I just cranked my motor up for the first time today after building it last summer. I torqued the head gaskets to spec and retorqued them all last fall before I dropped the motor in. Do I need to retorque them after running for the first time (25 minutes to break in the cam)? I have 1 drip in the middle of the head about 1 drop every 10 seconds or should I start and run it for a while under load and see if it seals up after a good heat cycle? Help I'm scared after missing last season?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Thanks to all who helped get this thing back together!!
Ken

Man. seems like a lot of people are having head gasket trouble this year What engine Mark 4,5 or 6.? What gasket did you use and what torque?

Sounds like dejavue! Sounds like the topic I posted last week.

I have/had the same problem. Did you read my "Help" topic in the tech forum? Rebuilt motor over the winter, used Felpro Marine head gaskets, new ARP head bolts, heads resurfaced. Had motor dynoed. All add up to a slight leak in the same place.......center of head. I did retorque the bolts tighter, but won't know results until this weekend.

Mark 4 with a Hardin Marine head gasket from CPperformance....I'm ganna check the plugs on either side of the leak and run again on Sunday after i set the timing.......

I saw this post made years ago with regards to the same problems. What ended up being the result? Still running it with the leak?

Is it an MLS gasket or just a regular Felpro Marine style gasket?

I started using MLS gaskets a few years ago. No more leaks.

A little coppercoat works, mls or fel-pro

did you use sealer on the bolt threads?

In my case, I couldn't answer that since I hired the build out. However, I can tell you that the short bolts do have some sort of grey sealant that are squeezed out from under the bolt heads. I don't know about the bolts under the valve cover. Either way, would that make it seep in the middle of the cylinder head at the gasket mating area?

My current thread is about halfway down the first page............