If I could go back in time about 25 years when I was Leo's age I would definitely want nick as my mentor.. He has a great temperament and looks at failures as a learning experience. Very calm and collected man..
My late Dad grew up in cowboy country in the Sand Hills of Nebraska during the depression. Rodeos were commonplace. When Dad would witness an old pro like Nick doing his thing....he's say "He's like that haggard old bull....just slowly walking into the arena". In otherwards.....that old bull had seen it all.....every cowboy, every trick....and nothing flustered him. What a great lesson for a kid like Leo to be around. Thanks too for giving us the horse/torque readings from the fixed motor. I was afraid we'd never get those numbers.
One thing I like about Nick is he doesn't edit out the problems they run into on the dyno. Some other TH-cam channels don't show the inevitable problems that are run into when first starting a fresh engine. It ain't that easy. But Nick stays with it until the problem is solved, and "good enough" is never "good enough." Either its right or its not. One thing I noticed at about the 18:52 mark was the engine was rocking up and down at the flywheel and we could see air gaps appear at the connection between it and the dyno adapter.
This is why we never buy cheap gaskets, kids. The cost of swapping them on the dyno is much more than just buying the good stuff (Cometic) to begin with.
The school of hard knocks is always in session! We learn more from an event like this than from months in the classroom. I think most of us have been where Leo is right now!
That's what I like about Nick. Things go wrong, no panic, no blame. After all, that is why the engine is on the dyno test bed......not only to undertake testing, but if something is going to go wrong to let it go wrong there and not in the car's engine bay. Do not speculate. Find it and put it right. The trait of a true confident professional. I am like this too as an engineer. Localize it, find it, and fix it. Good work Nick.
OMG I stopped breathing when the engine blew smoke , just to see the look on Leos face . Iam so happy that it was nothing too serious Nick you are such a good mentor to Leo and he is so lucky
I’ve been watching Nicks channel for years and have never seen an engine do that. Nick remained cool headed throughout the whole thing. That’s professionalism.
I really think Nick stayed calm for Leo's sake because you can see Leo's expression at first it was like he lost his best friend in the world and then Nick kind of made it like oh no big deal for the sake of Leo and then Leo started smiling again and kind of joking around thank you for being that way for Leo Nick really means a lot to see you do that for a kid I don't know how old he is but at my age anybody under my age is a kid haha.
Leo is one lucky young man to have an older experienced man to mentor him on engine building. A lot of young guys won't listen....and a lot of old guys won't help. Leo will remember this man as long as he lives and the time Nick spent guiding him. Priceless.
Look at it this way Leo: A lot of young engine builders have paid the price of your engine... maybe more... in tuition and have yet to learn what you learned from the ultimate mentor. A lesson that you will NEVER forget. Can't wait to see your engine soar.
@@billyjoejimbob56 failing and learning from an experience and becoming good at it is the same at college tuition, just a hands on learning if willing not be afraid of failing to succeed and learn. If one is willing to put time into that learning time and money
he could do with shutting up and listening to Nick, he is all wrong as a mechanic, jumping at "it blew a ring" with no thought behind that statement at all..... i think Nick said, like i did about 4 times it isnt a ring, the kid wasnt listening to Nick at all..... i wouldn't let that kid re-build a lawnmower engine! He said he built this engine with the best parts, if he knew his stuff he would already have know the potential for the large compression numbers and yet he fitted a cheap crapy headgasket... With a man like Nick you shut up and listen, he has forgotten more than most mechanics will ever know!
old guys won't help when the young guys won't listen. They need to learn to just shut the hell up and let the experience concentrate. That is how you learn. Nick has the patience of a saint when trying to diagnose a problem and having this squirrel chattering in his ear. My father would have rung my clock with a valve cover. The old adage of "Listen and Learn" is just as important to today.
I really feel bad for Leo. You can tell how stressed he was when the $hit hit the fan. But I have to admire how calm Nick was through all of this.. He is a real pro that has seen it all, and it shows. Great video!
I feel bad for Leo, but like he was saying, it's a learning experience. And, if this is going to happen, no better place than right where the "Professor" is there to teach!🎓
Love the way Nick checked the headers. I was taught the same back in the late 70's. Just stumbled into this TH-cam channel. Definitely hooked ! Thank you Nick
Today, a non-contact I.R. laser temp gun works wonders for checking headers. They're only about $15-$20 at your local hardware store, and will give you the exact temp of each tube in less than 15 seconds just by pointing the tool at each tube and pulling the trigger. Instant, accurate, temp reading.
Nick is a fabulous teacher and mentor. Leo is all excited - goes for top of the world on the first partial pull to worried after something got hurt. Nick was so even-keeled. Went back to basic troubleshooting steps and really helped Leo to the problem. This world needs more mentors and great teachers like Nick. He cares for people, and takes the time out of his day to pass on some of his knowledge. Years ago when I got into cars, I was lucky enough to have a mentor like Nick, who would teach me so much. He would stay after hours in the shop to help me with a cam install, engine replacement or driveline work. Sadly, my mentor is no longer with us. Lesson in that story is to make sure these wonderful people know how much they are appreciated while they are here!! Hats off to you Nick!
My husband and I absolutely loved this show. It's great to see actual problems get solved. My husband said a head gasket and he was right. Thanks for the great content Nick.
With at least 190psi compression, i thought it could have been a hole knocked in the piston, or a head gasket. With that kind of compression what are his plans for it? I'd be worried about spark knock, and having to run way less spark advance. And what kind of fuel will you have to run? The combo may be too much, practically speaking.
@@Formerlywarmer Negative. I think in Reality, normal compression test pressure is anywhere from 130psi to 160psi. for an early 70's 360. 195psi is extraordinary, especially if it's intended for regular street use. However, I admit I know next to nothing about Canadian gasoline octanes.
Oh man, I felt for you Leo. So glad it was just the head gasket and a few extra hours wrenching. Nick was such a great mentor in that video keeping everyone focused and WORKING THE PROBLEM rather than assuming the engine was completely blown.
Fuqn rights old fellas that don’t get rotted n miserable w the time but try help rhe young gunners is wholesome aff, Leo was super hyped nick apprricayes it either it’s lowk half ass built way he truly cared
Nick, I love the way You treat the up and coming mechanics. I taught my Son that way and He loves diving into total rebuilds. He has far surpassed my abilities. I hope Your channel gets millions of subscribers! You deserve it!
Thanks for the follow up with the new head gasket. Leo came a long way while he was under Nick's tutelage. He definitely made the most of his opportunity to learn from one of the best.
I think I enjoyed watching Leo's emotions more than hearing the engine run, LOL! I'm so glad you guys sorted the head gasket issue and vibration so quickly, and that now Leo has a motor he can be most certainly proud of for having some fun this Summer 🙂
I’m happy Leo didn’t lose his engine. Nick, you’re a great guy! The things a person could learn working along side of you. You remind me of my late father, he was like you. He would always say “don’t worry, we’ll figure it out”. Keep up the good work with your videos and stay a cool dude.
We've all been in Leo's shoes with our hot rods when we were his age, and he should save this video and watch it again in 20 years. As for Nick, unflappable as always, not his first time at a rodeo!!
If it only happened as a youngster I'd be happy. Sometimes it still does. Many new parts and pieces are my reason and excuse. God knows I don't get in a hurry for anything anymore.
