jansenmounce

Ok so I just rebuilt my 302 HO engine, put it back in the car, started it up and was loosing compression bad from my left head, it sounded like air seaping out of the second spark plug hole, when it was running, so then I found out that there was a certain pattern for torquing down the head bolts,(which I wasn't aware of when I first put the heads back on) start in middle, work out, so I tried to retourqe them the correct way hoping it would resolve the issue, it did not. So I went and bought a new head gasket, and replaced it as well as the head with another set I had, torqued it down in the correct pattern, fired it up and it is still doing it, not as bad though, and it doesnt do it constantly, like before, it happens off and on while running. So my question is, what could be the issue, they are just stock e7 heads, and I reused the original head bolts, should I have not done that? I am at a loss and am not very sure what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated

rcdblink716

You can reuse the bolts. The reason you follow a torque pattern is to have an even clamping force. It is possible that the head is warped or was warped by tightening it incorrectly. What i would do is check that side of the motor via leak down test before removing the head and checking with a straight edge. Take the check valve out of the adapter hose on the compression tester. do 1 cylinder at a time. bring that cylinders piston all the way up on compression. Screw in the adapter, add air and listen for where the air is coming out. this will tell you where your compression leak is located.