Arp studs+ black onyx gaskets=fail

[sly1types]

I had my truck studded with black onyx gaskets about a 1 1/2 years & 27K miles ago...this was done by a really big ford dealer and they "checked the heads" but didn't have them machined.

So I started puking really bad so I got a block tester and she went green really quick. It also seems to be a little down on power.

My question is if I have someone that really knows what they are doing I.E BTS Brains Truck Shop do the studs with oe gaskets and he always decks the heads will I still have problems in the future if I want 550rwhp?

I can't afford to keep studding this DANG truck.

Maybe I dont make enough money to own a ford:fustrate:

Or should I get it fixed and just sell it?

 

[Big Green Monster]

Theres been alot of failures with the Black Onyx head gaskets. I would bet that is the majority of your problem.

The spec on the flatness of the heads is huge from ford's standpoint. Even if they checked out the heads could have been flattened even more just to be sure. The block itself should have been checked for flatness also.

Since you have studs they wont need to be replaced. They can be reused unlike the factory bolts.

 

[MINK]

Its not the gaskets fault - your issue is the lack of care from the Ford dealer on the head surfacing and block prep IMO. Reuse your studs, buy the gasket of your choice, and make sure your heads spend time at a machine shop.

 

[strokin6L]

There's been alot of guys using the black onyx gaskets and still machining the heads and block and still blowing gaskets. It's more the gaskets than anything else.

 

[sly1types]

There's been alot of guys using the black onyx gaskets and still machining the heads and block and still blowing gaskets. It's more the gaskets than anything else.

I think your right...

Have seen anyone blowing HGs with oem gaskets, studs when they are machined? If so what power level?

What gaskets do you have? How many miles on them?

 

[strokin6L]

I think your right...

Have seen anyone blowing HGs with oem gaskets, studs when they are machined? If so what power level?

What gaskets do you have? How many miles on them?

OEM are the way to go. Guys are pushing over 1000+ hp using OEM gaskets with no failures...that should say something.

I have a thick single layer hypermax gaskets. Using o-ringed heads...been on the truck since june '06 with zero issues.

 

[MINK]

I agree oems ar the way to go but what makes you think they would of even held when the heads were overlooked?

 

[Big Green Monster]

I agree oems ar the way to go but what makes you think they would of even held when the heads were overlooked?

Luck

 

[strokin6L]

The OP said that the dealer did check the heads for flatness....so doesn't seem that they weren't over looked. But who knows....the dealer could be giving him a bunch of BS. But he did state that they were checked

 

[sly1types]

The OP said that the dealer did check the heads for flatness....so doesn't seem that they weren't over looked. But who knows....the dealer could be giving him a bunch of BS. But he did state that they were checked

You are right the dealer/tech might not have done it correctly... but they did say they checked and this is a big dealer that has 4 full time diesel techs. They are also the number 1 superduty dealer in the country.

 

[Extended Power]

Just because someone says they were checked, doesn't mean they were any good...
To me...regardless if they were perfectly flat or not...having them resurfaced is cheap insurance...what's a thou or two to have the correct finish on them?

 

[sly1types]

So after my truck puked the other day I have been taking it easy on it. The other day I put a coolant PSI gauge on it and it was around 7-9psi most of the time and after I was really beating on it was up around 12psi. It never spiked fast like you would expect with a head gasket problem...It also hasnt puked since.

My oil vs coolant deltas are 5-6 deg

So what do you guys think? Are my gaskets gone?

Why would it fail the engine block blue fluid test if the gaskets weren't bad?

 

[chappy]

I got mine to puke last night. It will only puke on the highway if I have the boost up around 10-11psi for a long time and then start playing . For instance I had a 45mile drive all highway doing 75-80mph and after 35miles of this a dodge hemi wants to play so I do and then it pukes. I could smell the coolant as soon as it did. I actually think it looks like mine came from the return line on the top side of the degas bottle since the line looked like it was slid back halfway off. It wasn't like that before I've checked. maybe yours is leaking there? Not sure if that still mean headgaskets or not. I'm gonna put a regular worm style clamp on there instead of the factory spring clamp. I originally had several leaks from the sinister colant filter leaking out of every orfice but I got tem fixed. So it must have some pressure on it. I actually never had a problem till I added the coolant filter from sinister. Its only puked since then.

 

[Breaking Habits]

Someone stating they checked the heads and truely checking the heads are within true spec are two different things unfortunately bud. Sorry about your situation!

 

[chappy]

Someone stating they checked the heads and truely checking the heads are within true spec are two different things unfortunately bud. Sorry about your situation!

Hasn't it been stated that Fords specs on flatness are very leiniant to cut down on cost of replacing the heads?

 

[Breaking Habits]

Hasn't it been stated that Fords specs on flatness are very leiniant to cut down on cost of replacing the heads?

Spot on statement buddy! Thats why we have our own "opinion" of true spec vs fords "opinion" of true spec!

 

[Sequential6.4L]

Fords method of checking heads for flatness is horse ****, the big name diesel shops around here send the heads for decking regardless.

 

[Dieselcraft]

There's been alot of guys using the black onyx gaskets and still machining the heads and block and still blowing gaskets. It's more the gaskets than anything else.

:whs:

 

[hawgdoctor]

Fords method of checking heads for flatness is horse ****, the big name diesel shops around here send the heads for decking regardless.

^^this. EVERY set we pull gets taken straight to the machine shop. I don't even bother ti check them anymore. To easy to say there good, and there not. Fords spec is BS, and any good shop worth there salt knows this.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[907DAVE]

I have only used the Black Onyx gaskets once, and they failed shortly after.

Truck was studded, deleted, and the heads were surface and pressure tested....just like all the other I have ever done.