Hello Nick, Leo, George & others, that 360 turned out a wee beauty in the finish even if getting there wasn't what Leo was expecting. He still has a ways to go in the learning & growing department but had the best teacher being Nick complete with his maturity & knowledge not to mention a dyno.Stay cool everyone and have a great week all.
@@blinkie1523 true , im sure he's a nice guy but it was almost like he had never been in public or ever seen a engine run . It's great to be excited but that was just weird. It's like he is a very sheltered person.
@@bigboreracing356 Exactly 💯.. These folks are crying and complaining as if they're Perfect. Bet they wouldn't confront him to his face. He looks like a strong young man that doesn't spend every single day trolling. At least he works for a living while many people here live off government cheese.
Wow Dr. Nick doing an autopsy on the dyno. Many people making guesses but the MAN Nick was cool calm and systematic finding the problem..Great video to all the team. 👍
Well now, Leo bet $100 that it was a head gasket and who did he get his knowledge from to be able to make such a great educated guess so I've got to say Leo knew also what the problem was when they pulled off the valve covers I think he might have said that before the valve covers were pulled off but way to go Leo. Man I wish you were still there with Nick... I just love seeing your enthusiasm and desire to learn and pick up things and to absorb things like a sponge you're going to go a long ways.
This is what keeps me watching you Nick. Your helping this young man and his small block with as much attention to detail as you would give a 440 6 barrel. It wonderful to pass on the flame and instill the love for cars to the younger generation. Love this man, your an awesome guy!!
Thanks Nick.... this episode was your best one to date. We should all learn something from the the way Nick methodically trouble shot the problem at hand. A genuine true craftsmen, a absolute talent.
I have been building engines for 30 years and there is a big difference from factory rebuilds and modified. You have to just learn from mistakes and Charlie Mike . The young man is very lucky to have such.a good teacher.
Thanks Nick and.Leo for.another great video. This reminds me of my first engine build in 1977 when I was a kid. L79 327. I felt exactly the same as Leo when it first started. We ran it at 2000 RPM to break in the cam, and listening for sounds of trouble. Everything went well. I pulled the car out of the shop, and had my ear to the grill listening to the post break in idle. I heard the roller timing chain when my buddy Richie closed the hood. My heart skipped a beat!!! That engine ran strong for over 20 years until I pulled it to build my current '67 Chevelle convertible.
Good job Nick, teaching the younger generation. Not only lessons in the dyno room but lessons in life as well. Leo seemed to be getting a little bummed about the blown head gasket but Nick was having just another day at the office. "Eh, no big deal, we'll just take it apart & see what's wrong. That's why we're here.". Don't get discouraged Leo, head gaskets may blow, push rods may get bent & who knows what else. When you're cruising down the road listening to the purr of the engine it's all worth it man. One of the coolest things is being able to say "I built that myself.".
U can see how proud nick is that his apprentice rebuilt his first motor and it's so fitting that it's on nicks Dyno I know the kiss of death look on Leo's face when it started blowing smoke his expression needs no words
Those were some pretty impressive numbers out of a small block magnum, when you guys finally got that engines sorted out. Glad to see everything worked in the end out for Leo. I'm sure he'll get many great miles of enjoyment with that in his Charger. Great video!
@@NicksGarage those who can't do, teach+those who can't teach , do. Nick you have the ability to do both with considerable ease,I take my hat off to you
Don't fret Leo, I had a similar experience 30+ years ago. Bought a complete 360 gasket set from Performance Automotive Warehouse made by Detroit Gasket. I blew the head gaskets on it at the 3rd race of the season. Went back together with Fel-Pro and didn't have a problem after that. Love the channel !
Hey Leo sorry to see the gasket go, but I’m glad it happened outside of the car, and the numbers you pulled in the end are mind blowing! Enjoy the motor dude - you’ve earned it!
Great seeing Ya back Leo-Welcome the world of engine building! All of us that's messed with these things for any length of time have been in your shoes. Hang in there and enjoy that sweet 360 small block!!! Bring your roadrunner around when you get it running!
The calm and methodical manner in which Nick goes about diagnosing the problem is telling of his experience and wisdom. Found the young guy rather annoying in his manner but nick wasn't rattled and stayed focused. Everyone is saying this and that and he's like lets do this and see. Definitely a talented and wise man.
This is how it should be...when something happens no one freaks or whatever...just calm cool and collected Nick and Leo investigating the issue, nice to see from good people.
One of my favorite video, not because of the broken gasket, because it’s what can happen and you kept cool great job Nick, always a stress going on the dyno 👍
My Dad was a teacher 6th grade, and prop mechanic for B29s always told me, better be quiet and thought a fool than open ones mouth and remove all dout, better too learn by listening than doing a job repeatedly, patience is a virtue good man Nick you got along of it, taught some automotive myself, can be tough you do very well .....
Watching Nick squirt water on the headers reminded me of my dad tuning his 800cid irrigation engines. He'd do it after dark when he could see if the exhaust manifolds were equally red. He also tuned the fuel ration on the Natural Gas engines by watching the blue flame coming out the exhaust.
That is how I trouble shoot missing in CNG engines. Teach new techs to spray down the exhaust manifolds with WD40, put it under load for a few seconds and look for the wet hole.
You can almost feel Nick's pain and disappointment on this failure. Nick is the only wrench I have heard of in close to the 55 years I've been pulling wrenches that I would trust to work on my vehicles without giving behind to check
Sad for Leo ,but to be fair it happened in the perfect place .Nick had it in his mind and knew the problem after a few tests .Also some great numbers achieved once it was fixed.Really enjoyed this vid Nick .You are one calm man who knows his engines.👍
So many emotions in this video. I really love the respect between Leo and Nick. Heartbreaking for sure for Leo. Cooler heads prevailed and dug down into the diagnostics. This my friends is how old heads and young heads learn from each other.
I remember when I did my first engine. A 305 Chevy. It broke a Rod and destroyed the whole block. Thankfully I had minimal amount of money invested. I reused the rods, bought a new pistons, and a new cam. What do u expect from a 17 yr old at that time? Lol
I am not particularly into Mopar, trained in engine building but never becoming a pro. I really like these videos and thankful for them. Letting a man be a leader and supporting him is a skillset few young folks have. Nick caught vibration immediately. I wonder if they should have not run the engine hard but all the time and trouble to get it set up on dyno may as well get it firing on all 8 and even tuned if possible. The young man will be hesitant to do what bystanders urge in the future "bring it up to 5500!" (Not cool) and don't worry, that smirker will get his one day.
Great video, nice to see Leo's reaction when smoke came out of valve cover. Everyone was saying " blown ring" but Nick was saying," no,no,no ..its not a ring", and he was right!! Leo, you did great job on this engine, I am happie it is just a head gasket. Cant wait to se that engine again on test!!
Nick is the calmest teacher. Very kind. I would have sat that lad down and read him the riot act in the first 2 minutes. I sawNick was perturbed but stayed calm. And in the aftermath he patiently gave of himself freely to teach. Awesome.
This kid was definitely a little cocksure and obviously didn't cross all of his i's, but, in the end, the biggest failures weren't his fault. If you had been Nick in this hypothetical where you yelled at the kid, you'd just have been a dick; making a scene that everyone there would have thought less of you for, and for problems that were partially your fault (the wrong flywheel).
