LUVTruck.com

Well i might be joining the ranks of those who have headgasket issues. After this latest trip acrost the state i noticed a leak on the driver side of the block right under neath the #3 spark plug. I looked realy closely and its coolant out of the head. Now im not loosing enough coolant to notice it in the rad. and my fluids are staying seprate and my coolant system isnt getting preasurized. So for right now it just seems like a vary minor external leak. But could something like this escalate quickly? Im thinking i might just pull the valve cover and re-torque the head to see if that fixes it.

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

I'm sorry!

I'm new to this kind of problem. I'm in the middle of trying to fix mine too.
When you re-torgue the head, let us know if it works. Do you have a manual?
I know that mine goes over what they should be torgued to. Keep us informed; I hope it goes well for you.

Aaron.

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"Experience is a hard teacher, for she gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards."

1978 Chevy LUV - 2WD - [Work In Progress]
w/1976 1.8L 1815cc Stock Isuzu Motor

http://forums.luvtruck.com/viewtopic.php?t=8843

if your wondering what they should be torqued to I thinks its something like 72 ft lbs, I did mine this past May too, boy was that fun

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

yeah i have a factory shop manual so ill be following those torque specs. I just have to grab a valvecover gasket and ill let you guys know this weekend hopefully.

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

If you can find something besides a FelPro valve cover gasket I'd say try it out. The FP ones are mostly cork, and tend to harden up fast. I've had nothing but trouble with them leaking in the past. The last couple I've used were NOS parts from GM/Isuzu, one solid rubber and the other had a very light on the cork rubber mix. My 77 quit "burning oil" when I switched it out last time. I use FelPro for most all my gaskets, but their G180/200 VC gaskets just don't seem to work well for me even with permatex or silicone.

Retorquing the head bolts should help. You did a full rebuild on your motor didn't you? Could be it is just time for the 1000 mile retorque. I see a lot of people talking on the Isuzu boards that recommend retorquing after the first couple heat/cold cycles then at 1000 miles, no matter what the manual or gasket says.

Way back when, my brother's 76 started to dribble a little coolant around the same place and a retorque got it pretty much cleared up until months later when he overheated in traffic on a 100+ day. That was on a factory gasket with quite a few mile on it too.

i run Victor Rinz(Dana corp makes em and you get em from Napa) gaskets and havnt had problems whith them.

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...