Hi-tac and have had no leaks. This applys for intake gaskets too, and a thin coat of RTV sealer around the coolant ports both sides of the gasket. I scuff up the gaskets to remove the coating of whatever that is on the gaskets you get to give a better material for the sealer to bond to. The other thing is to make sure that if the block ,heads, or intake where machined to true the surfaces, make sure about clearance and angles between parts. Some machinist IMO take off way too much material to get a true flat surface. Your motor is a living breathing thing and is going to move and adjust over time. Except for a little bleeding of the hi-tac out of the head gaskets, I have no leaks. Ran 8 years on 452 and now 7 years on 482. Same block, heads, intake manifold and water pump. Setup and prep is the most time used when putting a motor togeather. Following sealer time to cure is another thing that is not followed alot of time. I have cheated and warmed a motor to quick cure the RTV but have had small leaks down the road. 24 hours to set means 24, it's that simple. I have an AMC motor with a set of felpros in my jeep that has not been running since 78. Motor was oil fogger and put away. There is no reason that the gaskets should be any problem. After next cobra motor is built, going to install 390 amx motor in CJ-5 or may go with 482 motor. Rick L.

[Ant]

Rick,

Having the same material as my engine is all alloy is an advantage, I have seen some people use a truck style water heater which helps against wear and tear.
My oil tank will have a heater installed to heat the oil dont think I will bother with the water heater. KC did mention once I do a few miles to recheck the heat torque!