I am yet again bringing you a Head-gasket rebuild thread (2 Viewers)

[Speedytech7]

So bad news just heard back from the machine shop and just with a feeler gauge, they said they'll have to take of 20thou minium so looks like my head is toast as i would assume youd be running into timing chain and valve clearance taking that much off on a deck. At this point, I simply cannot afford a new head which seems to run around 1800CAD before tax and shipping. If anyone knows of or has a lead on someone I can contact to source a pre-owned head that would be more than appreciated!! thanks for all help so far everyone!

Cheers

Have you talked to @slow95z about getting a known good used head?

 

[JM74]

Have you talked to @slow95z about getting a known good used head?

Messaged a few people in the part out section but no have yet to PM him, I will now! thanks for the lead!

 

[slow95z]

Maybe some of the expert cruiser guys can chime in but I think it's ok to take 20 thousand off the head?? @Onur @NLXTACY @cruiserdan @OTRAMM

Yes I know I am an a****** for tagging all of you but I hate to sell him a head if he doesn't need one.

 

[JM74]

Maybe some of the expert cruiser guys can chime in but I think it's ok to take 20 thousand off the head??

Appreciate that slow95z, the machine shop said that they measured around 20 thousand out of spec and they predicted it would be around 22-23 thousand out once they were done surfacing it

 

[Squash]

A little helper to keep her fresh.
Good luck.

 

[cruiserdan]

Maybe some of the expert cruiser guys can chime in but I think it's ok to take 20 thousand off the head?? @Onur @NLXTACY @cruiserdan @OTRAMM

Yes I know I am an a****** for tagging all of you but I hate to sell him a head if he doesn't need one.

Appreciate that slow95z, the machine shop said that they measured around 20 thousand out of spec and they predicted it would be around 22-23 thousand out once they were done surfacing it

As far as the factory is concerned the head is either flat or you replace it. They do NOT want it, or the block deck for that matter, machined in any fashion.

 

[JM74]

As far as the factory is concerned the head is either flat or you replace it. They do NOT want it, or the block deck for that matter, machined in any fashion.

Yes it appears that is stated in the FSM that you shouldn't machine it at all, either it's within spec or garbage, it does seem like almost all head gasket threads I've seen or heard about the person usually is having the head decked before re-installing though

 

[slow95z]

well i have heads, and they are on good engines, but i have no way to tell how flat they are without pulling it and sending them to a shop. shipping from GA to Canada is going to be expensive btw.

 

[JM74]

well i have heads, and they are on good engines, but i have no way to tell how flat they are without pulling it and sending them to a shop. shipping from GA to Canada is going to be expensive btw.

Appreciate that, honestly at this point I dont really see any other option other than trying to source a used one from the states as a new one from Canada is just not in the budget. Do you have a machine shop you usually use that you could have the head pressure checked and checked for warp spec on my dime of course?

 

[slow95z]

No I don't, my local one shut down after a covid death and the nearest one is an hour away.

 

[JM74]

Well then, thats unfortunate, im guessing you have a straight edge and could measure warp? but there's no way of pressure testing it

 

[MMaxim]

0.0020 might be pushing it. My understanding is when the head warps it is not just the mating surface that is not straight any more. All cam journals are not in line any longer. By shaving the head only one problem is fixed. That's what I was told
Just went through it myself. The head gasket job became a bit more involved when I found pitting on my block deck, right where the leak was. Ended up taking the block apart to get it machined.

 

[JM74]

0.0020 might be pushing it. My understanding is when the head warps it is not just the mating surface that is not straight any more. All cam journals are not in line any longer. By shaving the head only one problem is fixed. That's what I was told
Just went through it myself. The head gasket job became a bit more involved when I found pitting on my block deck, right where the leak was. Ended up taking the block apart to get it machined.

Ya the machine shop said the cams were rocking long ways because the head was so warped! as far as my understanding thats how it works as well and if the head is already out of spec that much that even if you machine back to flat the cams will bind in there journals.

Man my fingers are crossed that my block is good if it isn't im fully scuppered, I dont have the tools or the time to really do that. Have to scrape all the old gasket off it tomorrow and check with a straight edge for warpage and then just general pitting, the head gasket was leaking in 3 places though.

 

[NLXTACY]

Maybe some of the expert cruiser guys can chime in but I think it's ok to take 20 thousand off the head?? @Onur @NLXTACY @cruiserdan @OTRAMM

Yes I know I am an a****** for tagging all of you but I hate to sell him a head if he doesn't need one.

I wouldn’t use a head that was out that far. Think about the warpage in the rest of the head. The warping doesn’t stay at the mating surface.

 

[tacocat]

Have you tried partsouq.com. They are located in UAE and ship all over the world. Their shipping into the US is extremely reasonable and quick.

What were the tell tale signs and what do you think caused the warping?

 

[JM74]

Have you tried partsouq.com. They are located in UAE and ship all over the world. Their shipping into the US is extremely reasonable and quick.

What were the tell tale signs and what do you think caused the warping?

I have yet to try partsouq.com if they ship to Canada and have the part that would be amazing! ill take a look now did find that cruiserpart.net has heads but again it will be quite pricey once you take into account the valve job and so forth...

Telltale signs for me was i was losing coolant very slowly and no sign of where it was going, also on long drives 2HR+ the coolant system was somehow pressurizing itself and pumping coolant out of the overflow bottle and overflowing the overflow bottle to the point you could see red coolant along the axle and down the frame.. (thats a lot of overflows haha). Lastly, on my last bigger trips on a super hot day up the forest service roads, i noticed i was losing quite a lot of power and i panicked so i tossed a rileson head gasket fix in there and noticed an immediate gain and oomph of power again

Honestly, heat I assume unless somebody else has a better theory.... but im not sure how its so far out, from my understanding 20 thou is really far out and its a bit worrying to me as the truck hasnt been overheated that much...

 

[fjbj40]

Try Turbodennis on here, he is in Toronto and parts out 80’s!

 

[JM74]

Have you tried partsouq.com.

Just checked, they do have it but its

Try Turbodennis on here, he is in Toronto and parts out 80’s!

Thanks, texted his cell right after I heard back from the machine shop but he’s got nothing at the moment...

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

Have been using a gasket scraper for the pistons but dont want to be to rough on them, looking for a solvent or something that will loosen up the carbon buildup

This is what I used and it cleaned them right up. This is what the guys at torfab had recommended:

50 grit brush

Gives you another thing to do while you locate a head. Sorry to hear it was warped

 

[JM74]

This is what I used and it cleaned them right up. This is what the guys at torfab had recommended:

50 grit brush

Gives you another thing to do while you locate a head. Sorry to hear it was warped

Thanks man, honestly I let them soak in a little engine cleaner and the carbon buildup just flaked off now!

Did you move your #1 piston from TDC to clean the surfaces of them each?