Blown Head Gasket

After trying to track down why my Jeep gauges was showing high temperature readings, the engine started to emit white smoke. Well after looking deeper into the problem I suspected a blown head gasket. After removing the head I found that the head gasket was leaking between cylinder 2 and 3. This head gasket was installed by me after having the head checked, trued and having a valve job performed by a local machine shop. I had used the cooper sealant along with a fel pro gasket. This gasket was mostly made of metal and did have one side that had some sort of fiber gasket. I installed it metal side up ( which might have been a mistake) and applied copper sealant on both sides.
So I cleaned both the block and the head and did not find any damage or cracks to either. I had previously bought a spare gasket which is a totally different design and am going to give it another try. I have cleaned the head and the block and torqued the bolts in 3 increments to 70 lbs.

While searching around the internet I found the all copper gasket offered by some vendors is there an advantage to their design? Just want to try and fix this problem for good. Any advice?

 

The block deck could be warped.

 

Might want to take the bare clean head, place it on bare clean block with a thin even layer of die, paint, or lapping compound. Evenly make short movements of the head front to back and side to side
No twisting. Then check for uneven wear of the die, paint, or compound.
follow this up with an appropriate thinner or solvent and try to draw the die or paint out of any hairline cracks between the 2 and 3 exhaust valves and between the 2 and 3 cyls to water jacket. Also make sure the gasket shouldn't be dry when installed.
Unfortunately cracks in the block aren't unusual where you're having issues. Best wishes!

 

What did the instructions say that came with the head gasket? Many Fel-Pro gaskets say to use NO sealer. A leaking intake gasket can exhibit similar symptoms.

 

Which Jeep is this? Presuming it's a F134 since you are comparing cylinders 2 and 3? The F134 block is prone to cracking between the head bolt holes and the water passages. site:earlycj5.com F134 block cracks - Bing Plenty of old threads about this.

I've never heard of the dye transfer method. Usually you use a straight edge to examine the flatness of a cylinder head or block. A shop would use a special straight-edge tool for this, but you can use a good machinist's rule. The FSM will have a spec for flatness, measured with your rule and a feeler gauge.

 

It is a 1952 M38A1 .

 

I believe the head bolts should be re-torqued after the engine has been through a heat cycle.

 

Engine repaired today. No cracks found in head or block. I took head back to machine shop they checked the head and found it was slightly warped. They trued the head and I installed a new Fel Pro gasket that is the blue on one side and metal on the other. Installed to a clean and dry head and block. I used some of the permeated thread sealer on the head bolts, then torqued to 70 lbs, then finished reassembling the engine. Engine started right up but did smoke for about 10 seconds ( white smoke), then cleared up. Ran engine until thermostat opened at 180, then coolant temperature dropped to 160. No smoke, and no bubbles in the radiator. Thanks for all of the advice and comments.

 

Going to recheck torque on head bolts after engine cools off.