For those of you who recall my blown head gasket story from earlier this summer, I thought I'd let you know how things have come out, and take time again to thank all of you who had good and helpful suggestions.
To briefly recap, hot day, pulling dory boat on trailer, HG on my later F blew. Limped part way back on river water. Stopped again and hydrolocked and had to be towed the rest of the way home to be safe. (Learned about hydrolock.
)
What happened was the HG had burned through at the edge of #6 cylinder, it appears because there was so much sediment (4 inches deep) in the waterjacket at the rear of the engine around #6 cylinder. This stuff was so nasty that it took HOURs digging with screwdrivers from above and below to clear it, so that the drain on the engine block was open. I have looked at 2 more engines of my own, and am aware of several others (all F and 2F, early and late) which have the same problem to one degree or another.
I took the $200 opportunity (head off) to have valve seals replaced, valves ground (little needed) and asked to have the head shaved 20/1000ths. Machinist nicked the head taking it off the machine, so he had to take off another 10/1000ths. Oh, well.
So, after learning that non-OEM head gaskets easily fall apart, I got everything back together, the water jacket cleaned out, and readjusted the valve lashes (which changed because of the head shaving). Also, ran some Seafoam through just for grins.
Now, what I have found since is interesting. I had done compression checks the month before this happened, and the numbers were fair: 127 in 3 cylinders, 140 in the other 3 (150 is standard for F engine). Adding oil to the cylinders corrected to 146-148 on all cylinders, which would indicate some ring leakage, right?
So, after the head shaving and valve seal work, the compression on all 6 cylinders is 168-170! Same as is standard for 2F engine. No, didn't bother adding oil to the cylinders. Guessing my rings were all right all along.
Definitely more "seat-of-the-pants" oomph, and, objectively, I can go up a test hill near my home at 55 mph, which it was all I could do to go up at 45 mph before. And, fuel efficiency up from 17 mpg to 18.5 under same conditions.
So, in all, a not too expensive, actually, upgrade to my system! Thanks again to everyone for the direction! (Yes, Mark, I know you said don't shave the head, but there you are.)
To briefly recap, hot day, pulling dory boat on trailer, HG on my later F blew. Limped part way back on river water. Stopped again and hydrolocked and had to be towed the rest of the way home to be safe. (Learned about hydrolock.
)What happened was the HG had burned through at the edge of #6 cylinder, it appears because there was so much sediment (4 inches deep) in the waterjacket at the rear of the engine around #6 cylinder. This stuff was so nasty that it took HOURs digging with screwdrivers from above and below to clear it, so that the drain on the engine block was open. I have looked at 2 more engines of my own, and am aware of several others (all F and 2F, early and late) which have the same problem to one degree or another.
I took the $200 opportunity (head off) to have valve seals replaced, valves ground (little needed) and asked to have the head shaved 20/1000ths. Machinist nicked the head taking it off the machine, so he had to take off another 10/1000ths. Oh, well.
So, after learning that non-OEM head gaskets easily fall apart, I got everything back together, the water jacket cleaned out, and readjusted the valve lashes (which changed because of the head shaving). Also, ran some Seafoam through just for grins.
Now, what I have found since is interesting. I had done compression checks the month before this happened, and the numbers were fair: 127 in 3 cylinders, 140 in the other 3 (150 is standard for F engine). Adding oil to the cylinders corrected to 146-148 on all cylinders, which would indicate some ring leakage, right?
So, after the head shaving and valve seal work, the compression on all 6 cylinders is 168-170! Same as is standard for 2F engine. No, didn't bother adding oil to the cylinders. Guessing my rings were all right all along.
Definitely more "seat-of-the-pants" oomph, and, objectively, I can go up a test hill near my home at 55 mph, which it was all I could do to go up at 45 mph before. And, fuel efficiency up from 17 mpg to 18.5 under same conditions.
So, in all, a not too expensive, actually, upgrade to my system! Thanks again to everyone for the direction! (Yes, Mark, I know you said don't shave the head, but there you are.)
