HEADS OFF

Kiwi SRT10

Kiwi SRT10

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I will be taking the heads off next week ( not me personally)
I have a machine shop ready to check heads
Is there anything I should have done while they are off??
No cams or bigger valves will be happening
Just mass production atrocities that need sorting
Engine machinist reckons triple cut seats and take out any machining lines/lips etc
 
If the heads are pitted (?) and that's why there was a leak, they might need some milling to remove it.

Whatever comes off the Head (say .020"), that same amount (.020") comes off the Intake Face of the Head to maintain proper geometry.
 
rottenronnie said:
If the heads are pitted (?) and that's why there was a leak, they might need some milling to remove it.

Whatever comes off the Head (say .020"), that same amount (.020") comes off the Intake Face of the Head to maintain proper geometry.
Click to expand...
Good to know.

I think we will find a loose head bolt at the rear by exhaust port or a gasket fail from water hole next to rear head bolt.
Coolant has not discoloured and there is no air in radiator nor any overheating, just external coolant leak
So disappointing
Be interesting to see if/why the heads have been off before
 
Kiwi SRT10 said:
Good to know.

I think we will find a loose head bolt at the rear by exhaust port or a gasket fail from water hole next to rear head bolt.
Coolant has not discoloured and there is no air in radiator nor any overheating, just external coolant leak
So disappointing
Be interesting to see if/why the heads have been off before
Click to expand...
I feel your pain Kiwi. I'll be taking my truck to the tranny shop in a week or so. But look at it this way, if the have to mill the heads, you could gain a bit more of compression. Might want to replace the valve guides, springs and keepers.
 
AMS3 said:
I feel your pain Kiwi. I'll be taking my truck to the tranny shop in a week or so. But look at it this way, if the have to mill the heads, you could gain a bit more of compression. Might want to replace the valve guides, springs and keepers.
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I still reckon you should have your tranny built for you and your situation. Done properly you won't get any grief
It is just about finding the right people to work on it who really know what they are doing and why. It is all about the science.
In my town I have a problem, not many people have even heard of a Viper Truck, let alone seen one.
Hiding out there is a special person who can look and learn and apply the sciences to any project that comes through the door.
The results are fantastic, strong and reliable. I did it with my race car 28 years ago. It took me 12 months to find the right people. Machinist, shot peiner, balancer, clutch maker, flywheel maker, brake pad maker, Carb man, dyno man.
 
You speak the truth Oh Wise One.
I spent a YEAR (in the "big" city) looking for someone that could properly build my 48RE.
There were several failures by those that ALL claimed to know how.
 
rottenronnie said:
You speak the truth Oh Wise One.
I spent a YEAR (in the "big" city) looking for someone that could properly build my 48RE.
There were several failures by those that ALL claimed to know how.
Click to expand...
I am not a wealthy person. I do as much as I can on a shoestring. I'm a shoestring adventurer.
I have to spend very carefully. This truck is way above my pay grade but I am going to make it work for as long as I can and have the best adventures in it that I can
 
I'm curious to know why yours sprung a leak. (?)
The OEM Cometic multi-layer steel head gasket is a very good one.
Although you can reuse the head bolts, it's BEST to replace them after 3 uses.

If you have never pulled your Intake, a 1/4" drive extension & socket through the top makes the job pretty simple.
Well, except for #9 which requires beer.

No need to pull the Fuel-rails, nor Injectors.

Intake Gaskets are reusable.

Good luck with your project.

I'm not sure how Bees and Grasshoppers can smash themselves against the coil-packs, but they manage.
 
rottenronnie said:
I'm curious to know why yours sprung a leak. (?)
The OEM Cometic multi-layer steel head gasket is a very good one.
Although you can reuse the head bolts, it's BEST to replace them after 3 uses.

If you have never pulled your Intake, a 1/4" drive extension & socket through the top makes the job pretty simple.
Well, except for #9 which requires beer.

No need to pull the Fuel-rails, nor Injectors.

