A surprise after removing cylinder head for preventative maintenance

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vegasfj40

vegasfj40

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
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109
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Location
Corrales, NM
So I finally decided to remove my cylinder head as preventative maintenance to address oil consumption concern on my 95 this past weekend. Truck was running fine, has 225k miles. I've been collecting parts for awhile now and decided to tackle this job. Gonna do lots of other stuff while I'm in there including new engine harness.
Upon removing the head I noticed the compression ring on the number one cylinder didn't look right. I didn't do a compression check before I started as the truck was running fine, no issues with a Blackstone report, just using about a quart of oil every 800 miles or so. Here's a pic of the gasket. Is this just metal fatigue?

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jpoole said:
That's nasty. Looks like combustion gasses were eating their way beyond the ring. Seems like a case where head gasket PM was well worth doing :)

Hows the head/block look in that area? Could have lead to a bit of erosion on both/either.
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It does look nasty! Looks like I was hitting the NOS button a little too much! The block is fine. The head has a small nick in that spot but I think will clean up at the machine shop. It's also on the inside of the compression ring. I can't feel it with my fingernail so hopefully it will clean up with a surfacing.

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vegasfj40, You got very lucky that you caught this when you did, because that head gasket was defiantly getting ready to fail.
 
Rifleman said:
vegasfj40, You got very lucky that you caught this when you did, because that head gasket was defiantly getting ready to fail.
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Yes! I do drive this off road to some remote areas and it would've been awful to have that happen out in the back country!
 
lets see the block with gasket off- typically the gasses and orcoolant get under and will etch the head. if its too deep- you likely will need to get the block milled. theres apparently some aircraft hi temp epoxy that you can use to fill the etching if not too deep but im digressing before seeing how the block looks
 
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After accidentally bumping into timing chain sprocket and breaking the chain tensioner guide, I've decided to pull the engine. This will allow me to reseal the oil pan and rear main seal. And will be easier to replace the chain and guides.

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Can that tooth be repaired, build up a weld, grind down to shape?? IDK.
 
Kernal said:
Can that tooth be repaired, build up a weld, grind down to shape?? IDK.
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Not typically. The gear itself is much harder and welding in it will mis-shape it and possibly crack the gear on it.

I agree it should have been replaced. The chipped tooth will only get worse over time and will cause an inconvenience of having to rotate the engine to get it to start because it will eventually eat all the teeth in the one spot.
 
ppc said:
If the engine was not torn down no, but in this case it should have been replaced.
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Agreed, engine out....best to replace.

Even though the OP only has a 'chipped' (not missing tooth) and the flexplate probably has 150+ teeth, eventually it will stop on the weakened tooth and continue to chip it away. After that....each time the bendix and the missing tooth coincide it will grind away at the next tooth over or not turn it at all.

Flexplates are like women, you want them to have all of their teeth. ;)
 
Looks nice and clean ready for another 250,000 miles
 
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