Vannin' Home Forums Dodge Troubleshooting (Dodge) Steam out the tailpipe

Thanks, lemme think on that. I will try to post some pics or link a vid tomorrow.

Nope, no coolant in the oil, tho it has not been run very long yet. Engine has good compression, too. I saw your interesting thread in "Bob Is The Oil Guy" about your rebuild some time ago.

It's been quite a few years since I messed with a small block Mopar, but I swear the head gaskets were a mirror image front to back. The picture you show of the gasket on the block deck has the top water jacket hole blocked by the head gasket and the rear is open. IIRC, the heads have a passage hole cut into the front portion of the head for the coolant to flow up and into the intake and back out the water pump. The gasket you show, with having the one hole blocked may be causing your issue. Do you have a picture of the gasket before the head went on from the other side? Did you install them both the same way? Although, maybe not, I guess the locator pins wouldn't allow you to put them on wrong.

I would start by double checking the part numbers to make sure they are accurate. Then borrow a coolant pressure tester and pressurize the system and watch to see if pressure drops. Next, I would check the spark plugs on that side of the engine and look for spots or differences in the plugs as water in a cylinder will show up on the plugs.

PS: If it comes to pulling the heads off again, one trick I learned years ago, if using gaskets not impregnated with sealer, get a can of silver spray paint and paint the gaskets before installation. I'm not sure why it has to be silver, but it does. I've done it with every engine I've ever built and never had an issue with the head gaskets leaking.

PSS: Those little red plastic things are supposed to go in after the intake gaskets go on to help keep the gasket from slipping during intake installation.

Ran this 318 a bit today, at least until I realized alt belt was trying to bail out. Got to temp, maybe it did "vapor" somewhat less. Looks like this at low low idle:

Shows OP: at temp:

Little blip on gas pedal produces more cloud action:

Plugs pulled just after, recovering from super rich idle from the other day all drvr side look like these:

So I don't know what I have got here. Maybe there is coolant finding its' way into combustion - or maybe a heck of a lot condensation...but just one side? I will run it more tomorrow after I get alt mount issue resolved and try some of the cooling system pressure tes as has been suggested. Kind of thought I might find clue that coolant was getting to #1 due to corny handling of gasket tab or maybe insuff torque down on that hard to reach head bolt...

It looks fine to me. Fix the belt, check the coolant level, and take it for a test drive.

You can't read used plugs with a new problem Put in a new set and run five miles and take a look. I learned that with my old carb tuning problems. Old messages get mixed with new problems and you don't get the right diagnosis. at least one new plug on either side , but all new will give a head gasket leak a location. That if you can afford to loose a set of plugs just for testing. Some people in here can't do that. But those that can't can take theirs and have them cleaned and at least give an idea where the problem is.

Do you know I still have one of the old spark plug cleaners.
OOOps now i'm telling my age LOL

Hey Dr. Bob - You remember the lever to advance "spark" on the steering column? The throttle you could set on the dash? Did you ride in the rumble seat? I sure did, and not in no parade either!