Topic: 428 coolant loss new motor

[1967 eight barrel]

My recent rebuild has 173 miles on it. It was broke in on a dyno and ran well. I noted the coolant level was low about a quart and topped off after a 10 mile drive. When I returned I had the same issue and checked the oil. Nothing appeared in the oil. I rented a system pressurizer and noted it held about 17psi for a hour with little to no loss. I did it three times to verify results. I did note that the left side gasket at the intake/head looked wet. I decided to re-torque the intake and verify 35 lbs in factory sequence. I noted there was some smoke after pressurizing the system for about a mile and it seemed to disappear afterwards. When I returned home I had some water in the oil and noted some oil in that corner. I used Felpro 1020's as recommended on this forum, block was reutilized as the rebuild was prompted by fuel in the oil. There was no issue. The heads were changed, but they were built and pressure checked, not to mention surfaced. I am not sure if I should just suspect the intake or just had the misfortune of a head gasket failure to go along with piss poor intake gaskets. I only used non-hardening sealer around the water passages, as a C7ZX intake isn't cheap to replace these days and I didn't want to pry much for removal if necessary.
Any real help here would be helpful. I was thinking of Cometic head gaskets with the 4.165 bore instead of the 4.400 Felpro 1020 if the census is headgaskets are likely the culpret.
Thanks for help in advance.

[427Fastback]

Cometic head gaskets are well know to leak....I am thinking the intake is leaking...Did you bang the head gasket tabs down that protrude into the valley.They are well known for holding a intake up and causing it not to seal....

[1967 eight barrel]

I dry-fit the intake and it seemed to fit well. I of course skipped the end gaskets and used Rightstuff in place of them. Heads were fresh. New valves, springs, surface. What I don't like is the 4.400" cylinder diameter of the Felpro 1020 head gaskets. The bore is 4.130. So there is sealing surface are lost. Cometic makes a 4.165, which is much closer to the bore size.

[67gtasanjose]

... I did note that the left side gasket at the intake/head looked wet. I decided to re-torque the intake and verify 35 lbs in factory sequence. I noted there was some smoke after pressurizing the system for about a mile and it seemed to disappear afterwards...

I only used non-hardening sealer around the water passages, as a C7ZX intake isn't cheap to replace these days and I didn't want to pry much for removal if necessary.

If it were me, (not wishing to pull the head/heads)...I would rule out an intake leak FIRST.

The coolant ports of the intake are directly next to the intake port. A "non-hardening sealer" as you called it COULD allow for coolant to get into any of the end cylinder's intake runner.

You can also isolate which cylinder(s) are getting coolant into them by a long, repeated pressure test, pull all spark plugs and position a wadded up paper towel over the holes and spin the engine. Any cylinder getting coolant will leave a green paper towel next to it (you may have to number the towels to identify which one is which).

[1967 eight barrel]

Well, I pulled the plugs and I have about a tablespoon of wet oil sitting atop of the pistons. on the left side of the engine. Very strange considering the heads were done by a very reputable builder. New seats, valves, springs, seats, viton postive seals. I did run into a write up about an issue with the performance rocker shafts with two holes per rocker, or factory single hole shafts with oiling holes facing upwards. I didn't think the headgasket would allow oil in several cylinders at once, however I would assume if there was a leak it could pull oil in via the head/intake gasket.  This gets stranger by the moment. Solid ideas are welcome. Just change the intake gaskets, or pull the heads?

[1967 eight barrel]

P.S. Would you recommend a re-torque of the Fel Pro 1020 head gaskets while I am at the intake gasket replacement?  I know that Fel Pro says they don't require it. However, if it would be beneficial... I have never purchased cheap gaskets, so if there is a re-torque required would I simply just go back over the bolts and torque them to factory spec in the order specified by Ford?

[1967 eight barrel]

Well, the likely culprit is found.  The left head is the only leaker. It appeared that the two center cylinders are the only ones with water in the cylinders.  I took the intake and the head down to a highly recommended machine shop who I had check the intake and head.
The intake was so straight that a .002 shim wouldn't even fit under the straight edge at any point along the port flanges or base.

The head on the other hand did have an issue. I had it pressure tested and magnafluxed which it passed.  The surface was actually convex. .006 directly center. .007 was cut to fix the issue and the head surface is now square and flat.

I know that .006 doesn't sound like much, but the low point was centered about the middle of the head between the chambers and measured low at the center point side to side and end to end. 
I am not sure how the head acted once torqued.
I reinstalled the head today and used thread sealer on the head bolts during re-installation. I had block oil passages sleeved during it's machining process, despite there being no signs of any leakage or coolant loss in the 12 years it sat in the garage assembled and driven around the block on occasion.
I am going to do a pressure test once I complete the re-assembly before I even start the vehicle. Hopefully this ends the saga and I can enjoy the car for a while. Once again, this goes to the point that machine shops and good builders are far and few between. 
                                                                               
                                                                                                    -Keith