Hi, Nick, George, and Leo, I'm a little late to the party this time but really enjoyed this video. From the beginning when I saw the title of the video, I was very concerned, about Leo's engine, but I knew that Nick would figure out what went wrong. Thankfully it wasn't a major problem, and easily fixed. Hey Leo, we all have been through problems like this with our cars. Just chalk it up to experience and keep going. You are never to old to learn. Your engine made some respectable power, and will make your Charger a fun ride this summer. Good job Leo, you should be very proud of your first engine. Nick, I just loved the way you stayed cool, and calm, during the video, found the problems, and then the cure. No other channel on TH-cam is as real as Nick's Garage.
@@moparedtn Hi Ed, things are going well here in Texas, and I hope that you and your family are doing well. The 500 is just about complete except for the exhaust, so it shouldn't be too much longer. I'm looking forward to the first drive!!!
@@eugenecastles7475 Oh man, that's got to be maddening! Your patience is admirable for sure. Are you going with Accurate, TTI or some other? I will try to keep an eye out for when you finally receive that gorgeous car back. Take care! - Ed
Such an exciting episode! Every bit as entertaining as any of the big budget channels, "Nick's Garage" just keeps on raising the bar. BIG TIME KUDOS to George for all his efforts. Narration, editing, sound, camera work... the man can do it all!
At least it didn't eat any internals, not bad for his first engine build, if anyone can sort it out it's definitely you, can't wait to see the continuing saga
I've had some fun with these engines. My buddy Alex & I put a turbocharged 360 Magnum with a T56 in his 1978 Dodge Aspen Super Coupe in 2015 & it's still goin strong. He wanted 550-600hp so we built it to handle 750-800 so it would be stronger than needed. It made 618whp at 12psi.
Nick, to see you work with that young man was fantastic, he was so excited he couldn't stay still. Nice to know that there wasn't any internal damage. During the whole test you were cool and calm. Not your first time around the block!! Nice job..
Great Show,guys ! There use to be an Italian engine builder in Hollywood Fla. You Sir remind me of him . He was thorough ,kind,and very good at his hobby and that was manifesting fantastic engines . His shop was just like yours ,with all do respect, messy ,but organized to "His" craftsmanship. Thanks for the memories,,,Nick ! God bless !
I feel bad for Leo, but he learned stock gaskets may not hold up on the dyno in a high compression engine. After installing better gaskets, it made nice power. Congrats Leo, thanks Nick for taking us along for the ride. Much respect for all. Stay safe, God Bless.
I admire Leo's excitement, enthusiasm, and dedication. You go, guy! And your 72 Charger is awesome! I've had a 68, 71, and 74 Chargers, and many other Mopars, but none as nice as yours!👍
Felt so bad for Leo! I know he's not a rich guy but his heart and soul" plus wallet" went in to this engine. Was going to ask if there was a way to donate some money to help him get it back to together again but....it worked out in the end. Glad it's all good! Should be proud Leo! Great vid Nick,George, Leo and company. Thx again. :)
Put Head Studs on that motor. With that higher compression, the head gasket failed because the studs lost clamping force and allowed the head to lift just enough for the combistion gases to get to the soft material past the fire ring on the gasket. Also, next time re torque the head studs after a heat cycle. Good luck!!
@@keithtaber1712 Pease explain this in Detail, as I am very interested to learn about it, as I am in my 30’s….. and love to learn from the ole’timers about that stuff! Thank you
Also, I know that gut wrenching feeling watching your build being put to the test. I still have my 1997 Honda Civic with a fully built LSVTEC (1.8L DOHC non-VTEC block with a VTEC head) that I assembled and I remember the knots that I had in my stomach when my tuner put it on the dyno for the first time. It went on to make 709 whp at 29 psi.
Looks like head gasket blew into crankcase, you can hear the engine "chuffing" trying to run and all the smoke out of the crankcase vents in valve covers. I just dealt with that same thing on a 11.5:1 compression LS6 big block Chevy in a boat last summer. Cometic MLS gaskets fixed that problem. Change both head gaskets while it's torn down!
I don't know other than it sounded like-like-and may not always be the case-had top break off a piston-kinda similar until you pull it apart and see. Squirts oil out plug hole. I know Cometic gaskets-I would rather pay double for a set of theirs than get all the expensive "Other" ones I could get, and if they don't replace both head gaskets with Cometic at this point, well kinda what that Forrest Gump dude said, something about stupid? and yeah like that...200 PSI, not over the top, 140-to-200, good enough for this, that will drop a little maybe with the new gasket-don't know the difference in thickness....
Big Mercury V6 outboard with performance mods went through a head gasket like it was nothing. It would eat plugs like popcorn (NGK surface gap, nothing less) but it would devour the lakes it was on. The top end was never found in that engine before we sold the boat.
I'm sure they had already planned on changing both head gaskets. Common sense would tell you if one gasket blew that quickly, best to do both. Always do head gaskets as a set on V8 & V6 engines.
I want this project to go well for Leo. I can see the excitement and pride that he has for this engine project. Thank you Nick for guiding and helping with this project.
Bon Jour/ Good Day. Nice little engine Leo. You could not have asked for a better place to have your engine blow when the Doctor is beside you. All the best Leo.
As much as that sucks, thank god it wasnt anything mechanical or any severe damage. The guy built a solid motor! Theres no one to blame other than a faulty part. Likely with some better quality gaskets the thing will breathe fire 🔥
I think there's also the slight possibility that the head bolts on each side of the compromised gasket may not have seen the final torque number. He's young, and seems a little easily distracted.
I would agree. Its pretty difficult for that large of a piece of headgasket to get blown out in one piece when it is being squished together by to flat surfaces. Either that head did not get completely torqued or a couple headbolts didnt hold up once they got hot.
The distributor was probably a warning sign about lack of attention to detail. The good thing is this was a valuable learning lesson of what could happen if you don’t pay attention to detail and luckily other than labor it shouldn’t be too expensive to correct.
I almost cried for Leo when the smoke came out of the valve covers ,but in the end a cheep fix and a lesson learned .good luck Leo have fun be safe .And as always a masterful job by Nick the wizard ,( let me tell you .)🧐
@@bigboreracing356 -A steel fire ring head gasket doesn't blow out that quickly, easily, and completely unless head not torque down much... obviously you've never built an engine...
@@bigboreracing356 - YOU can't 'comprehend' the engine was built fine except someone forgot to finish torquing some of the head bolts... obviously you've never built an engine... or ever left your Mom's basement...
Possibly my favorite episode overall so far! Nick, you did such an amazing job of walking everybody that was present through the process to identify and eliminate problems. You're an excellent teacher and an absolute joy to observe. And that is one mean MOFO engine he built LOL!
Those foil type gaskets belong on lawnmowers. Good to see it wasn't a catastrophic failure. As a person who builds all my own engines, this is very stressful running them for the first time after modifications. Great little engine you got there. We live and we learn, that's what makes us human. Next step will be a stroker kit!
I know that sinking feeling in the pit of your gut when something goes wrong with a fresh motor. At least, it was only a head gasket and no holes on the piston tops. Glad Leo's engine got sorted out and is now in the engine bay. PHEW!
