New engine problems

[Goobdog]

Hello i'm having some weird problems with my new motor. I have a freshly built shortblock, 1g rods and 2g pistons, b16g @ 12psi and arp head studs @ 90ft lbs. The block was decked for a metal gasket, the head was milled also for a metal gasket and a little porting on the exhaust side. I'm not using a metal gasket i'm using a felpro, i've NEVER had one problem out of the felpro gaskets. The first night I drove the car it blew a freeze plug out from the front of the block closest to the tranny, as soon as I heard it come out I immediately shut the car off. The next day I replaced the freeze plug and put some indian head glue around the edge of the plug and block ( they used permatex ? ). When I started the car it was smoking and missing so I knew right away the headgasket was blown. I pulled the head off and cleaned both surfaces and put on a new gasket. When I took it out to drive it again it blew a freeze plug out of the back of the block and again the headgasket was blown. I'm pretty sure its blowing the freeze plugs out because when the headgasket goes its putting compression into the water system. Ok so I put new brakes on today and took it for a drive and it happened again, blew the middle front freeze plug out and the headgasket is gone. What is making this happen, are my gaskets just not sealing because of the smooth head and deck surface ? Ive sprayed every gasket with a good coat of copper spray. I'm going by the torque diagram in the book for the head torque sequence. I just want to get this figured out so I don't have to worry about this everytime I drive it. Thanks for any help.

 

[project_tsi]

When the fleeze plugs blew, was the car overheating, or running hot at all? what type of break in period did you have for the engine? You say you got the deck and head machined for a metal headgasket, and yet you use a felpro w/ copper spray? Felpro's cost what $45, so your on your 3rd or 4th Felpro now, whereas you could have just got a Cometic in the first place for $90. Or maybe the machine shop that built the engine just did a very shitty job at installing the Freeze plugs, and they didn't seat right? Also is there any air pockets in the cooling system, maybe it needs to be bled.

 

[Goobdog]

When the freeze plugs go the car is at normal operating temperature, no overheating what so ever. I also turn the car off immediately so it doesn't get hot. I get the felpro gaskets for 20 bucks but I'm still spending more then I would if I bought 1 good metal gasket, but I want to make sure thats the problem because like I said Ive never had any problems out of the felpros using nitrous and/or high boost. I'm doing a hard break in on the engine, pretty much just let the car warm up and go out and hammer on it. I always fill it up with antifreeze and let the thermostat open a few times and make sure its still full and if not top it back off. Ill probably buy a metal gasket and see what happens from there.

 

[Goobdog]

Whatever is happening it is destroying the gaskets. Heres a picture of the first one I took off and the one I just took off now looks exactly the same.

 

[Goobdog]

Nevermind I figured it out, the arp head studs are too long so it wasnt clamping the head down properly.