Disaster - head IS cracked... (1 Viewer)

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You might try Mark at MetalTech. He mentioned a few weeks ago that he was parting out one of his 80s. I'm not sure if he meant Parting out with a capital P, but he might be closer than some of these other options.

If you would've timed this better with steelhead season, I would have driven the head out to you. ;p

steve
 
well your knot alone ... west coast toyota has mine in pieces as well 3000.00 to 5000.00 so much for xmas
 
Doug,
There's got to be a machine shop somewhere near you that is practiced in dealing with aluminum heads. There's nothing new about aluminum. Ask around in auto parts and repair places by phone, explaining that your head is removed (so repair places won't try to hustle you for the work), and take the head to a recommended shop, preferably a head specialized shop. If they're honorable they'll tell you after a magnaflux if your head is junk or if they believe it could be repaired. For a competent person or shop welding cracks in cylinder heads holds no mysteries and is often done.

I doubt that the crack you've seen is the only crack though it could be, as they tend to crack in several places when overheated. There's really only one way to know for sure and no one can tell you yay or nay in a chatboard. I know that you haven't overheated it, but it could have happened before you owned the truck and seemed just fine. As you've said, the engine ran fine and that's entirely possible even with several cracks in a head if they do not affect the combustion chambers.

Buying used heads and installing them without testing them will only risk being in the same place you're in now. It's time to fix your truck. Whatever else you do, please turn this head problem over to a professional and let one give you a completely assembled new condition cylinder head to simply put onto your new gasket. (Get another gasket and toss the one you've squeezed already).

edit to add: many times cracks cannot be see by visual inspection. "Magnaflux"
is the trade name of one of the processes used to examine for unseen cracks. There are several other methods in increasing complexity, cost, and accuracy. There are processes routinely used in the automotive sphere that can in many ways be compared to those used in medical diagnosis, up to and including a form of MRI.
 
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Doug, how's production on the DVD going?

How much to have the head checked out? Maybe we all learned something here, if you do the hg as a pm might as well have the head checked?
 
My local race engine shop said it would be $30 to have my head checked out when I pulled it, and about $60 more to mill it.
 
Doug,

How about some pics if you get a chance?

Thanks.
 
DJForrestA said:
Actually Barger has only two and they are totally picked apart. I'm surprised they are not crushed yet. I could go check on an engine for you though. One is a 91 and the other is a 94 but I swear the engines were both gone. Sounds like its time for a Chevy swap. I've got a line on a Vortec 350 for 1200 bucks if your interested. Let me know if I can help. Barger Matson is about 5 minutes from my house.
Forrest
Click to expand...

They have more. They just won't let you see them. They are in the incoming lots and have not been touched yet. I believe the latest is actually an LX. Unless they sold them off to another dismantler they aren't gone yet.

As for Mark's 80, I bought it on Wednesday. Cruiserman already has dibs on the motor. It isn't even here yet. Not until Thanksgiving. But I'm excited. Parts, Parts, Parts and I'm getting lockers for my 80 :)
 
Honk

Excellent advice. I'm slowly moving away from the fear factor to realize just what you're saying. This is a metal structure and it can be repaired. Not magic. That's where I'm currently going unless someone here tells me it can't be easily and reliably repaired.

OK, to make this "fun" (rolling eyes), I'm going for a speed record here. At 8 am I'm beginning to pull the head with the objective it will be at a shop by mid after noon. Here goes!

DougM
 
Magnaflux is a magnetic particle inspection process. It is not applicable for aluminum parts. There are dye penetrant crack detection processes that are suitable for aluminum. If you ask somebody to magnaflux your aluminum head, they will be rolling their eyes at you!
 
Rich said:
Magnaflux is a magnetic particle inspection process. It is not applicable for aluminum parts. There are dye penetrant crack detection processes that are suitable for aluminum. If you ask somebody to magnaflux your aluminum head, they will be rolling their eyes at you!
Click to expand...



They may still offer to do it for you at a reduced price tho........ ;)
 
Damn - someone beat me in replying by 7 minutes!

honk said:
edit to add: many times cracks cannot be see by visual inspection. "Magnaflux" is the trade name of one of the processes used to examine for unseen cracks. There are several other methods in increasing complexity, cost, and accuracy.
Click to expand...

You are correct in that statement, but you can't magnaflux a non-ferrous head because it won't carry a magnetic field!

You have to use one of the other dye penetrant methods with aluminum... such as "ZyGlo" or "Spotcheck"

Here is an excellent reference link:

MagnaFlux Home Page

Doug:

I definitely recommend that you get the head looked at by a pro in a machine shop - let them see if there is only one crack and if it is fixable before getting too unglued. The head may be a paperweight, but OTH it may be completely fixable for a couple of hundred $$. At the very least get it inspected.

If they can weld the crack it is probably wise to go ahead and get the thing surfaced and completely rebuilt.

Good luck. The end is in sight!

JOhn Davies
 
Screw you guys. I used the term magnaflux because it's easy to remember and because I know that any competent shop that is asked to do it will know what they are being asked to do.
 
Honk you're obnoxious. Not really, but I just said obnoxious because it's easy to remember.
 
Doug sorry to hear about your head I know how you feel.
 
honk said:
Screw you guys. I used the term magnaflux because it's easy to remember and because I know that any competent shop that is asked to do it will know what they are being asked to do.
Click to expand...


You know we're a "picky" bunch around here. But friendly!

I used the generic term "freon" once and..........well......
 
Does anyone remember when I spelt Axel as "Axil" ? - I had never before in my life been subject to so much foul cursing and insult.

Mike S
 
MH_Stevens said:
Does anyone remember when I spelt Axel as "Axil" ? - I had never before in my life been subject to so much foul cursing and insult.

Mike S
Click to expand...


So how in the hell did you get a figure skating move worked into a 80 series tech section post. Or does your dumb ass mean axle?
 
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