Hello Leo! I am really sorry that happened during the test. I could see the disappointment on your face when it started puffing smoke. Call it a"learning moment" for the other engine builds I'm sure you will do in the future. I'm happy it worked out for you in the end, so now go have some fun with your sweet Charger from Nick's Garage! MoPar or No car! All the best for you Leo! Bill from Linglestown, Pennsylvania
As long as the heads are coming off, Leo might as well just take it totally apart and verify that the rotating assembly is balanced properly. Get all the pistons within a tenth of a gram, get all the pushrods big ends and small ends within a tenth of a gram, get a flywheel or flex plate for that engine and balance the crank, flywheel, and harmonic balancer TOGETHER on a balance machine at high RPM with the correct flyweights and get it perfect. Then mark the flywheel with punched index marks if the bolt pattern isn't an offset or asymmetrical one-way pattern to prevent it from being installed the wrong way. Something was imbalanced before that head gasket blew, and if all the cylinders were contributing equally, that means something rotating is physically out of balance. It's no use getting MLS heavy duty head gaskets and ARP studs to prevent a blowout if the rotating assembly is out of balance. The bearings will be wiped out in a few thousand miles and it'll need complete rebuilding again! :'( Engines are hard to build. Mistakes are inevitable until you have a good amount of experience.
that is an insanely ridiculous waste of time and money on an already assembled engine. if there were any problems with balance, it would have been immediately noticeable after initial fire.
This was a teaching moment that leo will remember the rest of his life. The patience to go thru the process step by step is whats required. This is where age and knowledge outshines youth and inexperience. Like nick says "one step at a time" .
I felt bad for Leo at and im so glad it wasnt a catastrophic failure. I hate to see someone as eager as Leo who wants to be a good employee having to deal with a possible failure in his assembly etc. its such a morale killer when that happens and embarrassing if friends are present. The good news is hes got someone like Nick guiding him so he will learn improve and get better every day. I was afraid the balance issue might be the pistons were assembled backwards on the rods or similar but thankfully it was a head gasket and the balance was just an incorrect flywheel. In the end this all works in Leo's favor as a valuable learning experience to check every detail in the future, if its any consolation Leo ive seen that same flywheel mistake made on 400 chevy small blocks with externally balanced flywheel and harmonic balancer. Either the gasket on Leo's engine wasnt up to snuff or a bolt didnt get properly torqued but either way it sounds like the engine ran well after reassembly with new gaskets and the correct flywheel, im really happy for Leo I know what this first build meant to him. Keep going Leo you will do well with Nicks teaching and as more experience builds up, it turns out you built a nice engine and I wish we could have seen the dyno runs with new flywheel and gaskets. Congrats on building a good engine Leo, im very happy for you.
I think Chrysler went from '1972 emissions slug 360 engine' to 'magnum 360 version' of production engines in 1994... but should have done it more like 1976 or so when GM and Ford were starting to offer improved engines like in the 30 MPG Pinto Pony 4 banger, Pontiac 301" V8 16 MPG city/ 23 MPG hiway, and Pontiac Iron Duke 4 with 28 MPG city/34 MPG hiway... Chrysler 360 was still like 9 MPG city/ 11 MPG hiway rating in 1993 !
@@jeffreybiscoe6 - On a SBC 400, the front dampener is also very unbalanced... and newer 350's starting 1986 also have unbalanced flywheels, but dampener stayed balanced...
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I wish I can catch up on the comments soon. Not enough hours in a day.
Did you see it rock just before the smoke came out ?
Your a great patient teacher.
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If I could go back in time about 25 years when I was Leo's age I would definitely want nick as my mentor.. He has a great temperament and looks at failures as a learning experience. Very calm and collected man..
rebuilding engines is a learning experience. and its a whole other level if you do your own machining
My late Dad grew up in cowboy country in the Sand Hills of Nebraska during the depression. Rodeos were commonplace. When Dad would witness an old pro like Nick doing his thing....he's say "He's like that haggard old bull....just slowly walking into the arena". In otherwards.....that old bull had seen it all.....every cowboy, every trick....and nothing flustered him. What a great lesson for a kid like Leo to be around. Thanks too for giving us the horse/torque readings from the fixed motor. I was afraid we'd never get those numbers.
One thing I like about Nick is he doesn't edit out the problems they run into on the dyno. Some other TH-cam channels don't show the inevitable problems that are run into when first starting a fresh engine. It ain't that easy. But Nick stays with it until the problem is solved, and "good enough" is never "good enough." Either its right or its not. One thing I noticed at about the 18:52 mark was the engine was rocking up and down at the flywheel and we could see air gaps appear at the connection between it and the dyno adapter.
We had it tightened up again and still had vibrations. Solved it with another flywhheel.
This is why we never buy cheap gaskets, kids. The cost of swapping them on the dyno is much more than just buying the good stuff (Cometic) to begin with.
The school of hard knocks is always in session! We learn more from an event like this than from months in the classroom. I think most of us have been where Leo is right now!
That's what I like about Nick. Things go wrong, no panic, no blame. After all, that is why the engine is on the dyno test bed......not only to undertake testing, but if something is going to go wrong to let it go wrong there and not in the car's engine bay. Do not speculate. Find it and put it right. The trait of a true confident professional. I am like this too as an engineer. Localize it, find it, and fix it. Good work Nick.
Appreciate it !
Take heart, Leo!! You've got the best teacher and he's calm. No rants, no craziness.
You'll get it buddy!!
💯 truth
OMG I stopped breathing when the engine blew smoke , just to see the look on Leos face . Iam so happy that it was nothing too serious Nick you are such a good mentor to Leo and he is so lucky
A real 'dime a dollar' moment. 😉
Just found your channel. You showed great patience with that kid. I always shut up, listen to my elders, and follow instructions.
Glad you found us.
Nick isn't just teaching how to build engines but how to handle issues when they go wrong, its not the end of the world.
I’ve been watching Nicks channel for years and have never seen an engine do that. Nick remained cool headed throughout the whole thing. That’s professionalism.
Yeah, I'd be checking head bolt torqueing plus block deck and head surface flatness! NO head gasket should have failed that quickly!
he is a mechanic, not preforming heart surgery. no holes in block or pistons it will work eventually.
I really think Nick stayed calm for Leo's sake because you can see Leo's expression at first it was like he lost his best friend in the world and then Nick kind of made it like oh no big deal for the sake of Leo and then Leo started smiling again and kind of joking around thank you for being that way for Leo Nick really means a lot to see you do that for a kid I don't know how old he is but at my age anybody under my age is a kid haha.
I really like Nick's attitude, it shows a level of maturity, and no-nonsense patience, very impressed,Sir
Leo is one lucky young man to have an older experienced man to mentor him on engine building. A lot of young guys won't listen....and a lot of old guys won't help. Leo will remember this man as long as he lives and the time Nick spent guiding him. Priceless.
Look at it this way Leo: A lot of young engine builders have paid the price of your engine... maybe more... in tuition and have yet to learn what you learned from the ultimate mentor. A lesson that you will NEVER forget. Can't wait to see your engine soar.
