head gasket?

[redkneckracer]

ran the 420 hot the other day (pin hole in rad) and by the time i shut her down i noticed alot of blow-by coming out the fill pipe. also had oil runnin out the distributor cap. maybe cooked head gasket? i aint getting compression in the rad tho.

[Willyr]

Oil comming out of the distributor? Not oil blowing across the distributor?

I would do a compression check before tearing down the cylinder head. If compression test still shows 100+ psi to each cylinder, you will be wasting money to change the head gasket.

If you do pull the head you might as well do a light valve job. Reseat the valves, clean deposits of oil from the head. Check trueness of surface of head. Get the head thoroughly cleaned. Mag test it for flaws. And so on.

[Willyr]

A hot engine suggests a stuck thermostat. Change it for maybe $4, maybe even do a radiator flush.

The question on the distributor. If oil is on the inside of the distributor, it isnt a head gasket but O rings on the distributor. If oil is blowing across the distributor and the inside is dry, then I would do a simple oil leak search. Clean off all the oil from the engine and get it squeeky clean. Then get a can of Arid Extra dry antiperspirant. Spray this around the head and the valve cover. Remove your oil breather at the top of the engine. Start tthe engine for 20 seconds. If you have an oil leak the arid extra dry will show where it is comming from. If your breather is plugged or you have excessive base pressure, you will see what looks like exhaust blowing out of the vent pipe. Some vapor is ok, yet if you gently rest your hand on the pipe and it lifts your hand on idle? You will need to be thinking of a new set of rings and checking for piston slop.

The other thing is. If you recently changed the oil? And put a new filter on the engine? I would suspect that of soaking your distributor, not the above named gaskets.

[Ray III]

Willy it got hot because the coolant leaked out.

When the engine oil gets very hot it thins out and more blow by will happen. Fix the leak, refill coolant, change the oil, and start and see how it runs.