Is this head repairable?

[shockey1013]

Below is the picture of my cylinder head. Do you all think it is repairable? If so, do you know someone who can repair it?

Background behind it...I have custom age 625 head studs with OEM MLS head gasket. While I was replacing the camshafts I decided to check the torque on my head studs to ensure they were still torqued to spec. Apparently you are not supposed to do this, the torque procedure is a one time deal. Since the motor had fluid in it, and water does not compress, I pressed water into the layers of the head gasket. Well, upon running it at the track, coolant passed head gasket and this is the outcome. My radiator also expanded out due to the pressure.

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[1990dsmkid]

Im sure if you really wanted to fix it and want to pay the cost then yes. All honest though, better off saving your money and trashing that one and finding another head.

 

[shockey1013]

This is a boostin performance head which cost $1750. I don't just want to trash it.

 

[1990dsmkid]

Need to find a shop that can and will weld and grind down until it is uniform and how its suppose to be

 

[hotrodssnova]

Yeah that can be fixed. Question is, if it's been milled multiple times, you might be passed the service limit. Take it to a decent machine shop and they can measure it and if within specs, weld it and then they will pressure test it and mill it back to flat.

 

[shockey1013]

Thanks for the replies. It sucks being stationed in Germany because there isn't many good machine shops locally.

 

[cano86]

As for repair yes it can, but since there might not be many reputable shops locally in germany as you mentioned might be a risk. But is worth looking around. As they mention have a shop measure it and if is not over the limit have it re-welded and milled. Good luck

 

[shockey1013]

That is why I am willing to ship back to the states. I am hoping that someone chimes in that has done this work before or know someone that is legitimate.

 

[donniekak]

Did you loosen all the head studs at once? Many people have removed bolts one at a time to replace them with studs, with no issues.

 

[shockey1013]

What do you mean?

 

[northernawd]

Could just buy a new core head and transfer your parts over

 

[shockey1013]

I could but I would need a new port and polish job.

 

[donniekak]

What do you mean?

How did you check the torque? Did you loosen each stud, one at a time and torque them to spec? Did you loosen all of them at once, and retorque? Or, did you not loosen them at all, and just make sure the torque was right with a torque wrench? If you loosened them one at a time, it's pretty much impossible for the gasket to leak without the engine being run. The total clamping force of the studs is over 100,000lbs. Lowering that to 90,000, and increasing the span of not having clamp load won't make a gasket under no pressure leak, as long as both surfaces were flat to begin with.

Also, you are right liquids don't compress. But, they don't get trapped between layers of a mls gasket. If liquid was introduced between layers, it would be squeezed out either into the cylinder, back into a passage, or completely out the edge of the gasket.

 

[shockey1013]

I didn't loosen any of them. Since I was installing my cams I though "I should check to ensure my head studs are still torqued to spec". So, I set my torque wrench to 100ft/lb and checked all the studs. Apparently your not supposed to recheck the studs, especially when there is oil and water in the motor. Anyways, what's done is done. Just need to get this head fixed.

 

[donniekak]

I didn't loosen any of them. Since I was installing my cams I though "I should check to ensure my head studs are still torqued to spec". So, I set my torque wrench to 100ft/lb and checked all the studs. Apparently your not supposed to recheck the studs, especially when there is oil and water in the motor. Anyways, what's done is done. Just need to get this head fixed.

Doing what you did had no effect on the head gasket at all. Odds are the new cams changed combustion patterns and some detonation took out the gasket.

 

[shockey1013]

I was logging the run and there was no detonation at all.

 

[Marchev]

It simply doesn't make sense that re-torquing the studs will do this type of damage to the head. Doesn't matter if it had fluids in it or not...

 

[TurboDSM90]

Funny thing is, this just happened to me a couple months ago.

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My machine shop said it was due to uneven fuel distribution. I was also running it very lean, but ran the car anyways as it was the finals. The knock sensor did not pick up any noise either, so I HIGHLY doubt your head stud retorque hurt anything.

If you need a machine shop to fix it, I have a damn good one out here on the west coast I go to. This was a curt brown head that I wanted fixed. Definitely easier spending half on repairs, vs what a new head costs.

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[shockey1013]

Hmm interesting. What would be the cause of uneven fuel distribution? Also I PM'd you.

 

[shockey1013]

So this is the failed HG. Are the areas where the black is gone where it was leaking?!?!

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[JacksonAuto]

We perform those types of repairs regularly. If you want to ship it over and have it fixed we can take care of it. Just shoot me a PM.

 

[craig4g63]

We perform those types of repairs regularly. If you want to ship it over and have it fixed we can take care of it. Just shoot me a PM.

What is your opinion on the cause of this?

 

[JacksonAuto]

A "torched" head is usually caused by a lean condition. The high cylinder pressure and high temperature actully blows through the aluminum like a torch which is where the term comes from. The flame front finds the path of least resistance.