@@billyjoejimbob56 failing and learning from an experience and becoming good at it is the same at college tuition, just a hands on learning if willing not be afraid of failing to succeed and learn. If one is willing to put time into that learning time and money
he could do with shutting up and listening to Nick, he is all wrong as a mechanic, jumping at "it blew a ring" with no thought behind that statement at all..... i think Nick said, like i did about 4 times it isnt a ring, the kid wasnt listening to Nick at all..... i wouldn't let that kid re-build a lawnmower engine!
He said he built this engine with the best parts, if he knew his stuff he would already have know the potential for the large compression numbers and yet he fitted a cheap crapy headgasket...
With a man like Nick you shut up and listen, he has forgotten more than most mechanics will ever know!
old guys won't help when the young guys won't listen. They need to learn to just shut the hell up and let the experience concentrate. That is how you learn. Nick has the patience of a saint when trying to diagnose a problem and having this squirrel chattering in his ear. My father would have rung my clock with a valve cover. The old adage of "Listen and Learn" is just as important to today.
Shows you can’t cut corners, a high performance engine needs high performance gaskets.
Nick watching you work reminds me of my father . He was also a greek and a master with engines like you !
Thanks for the great content.
Thanks for watching!
I really feel bad for Leo. You can tell how stressed he was when the $hit hit the fan. But I have to admire how calm Nick was through all of this.. He is a real pro that has seen it all, and it shows. Great video!
This is a job for old school mechanical know-how....
Nick being calm. He has seeen it all.
Calm ? Its not Nick's engine.
Fuckin hell when does it get hot in montreal looks like there is snow on the ground.
@@outdatedfarmequipment2702 there are 2 seasons up there, winter and Canada Day.
I feel bad for Leo, but like he was saying, it's a learning experience. And, if this is going to happen, no better place than right where the "Professor" is there to teach!🎓
Love the way Nick checked the headers. I was taught the same back in the late 70's. Just stumbled into this TH-cam channel. Definitely hooked ! Thank you Nick
Today, a non-contact I.R. laser temp gun works wonders for checking headers. They're only about $15-$20 at your local hardware store, and will give you the exact temp of each tube in less than 15 seconds just by pointing the tool at each tube and pulling the trigger. Instant, accurate, temp reading.
Nick is a fabulous teacher and mentor. Leo is all excited - goes for top of the world on the first partial pull to worried after something got hurt. Nick was so even-keeled. Went back to basic troubleshooting steps and really helped Leo to the problem. This world needs more mentors and great teachers like Nick. He cares for people, and takes the time out of his day to pass on some of his knowledge. Years ago when I got into cars, I was lucky enough to have a mentor like Nick, who would teach me so much. He would stay after hours in the shop to help me with a cam install, engine replacement or driveline work. Sadly, my mentor is no longer with us. Lesson in that story is to make sure these wonderful people know how much they are appreciated while they are here!! Hats off to you Nick!
So lucky to have an expert willing to teach his knowledge. What a good man he is!!
Leo will have to get a formal education first. Such as attended a school to get an ASE degree. These engines will be out lawed and soon.
Well said perfect
That is one heck of a good down home kid there...VERY respectful, intelligent, interesting and just a nice guy...good for you Leo...
I can understand how felt Leo. I’m also a big stressed guy. Veeeeeeery big respect how Nick was keeping so calm.
My husband and I absolutely loved this show. It's great to see actual problems get solved. My husband said a head gasket and he was right. Thanks for the great content Nick.
With at least 190psi compression, i thought it could have been a hole knocked in the piston, or a head gasket. With that kind of compression what are his plans for it? I'd be worried about spark knock, and having to run way less spark advance. And what kind of fuel will you have to run? The combo may be too much, practically speaking.
Its not even a hard guess not rocket science here tf 😂
Haha yea I said the same thing when it blew. I saw all that coolant pour out in the back and I knew it immediately.
@@budlanctot3060 “190 psi is a lot of cylinder pressure”? Isn’t the stock static pressure about 175-185?
@@Formerlywarmer Negative. I think in Reality, normal compression test pressure is anywhere from 130psi to 160psi. for an early 70's 360. 195psi is extraordinary, especially if it's intended for regular street use. However, I admit I know next to nothing about Canadian gasoline octanes.
Oh man, I felt for you Leo. So glad it was just the head gasket and a few extra hours wrenching. Nick was such a great mentor in that video keeping everyone focused and WORKING THE PROBLEM rather than assuming the engine was completely blown.
Thanks 👍
@@NicksGarage Nick,, long time Mopar guy here,,, those are LA valve covers aren't they?
Guys like Nick are a Godsend for guys like Leo. That’s how the cycle of learning begins.
Fuqn rights old fellas that don’t get rotted n miserable w the time but try help rhe young gunners is wholesome aff, Leo was super hyped nick apprricayes it either it’s lowk half ass built way he truly cared
Nick, I love the way You treat the up and coming mechanics. I taught my Son that way and He loves diving into total rebuilds. He has far surpassed my abilities. I hope Your channel gets millions of subscribers! You deserve it!
Thank you.
Thanks for the follow up with the new head gasket. Leo came a long way while he was under Nick's tutelage. He definitely made the most of his opportunity to learn from one of the best.
To Rollin: thanks for reminding me to buy only top shelf engine parts and built engines my favorite shop is professionalcrateengines out of florida.
You learn from your mistakes, and always use the best when building an engine.Thank you, Nick and Leo.
For a first time engine rebuild I say Leo done very well for himself!! His Charger is going to be a fun ride.
I think I enjoyed watching Leo's emotions more than hearing the engine run, LOL! I'm so glad you guys sorted the head gasket issue and vibration so quickly, and that now Leo has a motor he can be most certainly proud of for having some fun this Summer 🙂
Haha. He certainly has a very expressive face. He's a good kid.
I’m happy Leo didn’t lose his engine. Nick, you’re a great guy! The things a person could learn working along side of you. You remind me of my late father, he was like you. He would always say “don’t worry, we’ll figure it out”. Keep up the good work with your videos and stay a cool dude.
We've all been in Leo's shoes with our hot rods when we were his age, and he should save this video and watch it again in 20 years. As for Nick, unflappable as always, not his first time at a rodeo!!
Fr tho. Ik we had a sbc blow up on the trailer with all scat bottom end... That sucked.
To be young and have all that energy!! God bless you Nick!!!
@@michaeladamo6279 to be Nick and have all that energy!! 😄
If it only happened as a youngster I'd be happy. Sometimes it still does. Many new parts and pieces are my reason and excuse. God knows I don't get in a hurry for anything anymore.
Yea 20 years that’s a keeper for his history along with the head gasket as honest proof.
Hello Nick, Leo, George & others, that 360 turned out a wee beauty in the finish even if getting there wasn't what Leo was expecting. He still has a ways to go in the learning & growing department but had the best teacher being Nick complete with his maturity & knowledge not to mention a dyno.Stay cool everyone and have a great week all.
Yeah he acts like a child .. it's a little weird to be honest
I agree Daniel but hey each to there own.
@@blinkie1523 true , im sure he's a nice guy but it was almost like he had never been in public or ever seen a engine run . It's great to be excited but that was just weird. It's like he is a very sheltered person.
I just found out he is 22 years old he is a grown man , he's not a kid . You wouldn't know it
Daniel I know all that but hey I think you need to let it go as one day he will get there as perhaps he has some sort of disorder we don't know about.
