I did a stupid thing. I overheated my '97 LT1 (aluminum head) that I put in my '57 chevy. Now it is blowing out gas fumes out the radiator cap and when I shut it down and start it back up quite a bit of coolant comes out the right exhaust.

Is this common? Should I expect this to be a head gasket like for an ordinary chevy small block? Or are the heads or some other part prone to cracking. Could I hope that maybe it's just a leak in the intake manifold gasket?

Is this just like a regular small block chevy in taking the head off and puting it back together? Do I need to replace the head bolts? What head and intake manifold gaskets are best?

thanks, Matt

 

Changing an LT1 head gasket isnt much different from any other SBC. There are not many differences between the Gen I and Gen II (LTx) SBCs. Your problem doesnt seem like an intake manifold leak. Usually when the IM leaks, it leaks oil from the back passanger side of the IM by the EGR tube. Some believe it is due to the heat generated from the EGR tube degrading the gasket back there. You should replace the head bolts as they are torque to yield. Some say you can reuse them most say you can't....replace them anyway. Fel-Pro gaskets or GM gaskets will work fine for the intake manifold. For the heads, you can use stock, Impala, Fel-Pro, Cometic, etc. Its your choice.

 

no water in the intake. as far as the mechanical its pretty much the same. just dont forget the water tube on the back of the heads. and i used the impala gaskets, a little more comperssion, and closer quinch.

 

Thanks fellas,

This is my first LT1 so I may sound ignorant. But what do I hear of bleeding the coolant system. My radiator in the 57 rises above the thermostat housing. I also vented the steam lines in to the hose that goes to the top of the radiator.

Do I need to bleed something else?

 

All I really do when bleeding the system is to let the car run and get up to opertating temp then open the 2 bleeder screws until coolant drips out. That'll force most of the air out. Also, when the car cools a bit, remove the radiator cap and let any more air escape that may be trapped in the system and you should be good to go.

 

Thanks, where are the two bleeder screws?