Thread: Smoke in the rocker cover?

Thanks the heads up.
Here we go.

Two more shots on the drivers side of the gasket..Can anyone see the holes I am looking for?

thats a no hole gasket, the thickest one.

jc

Howdy,

Got to scrapping back the head last night and I could have a problem with some corrosion where two of those triangular water ports meet the head.

As pictured the corrosion is quite close to one of the gasket rings to the third cylinder and I'm concerned about whether the gasket will seal with that there. Can the head be filled with something- don't laugh, but I was wondering about some muffler putty just to provide some backing for the gasket?

Any thoughts ?

What I can't work out is why are those triangular shape holes there for anyway, there doesn't seem to be anywhere for the water to go, it's hard to tell if there are holes in the engine block that match. What colour was the coolant.
I would clean the head up all over and take it to someone that repairs heads and have them weld the erosion holes, machine the head surface and have it heat treated (hardened). You can buy new heads on eBay for around $1100 +, you maybe able to use Devcon alloy metal paste in a pinch, but you would need to get the head "hot Tanked" and remove all traces of corrosion before using Devcon, have you any pics of the block surface directly above those triangular water holes. Can anyone tell me why they are there when there is no corresponding hole in the head? Is it the correct gasket? Regards Frank.

I can't work out why they are there either. In my case it seems they are there to provide a means to corrode the head!

The coolant was orange when I drained it and the two triangular ports under where the head is damaged are blocked with some corrosion or scale deposits. I don't know if I should attempt to clean them out in case a larger chunk drops down into the engine and blocks another part of the cooling system.

Since posting previously I drilled the two areas out and filled them with a two part 'steel epoxy' which is supposed to handle 600c. Probably should have waited and had it welded, but once it cures I'll see how it sands back.

If it isn't binding, I think i'll have to go for another head as I can't see the welding and heat treating costing less that a few hundred and even then I'm guessing it is still a compromised head. What does the heat treating do btw?

Oh well not going to plan, but at least it isn't pulled to bits in my mechanics workshop and I would be about $700 down and facing the same problem plus interest.

Chrs

Mark

Steel epoxy is no good and will react with the alloy head and cause the same problem, if you are going to use an epoxy use Devcon Aluminium epoxy, was the water you drained red OAT additive or rusty water. You need to clean the block surface, heat treating brings the head surface back to the specified hardness. Has anyone on the forum reading this any explanation of why those triangular water holes in the block don't go into the head, they seem to be a waste of space, Regards Frank.

Hi Frank,

At least the steel epoxy hasn't set yet. I'll dig it out and start again. Thanks for the heads up on that.

I'm in two minds at this point thinking about getting a new head if this one is on the way out..I saw on ebay a new head with valves plus bolts and gaskets for $1300. Deducting the cost of all bolts and gasket which I need anyway it starts to make sense.
That said I keep mulling over whether this head is still ok. The problem areas are only over those two triangular ports, the old gasket failed elsewhere and it is totally flat.

Adding to the quandary I'm suss about the state of the coolant ports in the block. THe coolant that came out looked quite rusty, certainly was a rust colour..I don't know what they filled it with when the head was done last, but I think it was the green stuff.
If it possible to flush the block while the head is off?
I've flushed the radiator..but that is all.

Thanks again for the help.
Chrs
Mark