Leo wanted to steal the show . Nicks look into the camera priceless.🤣
Leo needs to stop talking so much and start listening and watching.
My thoughts exactly.
I wish I could like this comment more than once
makes me think he’s got a drug problem
@@bigboreracing356 Exactly 💯.. These folks are crying and complaining as if they're Perfect. Bet they wouldn't confront him to his face. He looks like a strong young man that doesn't spend every single day trolling. At least he works for a living while many people here live off government cheese.
@@DOCTOR_KIA yep, i thought so too ( no disrespect )
Wow Dr. Nick doing an autopsy on the dyno. Many people making guesses but the MAN Nick was cool calm and systematic finding the problem..Great video to all the team. 👍
I agree with you 200%
Manny said he was like a captain, navigating his ship through a storm.
Well now, Leo bet $100 that it was a head gasket and who did he get his knowledge from to be able to make such a great educated guess so I've got to say Leo knew also what the problem was when they pulled off the valve covers I think he might have said that before the valve covers were pulled off but way to go Leo.
Man I wish you were still there with Nick... I just love seeing your enthusiasm and desire to learn and pick up things and to absorb things like a sponge you're going to go a long ways.
This is what keeps me watching you Nick. Your helping this young man and his small block with as much attention to detail as you would give a 440 6 barrel. It wonderful to pass on the flame and instill the love for cars to the younger generation. Love this man, your an awesome guy!!
383 is not a small block
@@rmiller2179 they're building a 360
Thanks Nick.... this episode was your best one to date. We should all learn something from the the way Nick methodically trouble shot the problem at hand. A genuine true craftsmen, a absolute talent.
Nick, nice diagnostic work and a cool head to boot. You must have momentarily felt like "Oily Man" getting sprayed in the face! Hi George and Leo!
I have been building engines for 30 years and there is a big difference from factory rebuilds and modified. You have to just learn from mistakes and Charlie Mike . The young man is very lucky to have such.a good teacher.
Thanks Nick and.Leo for.another great video. This reminds me of my first engine build in 1977 when I was a kid. L79 327. I felt exactly the same as Leo when it first started. We ran it at 2000 RPM to break in the cam, and listening for sounds of trouble. Everything went well. I pulled the car out of the shop, and had my ear to the grill listening to the post break in idle. I heard the roller timing chain when my buddy Richie closed the hood. My heart skipped a beat!!! That engine ran strong for over 20 years until I pulled it to build my current '67 Chevelle convertible.
When Nick asks if you're ready?? He really means, get out of my way.
Keep on Keeping on Bother! Awesome job. I was born in1961. These car make me feel like I was one generation early. LOVE IT
Good job Nick, teaching the younger generation. Not only lessons in the dyno room but lessons in life as well. Leo seemed to be getting a little bummed about the blown head gasket but Nick was having just another day at the office. "Eh, no big deal, we'll just take it apart & see what's wrong. That's why we're here.". Don't get discouraged Leo, head gaskets may blow, push rods may get bent & who knows what else. When you're cruising down the road listening to the purr of the engine it's all worth it man. One of the coolest things is being able to say "I built that myself.".
Poor guy needs to chill! Lol!! Good show to see why you need to do this. Good stuff for all to see. No parts on the floor is a good thing.
U can see how proud nick is that his apprentice rebuilt his first motor and it's so fitting that it's on nicks Dyno I know the kiss of death look on Leo's face when it started blowing smoke his expression needs no words
Those were some pretty impressive numbers out of a small block magnum, when you guys finally got that engines sorted out. Glad to see everything worked in the end out for Leo. I'm sure he'll get many great miles of enjoyment with that in his Charger. Great video!
Thanks Robert!
@@NicksGarage this is why people go to you they trust you..i would
@@NicksGarage those who can't do, teach+those who can't teach , do.
Nick you have the ability to do both with considerable ease,I take my hat off to you
Don't fret Leo, I had a similar experience 30+ years ago. Bought a complete 360 gasket set from Performance Automotive Warehouse made by Detroit Gasket. I blew the head gaskets on it at the 3rd race of the season. Went back together with Fel-Pro and didn't have a problem after that. Love the channel !
Leo.... A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Every day is a school day , never ever conclude that you already know everything.
Hey Leo sorry to see the gasket go, but I’m glad it happened outside of the car, and the numbers you pulled in the end are mind blowing! Enjoy the motor dude - you’ve earned it!
Great seeing Ya back Leo-Welcome the world of engine building! All of us that's messed with these things for any length of time have been in your shoes. Hang in there and enjoy that sweet 360 small block!!! Bring your roadrunner around when you get it running!
The calm and methodical manner in which Nick goes about diagnosing the problem is telling of his experience and wisdom.
Found the young guy rather annoying in his manner but nick wasn't rattled and stayed focused. Everyone is saying this and that and he's like lets do this and see.
Definitely a talented and wise man.
I believe it has wrong valve covers on it rocker arms touching the covers causing the ticking not sure if it causing vibration
He's not ever hereing you nick
I forgot to mention that the gentleman behind the camara does an excellent job. Including the music, the colors and the narrating .
This is how it should be...when something happens no one freaks or whatever...just calm cool and collected Nick and Leo investigating the issue, nice to see from good people.
The look on Leos face is priceless, when it goes boom.
One of my favorite video, not because of the broken gasket, because it’s what can happen and you kept cool great job Nick, always a stress going on the dyno 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
I had a 1978 Chrysler Cordoba that had the 360 cu. in. engine. It was a good one too. Lasted well in excess of 200,000 miles.
Nice!
i had one of those also traded it for a pos honda
My Dad was a teacher 6th grade, and prop mechanic for B29s always told me, better be quiet and thought a fool than open ones mouth and remove all dout, better too learn by listening than doing a job repeatedly, patience is a virtue good man Nick you got along of it, taught some automotive myself, can be tough you do very well .....
Watching Nick squirt water on the headers reminded me of my dad tuning his 800cid irrigation engines. He'd do it after dark when he could see if the exhaust manifolds were equally red. He also tuned the fuel ration on the Natural Gas engines by watching the blue flame coming out the exhaust.
That is how I trouble shoot missing in CNG engines. Teach new techs to spray down the exhaust manifolds with WD40, put it under load for a few seconds and look for the wet hole.
You can almost feel Nick's pain and disappointment on this failure. Nick is the only wrench I have heard of in close to the 55 years I've been pulling wrenches that I would trust to work on my vehicles without giving behind to check
That little engine was screaming…… until it wasn’t!
Sad for Leo ,but to be fair it happened in the perfect place .Nick had it in his mind and knew the problem after a few tests .Also some great numbers achieved once it was fixed.Really enjoyed this vid Nick .You are one calm man who knows his engines.👍
This was one of your most interesting videos. Real world stuff where things break. Glad you got it all sorted out.
Are the Canadian?
The blind leading the blind. “It’s got a bad vibration: let’s wind it up,get the mop ready. Is the clown Leo on something?
Ya need to do a leak down test, damn they waste a lot of time blabbing
I was the same way when I was a teen at my dads shop . Just yapping away but knowing my dad can fix anything i screwed up he was my hero lol .
