Pictures of my ugly head (and block)

[YellowPower]

As I mentioned in my last thread, the cylinders have water leaking into them. I sealed the head bolt threads with sealant, so I don't think the water is coming from there. When I fill the radiator and then start cranking, I can see water along the outer edges of the gasket/head between the head and block.

I'm attaching close-up pictures of my head and block. Do these look bad enough for leaking to be occuring around the gasket? If so, is this a machine shop job or do I need new parts? Thanks.

[John Niekamp]

Dan,

On the first picture of the block is that actaully rust pits I am seeing or is my monitor messing with me? It looks like there is a pit cratter right about 2:00 positon to the hole on the water jacket.

It also looks like there is the same type of pitting around the water jacket on the head as well. (again, may just be this LCD monitor) I would at least take the head to the machine shop and see what they say about the head maybe being warped and by how much. My guess and just my guess it warped and could be the source of your problem. At least it would be someplace to start at. At work we have a precision ground granit tables to check on things of this nature and then basically a hardened straight edges to check the top of the block with feeler gages for a prelimanary check and then a height guage, for more accurate test.

To me worst case senario you may need to have the head the top of the block resurfaced.

I don't think that water would be coming through the threaded part of the head bolt holes themselves, unless the holes was drilled all the way through on into the water jacket. I would think they would be blind holes.

John

[George Willer]

Both the head and block look rough enough to me to need machine work... and I usually try to avoid that kind of expense. What is the condition of the cylinders and valve seats?

As you can easily see, all 15 head bolts are in through holes and exposed to the coolant, so it's very important to use sealant on the threads.

[YellowPower]

John -- There aren't any rust pits on the block in that first picture. What you are probably seeing are some areas that have some oil or WD40 on them versus dry areas. There is pitting on the head around the water jacket and some on the block around the water jacket.

George -- The cylinders are good and the valve seats are good. I took this entire engine apart and the new things were: (1) had the crank turned, (2) new piston rings, (3) new main journal and rod bearings, and (4) new gaskets/seals (obviously). So, you think it is rough enough that my water could be leaking from there, right? What would you do? (WWGWD?)

[John Niekamp]

Dan,

If it were me then I would just take that head in and have it ground flat and install a new head gasket and try it and see. Oh you could also check the top of the block with the newly ground head, give it qood once over visual to make sure there isn't any terribly low places on the top of the block. Check with the manual or here on the forum on the correct torqe specs. and torqing proceedure.

I am glad George set me straight and said something about the head bolt holes being through holes and not blind, I did not know this, actaully surprises me. Then again it's been probably 15 some years since I have had a head off a cub engine.

Lastly if you have to have the top of the block milled too you might as well freshen up the engine at the same time, then you know 100 percent sure on what you have.

Good luck and let us know the outcome.

John

[John(videodoc)]

Hey Dan, just went through head problem with the basket case.

1. Stand the head on edge. Place a 2ft square across the face (bottom) of head. Pass a light under the level. Looking down at the square, if you see light coming through, it needs work.

2. mine failed this test, took it in , and they found a semicircle crater (12/1000ths had to be shaved )around the #2 and #3 cylinders, which was causing water to leak out around the short bolt between these two cyclinders.

3. sounds to me like we have/had the same problem. i took mine in and a couple hours later (-$45) i got the head back and is ready to go on. maybe tonight . oops s***, company coming over. D*)(&) it will have to wait till monday now.

john