Hello Vortech.. Bye headgaskets!

reduceallpain · Oct 25, 2009

Ahhhhhhh ...... Okay well, got a vortech, got it installed and tuned.... Car made 15lbs at 5200 rpm....... Only put out 320hp and 360 tq.

A few weeks later the car would start to get hot and antifreeze would boil up and piss outta the overflow bottle..A good amount of white smoke was also coming outta both tailpipe... The heat also stopped working.. Got the thermostat replaced and the same thing was happening.. Did a compression test and it was 140 degrees on all 8 cylinders... Leakdown test determinded there was a ton of hydrocarbonates in the antifreeze. Then I decide to check the thermostat thinking maybe it was another defective one. Turns out it was in backwards.. Flipped it over and put it back in... The heat started to work and water temp stayed on the cooler side and hardly any white smoke.. That night I drove the car for about 50 miles and then the next day I drive the cobra to work, the heat started to get cool and water temp started rising. I was on my way to pulling over but then the water temp went down and the heat worked...... Later that night I checked the radiator fluid and as I open the cap anti-freeze pours out. The car had been cold for almost 10 hours.. I check the antifreeze in the radiator today and it looks like there are pieces of gasket floating around in it.... Kinda sucks, not too sure what i'm going to do.... Cant get new heads and put them on my old worn block. Can't afford a dart block like i'd prefer....... Hmmmmmmmm.....

hottwheels04 · Oct 25, 2009

Do a budget build, Least you now kno why you were running such low horsepower,it was the worn motor, but on another note 15psi is Way! to high to be running on a stock motor fui,I wouldnt run more then 6-10psi on a stock motor.I would tryto find a junk yard block and refresh it and use good arp bolts etc and use good gaskets, and then slap it back together and get a good tune and run it on 6-10 psi and I bet it will make more power on lower boost and now be safe

mikey94gt · Oct 25, 2009

I blew head gaskets on a 93GT with 13# and 409HP, so its no suprise you blew them with 15#. I would put good head gaskets in, put head studs on and put it back on the road. then go get a pair of fuel rails and a good tune with 42# injectors.

NXcoupe · Oct 25, 2009

And with white smoke out of both tailpipes, you thought it was your thermostat? Ok. I would say the gaskets on your engine are the paper ones that ford used sporaticly. I would replace them with MLS gaskets from FelPro and you should be fine. That hp you put out is terrible imho. If your engine is that bad, then it should have been blowing oil out of every orifice of the block. We had a 302 on the dyno with a vortech and only pushing 12 psi made a ton more power than that. Heck had a stock sn95 down the the factory cat back and catt'd H make 340 with 8psi. I think something is going on there.
I will help you out if you find out what the timing and a/f ratio was on your tune, that could have contributed to the power and the loss of gasket. I do agree that is way too much boost tho.

modo · Oct 25, 2009

where was this car tuned at? i ask because with the thermostat being in backwards it would never have been right and your coolant temp sensor for the eec would have never been close to what the other temp sensor feeding the gauge would have been. your timing tables would have been completely off and with the additional heat in the cylinder heads the tune would have required a significant amount of additional fuel to keep the combustion temps down to starve off detonation.

you lost a gasket, it is not the end of the world that is what it is there for. pickup a set of 9333 graphite gaskets, take the heads to a machine shop and get them checked. if anything they should only need .001" taken off. buy a set of studs then get a new tuner

mikey94gt · Oct 25, 2009

modo said:
where was this car tuned at? i ask because with the thermostat being in backwards it would never have been right and your coolant temp sensor for the eec would have never been close to what the other temp sensor feeding the gauge would have been. your timing tables would have been completely off and with the additional heat in the cylinder heads the tune would have required a significant amount of additional fuel to keep the combustion temps down to starve off detonation.

you lost a gasket, it is not the end of the world that is what it is there for. pickup a set of 9333 graphite gaskets, take the heads to a machine shop and get them checked. if anything they should only need .001" taken off. buy a set of studs then get a new tuner

Thats the PN i was trying to say, thanks dude!! I would have the heads checked too, i forgot about that part...

94kingcbra · Oct 25, 2009

It could also be the the lower intake to cylinder head gasket, your thermostat could be sticking, causing the heat to rise then drop like that. Get a decent thermostat like milodon. Good Luck!

mikey94gt · Oct 25, 2009

THe MR Gasket high flow ones kick ass as well. ive had them in my car for years.

Venom351R · Oct 26, 2009

I just got one of those too b/c my previous one was sticking.

95 svt cobra · Oct 26, 2009

15 psi and only pushing 320??? that should have been an indication of something wrong. Majorly wrong. Either with the car or the tuner. In fact, id get a new tuner for him not pointing out that something is wrong. And plus one on the Mr Gasket High Flow. I never really had any issues with my thermostat until i changed to a Track Heat intake.

reduceallpain · Oct 26, 2009

Tuner said it was spinning too freely and getting hott which was cause it to not make as much power as it should.. He said to get a 3.33 pulley and I should get atleast 350rwhp

BlkoutGT · Oct 26, 2009

You should have the heads check, if there was a possibility of overheating. I just had my heads checked/ and decked to make it smooth. Cost me 245 for a hydrotest (I think thats what is was called) and a shave, and a to fix a couple spark plug holes, so it should be a lil less than that.

reduceallpain · Oct 26, 2009

I will.. People are saying it might be the intake gasket.. Regardless the heads will get checked and new gaskets.... Plan on putting new gaskets on, getting heads checked, installing them, and getting a different upper lower intake

reduceallpain · Oct 29, 2009

Can anyone give me a part number for those Mr gasket headgaskets and a site please..

mikey94gt · Oct 29, 2009

Head gaskets
http://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/Fel-Pro-Performance/Product-Line/Fel-Pro-Performance-Head-Gaskets/Make/FORD/Engine-Type/V8/Engine-Size/5-0L-302/Gasket-Material/Graphite/?Ns=Rank%7cAsc&autoview=SKU

Thermostat

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MRG-4364/

Intake gasket (upper 2 lower)
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FEL-MS95953/
intake gaskets(there are several, i would call to confirm)
http://www.summitracing.com/search/Year/1994/Make/FORD/Department/Gaskets-Seals/Part-Type/Intake-Manifold-Gaskets/?Ns=Rank%7cAsc

94kingcbra · Oct 30, 2009

CW Cobra said:
I will.. People are saying it might be the intake gasket.. Regardless the heads will get checked and new gaskets.... Plan on putting new gaskets on, getting heads checked, installing them, and getting a different upper lower intake

Ya, I think that would be a good idea to check everything. I would also look for loose bolts. Particularly on the intake, or heads. After a rebuild of the top end it's a good idea to to go back and torque everything. A good pair of Cylinder heads and matching intake would help your combo the most. Just make sure you go back and check all of your bolts for proper torque.