Been there done that at the drag strip with my 416 stroker 340, took it home, slapped in new gaskets, back to running 10’s the next time out 😅
So many emotions in this video. I really love the respect between Leo and Nick. Heartbreaking for sure for Leo. Cooler heads prevailed and dug down into the diagnostics. This my friends is how old heads and young heads learn from each other.
I remember when I did my first engine. A 305 Chevy. It broke a Rod and destroyed the whole block. Thankfully I had minimal amount of money invested. I reused the rods, bought a new pistons, and a new cam. What do u expect from a 17 yr old at that time? Lol
I am not particularly into Mopar, trained in engine building but never becoming a pro. I really like these videos and thankful for them. Letting a man be a leader and supporting him is a skillset few young folks have.
Nick caught vibration immediately. I wonder if they should have not run the engine hard but all the time and trouble to get it set up on dyno may as well get it firing on all 8 and even tuned if possible. The young man will be hesitant to do what bystanders urge in the future "bring it up to 5500!" (Not cool) and don't worry, that smirker will get his one day.
Great video, nice to see Leo's reaction when smoke came out of valve cover.
Everyone was saying " blown ring" but Nick was saying," no,no,no ..its not a ring", and he was right!!
Leo, you did great job on this engine, I am happie it is just a head gasket.
Cant wait to se that engine again on test!!
Nick is the calmest teacher. Very kind. I would have sat that lad down and read him the riot act in the first 2 minutes. I sawNick was perturbed but stayed calm. And in the aftermath he patiently gave of himself freely to teach. Awesome.
why would he sit him down, and read him the riot act? tthat's that lad's engine.
You boomers are everywhere, you don’t need to be a teacher.
This kid was definitely a little cocksure and obviously didn't cross all of his i's, but, in the end, the biggest failures weren't his fault. If you had been Nick in this hypothetical where you yelled at the kid, you'd just have been a dick; making a scene that everyone there would have thought less of you for, and for problems that were partially your fault (the wrong flywheel).
Hi, Nick, George, and Leo, I'm a little late to the party this time but really enjoyed this video. From the beginning when I saw the title of the video, I was very concerned, about Leo's engine, but I knew that Nick would figure out what went wrong. Thankfully it wasn't a major problem, and easily fixed. Hey Leo, we all have been through problems like this with our cars. Just chalk it up to experience and keep going. You are never to old to learn. Your engine made some respectable power, and will make your Charger a fun ride this summer. Good job Leo, you should be very proud of your first engine. Nick, I just loved the way you stayed cool, and calm, during the video, found the problems, and then the cure. No other channel on TH-cam is as real as Nick's Garage.
Greetings Eugene, hope all are well down your way!
- Ed on the Ridge
@@moparedtn Hi Ed, things are going well here in Texas, and I hope that you and your family are doing well. The 500 is just about complete except for the exhaust, so it shouldn't be too much longer. I'm looking forward to the first drive!!!
Ed! We are so glad to see you stopped by. Hope you are well and that the spring is beautiful up there on the ridge.
@@NicksGarage Hi Nick, I sent you an email, with all the data for the exhaust.
@@eugenecastles7475 Oh man, that's got to be maddening! Your patience is admirable for sure. Are you going with Accurate, TTI or some other?
I will try to keep an eye out for when you finally receive that gorgeous car back.
Take care!
- Ed
Love how Nick just gets more into the issue and remains undeterred and in control of the situation.
Makes him look better.
It's almost as if he does this for a living!
Such an exciting episode! Every bit as entertaining as any of the big budget channels, "Nick's Garage" just keeps on raising the bar. BIG TIME KUDOS to George for all his efforts. Narration, editing, sound, camera work... the man can do it all!
At least it didn't eat any internals, not bad for his first engine build, if anyone can sort it out it's definitely you, can't wait to see the continuing saga
Watch last 45 seconds.
See 51.25 for final numbers...
I've had some fun with these engines. My buddy Alex & I put a turbocharged 360 Magnum with a T56 in his 1978 Dodge Aspen Super Coupe in 2015 & it's still goin strong. He wanted 550-600hp so we built it to handle 750-800 so it would be stronger than needed. It made 618whp at 12psi.
A bad day at the shop or track is better than a good day at work Leo.
Nick, to see you work with that young man was fantastic, he was so excited he couldn't stay still. Nice to know that there wasn't any internal damage. During the whole test you were cool and calm. Not your first time around the block!! Nice job..
Great Show,guys ! There use to be an Italian engine builder in Hollywood Fla. You Sir remind me of him . He was thorough ,kind,and very good at his hobby and that was manifesting fantastic engines . His shop was just like yours ,with all do respect, messy ,but organized to "His" craftsmanship.
Thanks for the memories,,,Nick !
God bless !
I feel bad for Leo, but he learned stock gaskets may not hold up on the dyno in a high compression engine. After installing better gaskets, it made nice power. Congrats Leo, thanks Nick for taking us along for the ride. Much respect for all. Stay safe, God Bless.
Right on the money think if it was a turbo
Thank You; Nick for being like a Big Brother for Leo.....Puts a smile on my face !!!!
Nicks so cool to work with the young folks. He has allot of time, patience and instruction for them.
I admire Leo's excitement, enthusiasm, and dedication. You go, guy! And your 72 Charger is awesome! I've had a 68, 71, and 74 Chargers, and many other Mopars, but none as nice as yours!👍
Felt so bad for Leo! I know he's not a rich guy but his heart and soul" plus wallet" went in to this engine. Was going to ask if there was a way to donate some money to help him get it back to together again but....it worked out in the end. Glad it's all good! Should be proud Leo! Great vid Nick,George, Leo and company. Thx again. :)
Put Head Studs on that motor. With that higher compression, the head gasket failed because the studs lost clamping force and allowed the head to lift just enough for the combistion gases to get to the soft material past the fire ring on the gasket. Also, next time re torque the head studs after a heat cycle.
Good luck!!
No way that’s why it failed.
No ventilation eguals explosion of fumes in crankcase old cars had road tubes just for that maybe I'm older school tan nick
@@keithtaber1712 it had open valve covers lol can’t get any more ventilated than that
Google pcv and it's purpose not cause of head gasket failure. But all that smoke was fumes burning in crankcase look at burn pattern on block
@@keithtaber1712 Pease explain this in Detail, as I am very interested to learn about it, as I am in my 30’s….. and love to learn from the ole’timers about that stuff! Thank you
Also, I know that gut wrenching feeling watching your build being put to the test. I still have my 1997 Honda Civic with a fully built LSVTEC (1.8L DOHC non-VTEC block with a VTEC head) that I assembled and I remember the knots that I had in my stomach when my tuner put it on the dyno for the first time. It went on to make 709 whp at 29 psi.
I could hang out with guys like Nick for days! The older guys know things!!!
Agreed. But remember, older women know things too!🤪👍
Maybe you should buy him some roses and take him on a date.
Looks like head gasket blew into crankcase, you can hear the engine "chuffing" trying to run and all the smoke out of the crankcase vents in valve covers. I just dealt with that same thing on a 11.5:1 compression LS6 big block Chevy in a boat last summer. Cometic MLS gaskets fixed that problem.
