Blown HG, o-ringed and studs...

cRaZy8 · Apr 17, 2021

Just finished putting a set of KDD heads on my truck about a month ago.
All new gaskets for the top end. New KDD pushrods etc.
You name it I replaced it while it was apart.
Starting pushing coolant about 2 weeks ago.
Put a gauge on it today, normal driving it hangs around 8psi. As soon as I put some boost in it, shoots up to 20 and blows out the cap.

Kinda shocked and kinda fed up with this to be honest.
Had the cab off, had the block clean as could be.
New Extreme Studs. Correct size dowels.
Correct lube for studs.
Mahle head gaskets. Literally no expense spared on the top end.
Brand new heads. Like seriously?

Only running an S362sxe and 175/30s. Not like it's a 800hp truck.
Not sure why the hell these things let go.
Time to yank the cab again......

Anyone seen o ringed heads blow so easily?

DEEZUZ · Apr 17, 2021

How was your deck prepped? Any pics?

cRaZy8 · Apr 17, 2021

Deck was prepped spotless. Ran a fine scotch Brite room disc to remove any gasket material. Use one of the yellow finger rolocs for general clean up.
Wiped surface with acetone and lint free rags.
Sucked any liquid out of the stud holes. Blew them out with air.
Threaded all the studs in all the way. 4 stage torque sequence. Etc

DEEZUZ · Apr 18, 2021

Picture of this "disc" that was used please.

Block looks way too clean. Looks like you removed the stains... If you remove the stains that means you took off metal, creating an porous surface...

So you used a rotary took to clean the deck?

DEEZUZ · Apr 18, 2021

This is as clean as you can get it by hand without milling. Any cleaner and you took off metal. I bet your failure is between gasket and block.

cRaZy8 · Apr 18, 2021

I use these all the time for prepping mating surfaces on engine blocks to adapter plates at work.

bismic · Apr 18, 2021

Sorry, but I have to agree. I don't see how you could keep from taking off too much metal (uneven surface) on your 6.0L block deck with that. The curse of too few bolt holes (or stud holes).

cRaZy8 · Apr 18, 2021

Not arguing your point that I possibly removed too much deck. Doesn't seem like I did from my pics. Just got it really clean.
What would be your next course of action?
Thing that I also find strange, it's doing the exact same thing now with the studs and o ring heads that it did with my stock heads and ARP studs. Runs fine, only pushes coolant at extended periods above 25 psi.
Wondering if I had a bad block to start with.

bismic · Apr 18, 2021

LONG shot, but - could you possibly have too low of a concentration of coolant? That might make it boil on localized surfaces.

97cherokee · Apr 18, 2021

at work all i use at most is a red scotch brite pad too prep blocks and heads, most of the time with an mls gasket just a razorblade across the deck is enough, doesnt need to be shiny and spotless. general rule of thumb is if you cant feel it with your finger its fine. if you dont think the use of a roloc wheel is the issue, you could also straight edge your deck too check for warping. i think no more than .002 is what is generally allowed on a deck.

DEEZUZ · Apr 18, 2021

I'd have block surfaced and hope it isn't too bad where you need to adjust piston protrusion

cRaZy8 · Apr 18, 2021

As for coolant, I'm running Shell Rotella ELC. It's their premixed factory coolant.

co04cobra · Apr 18, 2021

We only use ford gaskets as well, but I agree with CT, if you took air tools to the block you probably removed material.

DieselJpower · Apr 18, 2021

Helping a buddy right now get new heads and studs and 190/30s with a 64vgt and such, we're stuck waiting on 625 studs as multiple reputable shops have recommended to absolutely run the 625s if injectors are anything larger then stock. Claim they've seen failures on trucks they know were prepped properly cause they did the work. We got him Kill devil heads too and they were amongst the shops who said to do the 625s...

Petro · Apr 18, 2021

In the Ops pictures you can still see the stains on the deck. I clean every deck to the same level as the op with an air rotary tool and have yet to have a failure with around 30 stud jobs. Unless the deck itself is warped or uneven, I doubt the amount he took off has anything to do with why they failed.

DEEZUZ · Apr 18, 2021

Let's tear er down and see!

DEEZUZ · Apr 18, 2021

Judging by the pictures.. The items that are still present are actually erosion. So no, you're not going to clean them off. I want to see decks like mine cause those are spent with razor blades and about 1.5 hrs each side with a light dusting of a green scotch Brite

bismic · Apr 18, 2021

CTC DEEZUL said:
Judging by the pictures.. The items that are still present are actually erosion. So no, you're not going to clean them off. I want to see decks like mine cause those are spent with razor blades and about 1.5 hrs each side with a light dusting of a green scotch Brite

Well said!

Also, the Ford spec of .002 might even be a little too generous for reliability.

bismic · Apr 18, 2021

cRaZy8 said:
As for coolant, I'm running Shell Rotella ELC. It's their premixed factory coolant.

Did you do any flushing with water? If so, you can not get back to 50% with the pre-mix stuff due to how much coolant that will always stay in the block. Anyway, it probably isn't the issue, but just something to think about.

cRaZy8 · Apr 18, 2021

bismic said:
Did you do any flushing with water? If so, you can not get back to 50% with the pre-mix stuff due to how much coolant that will always stay in the block. Anyway, it probably isn't the issue, but just something to think about.

No sir. I've been running this coolant for prob 5 or more years. I only use their gallons of the premix.

Plan is to roll it in to the shop tmrw and start getting getting cab ready to go up.
I'm working 6 days a week right now, so I'll be picking away before and after work till I get to next weekend.