Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

[SSTKO81]

Had my 140 running on the muffs today and found the the center head bolt on manifold side has tiny little oil bubbles showing up around it. -couldnt tell if it was a leak or boiling off oil that was already there. Also noticed some tiny little bubbles showing up around manifold gasket. All bolt torque specs are spot on. I'm going to run a compression test, but has this happened to anyone else?

 

[Don S]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

Bubbles around head bolts could be for many reasons. What is the history of the engine? Just rebuilt, overheated, frozen. Just to name a few.

 

[SSTKO81]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

Bubbles around head bolts could be for many reasons. What is the history of the engine? Just rebuilt, overheated, frozen. Just to name a few.

I had the head replaced last year. (My mechanic said it was cracked.) since then I've had it out 3 times, two of which ended prematurely when I threw a drive belt and it got hot (180-200*)
3rd trip it never got hot and ran well, but seemed to loose power the longer I kept it at WOT.

 

[Don S]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

Wonder if he used sealer on the head bolt threads?????

 

[SSTKO81]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

I'm wondering if he reused the original head bolts. Torque to yield?

 

[H2Onut]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

I think lack of sealer on the threads would allow water out. It sounds like the head gasket is allowing compression past into the bolt hole. This would also explain loss of power. Compression test should verify if it is a faulty head gasket.

 

[matt167]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

Didn't think 3.0L's were TTY. I'm betting on lack of sealer. 200* still should not be hot enough to damage a 3.0L

 

[Don S]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

I'm wondering if he reused the original head bolts. Torque to yield?

They are not TTY, and no reason to replace them unless they are damaged.
Lack of sealer could cause it, and it may be water that is bubbling.

This is one of those problems (like most) that one answers does not fit all.
Pressure testing the cooling system, leak down tests, and possibly disassembly and inspection may be needed to find the cause problem.

The overheat may be completely unrelated to this problem, or caused by a previous overheat. What year is your engine? Not all 140's are the same.

 

[SSTKO81]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

It's an '81. Should the manifold bolts have thread sealer too? Those babies are torqued spot on and I can see little bubbles coming out around one side of the gasket near front of engine. -not around the bolts tho.

 

[Don S]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

Post a picture showing where the bubble are coming from.

 

[aerobat]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

i guess he means bubbles between the side of the head ( intake / exhaust ports) and the bolted on exhaust/intake manifold

 

[Don S]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

i guess he means bubbles between the side of the head ( intake / exhaust ports) and the bolted on exhaust/intake manifold

Could be nothing more than condensation bubbling. That's why I asked instead of just "Guessing" what he is looking at.

 

[SSTKO81]

Re: Tiny Oily bubbles around head bolts/manifold

i guess he means bubbles between the side of the head ( intake / exhaust ports) and the bolted on exhaust/intake manifold

-as far as the bubbles around the manifold, yes, this is what I mean. -not leaking; no water dripping or anything. Just blowing bubbles.
i'll try to get a pic or video up this evening