Intake Gaskets are reusable.

Good luck with your project.

I'm not sure how Bees and Grasshoppers can smash themselves against the coil-packs, but they manage.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info Ronnie.
The heads may have been off before as they are silver gaskets. Personally I believe the rear head bolts are loose. But we shall see.
Anyway we need to see in there and if it has been apart, what has been done...maybe nothing. Maybe a big waste of money.
I would be happy with a retorque and fit new exhaust gasket as it goes fine and coolant has not gone brown.
I will see the Mechanic Monday and see what he says
My toolkit is useless on this truck. the sockets are too fat, the universal joints too long. Makes life very difficult.
It wasn't a quality toolkit but I wasn't setting up a workshop. Worked fine on the Riviera. I am not going to start a workshop now.
It just makes your eyes water when you get the bill
Speaking of Bill, you out there buddy? Gotcha tranny underway?
 
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Yes, general high-performance vehicles and particularly drag racing, it seems, are 2 arenas where spending vast sums of money is NO guarantee of a successful project outcome.

Over the years, I've seen some much lower dollar projects lay waste to setups costing FAR more.

If you use your noggin' and take the time to experiment, amazing things can happen.
And sometimes you break shit but as long as you're having fun, that's all that matters.
 
Yup, if they are silver/gold coloured gaskets, the heads have been off. Maybe you have forged pistons and other goodies inside and you will know soon enough.
 
Kiwi SRT10 said:
Thanks for the info Ronnie.
The heads may have been off before as they are silver gaskets. Personally I believe the rear head bolts are loose. But we shall see.
Anyway we need to see in there and if it has been apart, what has been done...maybe nothing. Maybe a big waste of money.
I would be happy with a retorque and fit new exhaust gasket as it goes fine and coolant has not gone brown.
I will see the Mechanic Monday and see what he says
My toolkit is useless on this truck. the sockets are too fat, the universal joints too long. Makes life very difficult.
It wasn't a quality toolkit but I wasn't setting up a workshop. Worked fine on the Riviera. I am not going to start a workshop now.
It just makes your eyes water when you get the bill
Speaking of Bill, you out there buddy? Gotcha tranny underway?
Click to expand...
No, still nursing it. As it always happens, money that you earmark for something, always ends up going somewhere else. Had to help my daughter out with her rent, and bills, she was out of work for a bit. Don't want my granddaughter going hungry with no roof over her head. But, hopefully sometime in Feb I'll get it worked on. As long as I hit first gear kinda hard from a dead stop, it gives me enough momentum to let off the gas, and allow second gear to engage. It's almost like having a manual, and I've adapted pretty good to it. Just taking it easy with her, and no long trips, just in town only.
 
Psycho1122 said:
Along with springs and retainers, get some thicker push rods, slow bleed lifters and the "thin" head gasket. The engine will respond to the additional compression.

https://shop.jtsvp.com/product.sc?productId=768&categoryId=234

https://shop.jtsvp.com/product.sc?productId=718&categoryId=234

https://jmbperformance.com/product/head-gasket/
Click to expand...
Thanks for the links with the rods and lifters, Psycho. I think once I get my tranny rebuilt, I might just do the lifters and springs. As for pulling the heads, I'll just leave that for later down the road. What about upgraded rocker arms, you have a link for those?
 
rottenronnie said:
3:40 pm Wednesday in NZ (plenty of time since the shop opened to pull the Intake and (1) cylinder head)
:D
Click to expand...
Easy tiger. It is obviously dark and cold outside at your place hahaha.
Yes I have taken the truck in and had a discussion with the shop owner/Head Mechanic. He confirms my belief that the head gasket is not blown and in most of these cases a simple retorque fixes the problem.
If it fails the pressure test then he will continue to remove heads etc. So we wait and see what tomorrow brings or maybe Friday. He comes highly recommended by the best engine reco man in town. (not a very big town ) He said this guy is the only one he would trust with such a vehicle, which is why he is very busy. Patience is required.
 
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