My 302 is running Lean on one side(5-8), and rich on1-4 when looking at the plugs. Also the5-8 side is shooting some waterish/ carbon( looks like the water is cleaning theinside of the exhaust then coming out in ablack liquid)out of the exhaust. The engine only has 100 miles on the new headgaskets and im worrying that the liquid is coolant. Why would one side run leaner than the other, the exhaust notes sound different. from side to side?( no X pipe) Could the 1-4 head gasket be gone? If so, then i guess a new set of ARF heads and headgaskets gotta replace the old ones! -Jon

 

I just took it for a run a few mins ago and im sure its a headgasket. Smoke only out the 4-8 side, its not running the same as earlier today/yesterday. And when u drive it you can feel the "thump" of something missing/ sound wise and feel on the driver side cyls. -Jon

 

I think you mean 5-8.

But seriously, any idea why the 1-4 was running rich?

 

The acell pump is squirting even on both sides, but i think its leaning out, due to coolant/air getting in because of the headgasket?? Sigh... just problem after problem, i may just tuck her in the corner of the garage, throw a cover on it and let it go for a long time.... -Jon

 

If you're getting coolant into your cylinders I'd definately get that fixed first. But as for running rich on one side, how old is your carb?

 

If you have a dual plane intake, then you are not running 1-4 and 5-8 out of your 4 barrel carb. You are running the outside and inside cylinders as in 1&4 and 5&8 from one side of the carb, then 2&3 and 6&7 from the other side of the carb. Check #1 spark plug, then check #2 and see if they are running the same richness. Your problem obviously is not whether you are running rich or not......your problem is a gasket blown.

 

If then headgaskets are that new, 100 miles old and 3k miles on rebuilt engine, Why would they go? not warming up fully before revving it [&:]?? Also, my ford shop manuals refer to the 4 pistons on the passenger side are 1-4, starting from the front and going back, thatshow i saw themand call them by#'s because thats what was in the book when i put it together.-Jon

 

That is correct. 1-4 are on the passenger side and 5-8 are on the driver's side. I was just telling you how your carburetor feeds the cylinders. If #1 plug is black and #2 is not, then you need to adjust the air/fuel mixture screw on the right side of the carb so it isn't running so rich. But again, that is obviously not your problem. Your head gasket most likely got blown because of improper torqueing or torqueing sequence.

 

I just checked and its down 6 inches of coolant in the radiator. Im guessing that enough to cause a loss of coolant to the engine and make it over heat. IT WAS full when i filled the fluids a week ago( i didnt drive it all week). Could the heater core have used some of the fluid? it wasnt filled, then got filled up over time, lowering the coolant in my rad and starving the engine? -Jon

 

go to autozone and get a coolant pressure tester it will pressurize the coolant system and for the little bit of water leaking from the tailpipe its more than likely just some built up condensation from sitting