Change both head gaskets while it's torn down!
head gaskets flow that much its a big leak but the pressure is explained by that i was confused by the pressure blowing out the vent
Like shoes on a V8 you need two of them at all times..... LoL
I don't know other than it sounded like-like-and may not always be the case-had top break off a piston-kinda similar until you pull it apart and see. Squirts oil out plug hole. I know Cometic gaskets-I would rather pay double for a set of theirs than get all the expensive "Other" ones I could get, and if they don't replace both head gaskets with Cometic at this point, well kinda what that Forrest Gump dude said, something about stupid? and yeah like that...200 PSI, not over the top, 140-to-200, good enough for this, that will drop a little maybe with the new gasket-don't know the difference in thickness....
Big Mercury V6 outboard with performance mods went through a head gasket like it was nothing. It would eat plugs like popcorn (NGK surface gap, nothing less) but it would devour the lakes it was on. The top end was never found in that engine before we sold the boat.
I'm sure they had already planned on changing both head gaskets. Common sense would tell you if one gasket blew that quickly, best to do both. Always do head gaskets as a set on V8 & V6 engines.
I want this project to go well for Leo. I can see the excitement and pride that he has for this engine project.
Thank you Nick for guiding and helping with this project.
Nick the calm you had for Leo is amazing, a true teacher...too bad his ears don't work.
Don't underestimate Leo He learned a lot. I know I did.
🤣
yep the kids a fool!
Bon Jour/ Good Day. Nice little engine Leo. You could not have asked for a better place to have your engine blow when the Doctor is beside you. All the best Leo.
As much as that sucks, thank god it wasnt anything mechanical or any severe damage.
The guy built a solid motor! Theres no one to blame other than a faulty part.
Likely with some better quality gaskets the thing will breathe fire 🔥
Nick is a good mechanic. Very knowledgeable , I would love to have Nick working on my race car. He knows what he's doing.
I think there's also the slight possibility that the head bolts on each side of the compromised gasket may not have seen the final torque number. He's young, and seems a little easily distracted.
I would agree. Its pretty difficult for that large of a piece of headgasket to get blown out in one piece when it is being squished together by to flat surfaces. Either that head did not get completely torqued or a couple headbolts didnt hold up once they got hot.
The distributor was probably a warning sign about lack of attention to detail. The good thing is this was a valuable learning lesson of what could happen if you don’t pay attention to detail and luckily other than labor it shouldn’t be too expensive to correct.
Very possible. Same thing i thought.
I almost cried for Leo when the smoke came out of the valve covers ,but in the end a cheep fix and a lesson learned .good luck Leo have fun be safe .And as always a masterful job by Nick the wizard ,( let me tell you .)🧐
Was waiting for Leo's mouth to drop open... his eyes sure opened!
@@bigboreracing356 -A steel fire ring head gasket doesn't blow out that quickly, easily, and completely unless head not torque down much... obviously you've never built an engine...
@@bigboreracing356 - YOU can't 'comprehend' the engine was built fine except someone forgot to finish torquing some of the head bolts... obviously you've never built an engine... or ever left your Mom's basement...
Possibly my favorite episode overall so far! Nick, you did such an amazing job of walking everybody that was present through the process to identify and eliminate problems. You're an excellent teacher and an absolute joy to observe. And that is one mean MOFO engine he built LOL!
Those foil type gaskets belong on lawnmowers. Good to see it wasn't a catastrophic failure. As a person who builds all my own engines, this is very stressful running them for the first time after modifications. Great little engine you got there. We live and we learn, that's what makes us human. Next step will be a stroker kit!
I know that sinking feeling in the pit of your gut when something goes wrong with a fresh motor. At least, it was only a head gasket and no holes on the piston tops. Glad Leo's engine got sorted out and is now in the engine bay. PHEW!
Being excited when your engine is together and on the dyno, nothing wrong with that.
Hello Leo! I am really sorry that happened during the test. I could see the disappointment on your face when it started puffing smoke. Call it a"learning moment" for the other engine builds I'm sure you will do in the future. I'm happy it worked out for you in the end, so now go have some fun with your sweet Charger from Nick's Garage! MoPar or No car! All the best for you Leo! Bill from Linglestown, Pennsylvania
As long as the heads are coming off, Leo might as well just take it totally apart and verify that the rotating assembly is balanced properly. Get all the pistons within a tenth of a gram, get all the pushrods big ends and small ends within a tenth of a gram, get a flywheel or flex plate for that engine and balance the crank, flywheel, and harmonic balancer TOGETHER on a balance machine at high RPM with the correct flyweights and get it perfect. Then mark the flywheel with punched index marks if the bolt pattern isn't an offset or asymmetrical one-way pattern to prevent it from being installed the wrong way. Something was imbalanced before that head gasket blew, and if all the cylinders were contributing equally, that means something rotating is physically out of balance. It's no use getting MLS heavy duty head gaskets and ARP studs to prevent a blowout if the rotating assembly is out of balance. The bearings will be wiped out in a few thousand miles and it'll need complete rebuilding again! :'( Engines are hard to build. Mistakes are inevitable until you have a good amount of experience.
that is an insanely ridiculous waste of time and money on an already assembled engine. if there were any problems with balance, it would have been immediately noticeable after initial fire.
Completely agree thicker head gasket and reballance the bottom end
This duffer obviously didn't finish the video
I'm somewhat of a bullshitter myself but occasionally like to hear from an expert so, what kind of pushrods have big ends and small ends?
This was a teaching moment that leo will remember the rest of his life. The patience to go thru the process step by step is whats required. This is where age and knowledge outshines youth and inexperience. Like nick says "one step at a time" .
I felt bad for Leo at and im so glad it wasnt a catastrophic failure. I hate to see someone as eager as Leo who wants to be a good employee having to deal with a possible failure in his assembly etc. its such a morale killer when that happens and embarrassing if friends are present. The good news is hes got someone like Nick guiding him so he will learn improve and get better every day. I was afraid the balance issue might be the pistons were assembled backwards on the rods or similar but thankfully it was a head gasket and the balance was just an incorrect flywheel. In the end this all works in Leo's favor as a valuable learning experience to check every detail in the future, if its any consolation Leo ive seen that same flywheel mistake made on 400 chevy small blocks with externally balanced flywheel and harmonic balancer. Either the gasket on Leo's engine wasnt up to snuff or a bolt didnt get properly torqued but either way it sounds like the engine ran well after reassembly with new gaskets and the correct flywheel, im really happy for Leo I know what this first build meant to him. Keep going Leo you will do well with Nicks teaching and as more experience builds up, it turns out you built a nice engine and I wish we could have seen the dyno runs with new flywheel and gaskets. Congrats on building a good engine Leo, im very happy for you.
I think Chrysler went from '1972 emissions slug 360 engine' to 'magnum 360 version' of production engines in 1994... but should have done it more like 1976 or so when GM and Ford were starting to offer improved engines like in the 30 MPG Pinto Pony 4 banger, Pontiac 301" V8 16 MPG city/ 23 MPG hiway, and Pontiac Iron Duke 4 with 28 MPG city/34 MPG hiway...
Chrysler 360 was still like 9 MPG city/ 11 MPG hiway rating in 1993 !
Had blown a 400 swapped to 350 motor using my carb flywheel valve covers etc swap exactly when I learned about the fly wheel mentioned above.
@@jeffreybiscoe6 - On a SBC 400, the front dampener is also very unbalanced... and newer 350's starting 1986 also have unbalanced flywheels, but dampener stayed balanced...