SA 200 oil leaking from weep hole in head

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Hi, I have a 1960's redface and when welding there is oil leaking quite a bit from a hole in the side of the head right in line with a head bolt, starter side, lines up about with #3 cylinder. I'm guesing head gasket, but do not see why there would be oil pressure there. Any ideas before I take it apart? Thank'sSA 200 RED FACESA-200 BLACKFACEanother BLACKFACEMILLERMATIC 35SMILLER 251 W/SPOOLGUNMILLER AC/DC BUZZ BOX
Reply:Can you post a pic?Gordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:I'll work on a picture todaySA 200 RED FACESA-200 BLACKFACEanother BLACKFACEMILLERMATIC 35SMILLER 251 W/SPOOLGUNMILLER AC/DC BUZZ BOX
Reply:Sorry for the long delay, I hope the picture works. The leak is not as bad as it looks in the picture, this run was about 4 hours and there were only a few drips on the ground. Attached ImagesSA 200 RED FACESA-200 BLACKFACEanother BLACKFACEMILLERMATIC 35SMILLER 251 W/SPOOLGUNMILLER AC/DC BUZZ BOX
Reply:ANYBODY??I'll be useing this machine again later today, still wondering if this is just a head gasket, or more?SA 200 RED FACESA-200 BLACKFACEanother BLACKFACEMILLERMATIC 35SMILLER 251 W/SPOOLGUNMILLER AC/DC BUZZ BOX
Reply:I may be wrong but It looks to me like it's just one of the pressed in galley plugs that has been corroded and is leaking.  There looks to be another one to the right of that one, take a close look at the one that is not leaking and if that is all that it is, take out the leaker and replace it with a new one, or clean it real good and use some epoxy or JB or something similar to stop the leak.6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:Looks like head gasket failure from here.Clean it up and watch carefully for the leak's start.Good Luck
Reply:Thanks Expatwelder, you think there are plugs, like freeze plugs in there?Denrep, this area was cleaned just before I ran it for about 4 hours, before I took the picture. All the oil is leaking from the hole.SA 200 RED FACESA-200 BLACKFACEanother BLACKFACEMILLERMATIC 35SMILLER 251 W/SPOOLGUNMILLER AC/DC BUZZ BOX
Reply:Most Cont. engines have bolts sealed with copper washers in those locations, I had assumed that was to seal coolant passages. Maybe not? Put a bolt in it and see what happens?But still. . . there's no lube oil in the head of a Conkinental so I really don't see how the leak could be anything but combustion residue.Good Luck
Reply:I am baffled as to why there would be an oil leak on a flathead from this location.  There should be nothing but coolant in any head passages on a flathead.  Either coolant is leaking or I am not sure what else to think.OK, Went out and dug my SA-200 out of the snow.  Got the oil filter side cover off and . . . those two holes that are in your pic are both threaded like denrep says and I don't have any bolts in mine but it wouldn't hurt to put a short one in and seal with silicone or a copper gasket to stop your leak.Should solve your problem.Last edited by Nitesky; 01-03-2011 at 09:53 PM.Reason: added ihfoGordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:Yea I looked closer also and saw the threads too, I am thinking the head gasket is leaking a little and getting to the head bolt behind the hole in question. How I am not getting water, I don't know.I am real slow with the trucking right now so I am useing the welder for repairs, so I think I'll try plugging the hole for now. A friend has a head i'm going to look at tomorow, may get an idea from that.One other thing, Denrep, the oil from thr hole seems dirtier than the engine oil, so you might be on to something.SA 200 RED FACESA-200 BLACKFACEanother BLACKFACEMILLERMATIC 35SMILLER 251 W/SPOOLGUNMILLER AC/DC BUZZ BOX
Reply:Just a little update if anyone is interested, I was able to look at another head a couple weeks ago and the hole in question just goes into the head bolt hole, pretty much what we thought, well today it was a little warmer and I wanted to run the motor a little. When I went to start it it was flooded, and when it started hitting I had the same smoke that was coming out the pipe was puffing out that hole. So for me the mystery is over, I'll put a head gasket in when I have time. Thanks for the help.SA 200 RED FACESA-200 BLACKFACEanother BLACKFACEMILLERMATIC 35SMILLER 251 W/SPOOLGUNMILLER AC/DC BUZZ BOX
Reply:I know nothing about the flathead Continental engines, but if I had to make a guess, I'd say that both of those holes that are drilled and tapped were put there to mount a bracket or something on.  I think one of the holes got drilled and tapped a little too deep.  Nothing in this thread would lead me to believe that a head gasket was blown.  I would put a nice bolt with thread sealer on it, and leave well-enough alone.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepMost Cont. engines have bolts sealed with copper washers in those locations, I had assumed that was to seal coolant passages. Maybe not? Put a bolt in it and see what happens?But still. . . there's no lube oil in the head of a Conkinental so I really don't see how the leak could be anything but combustion residue.Good Luck