My Milkshake Brings all the Boys to the Yard....
03-23-2016, 06:11 PM
#47
Rennlist Member
After all iive researched and continued research a cracked head is definetly fixable and realtively affordable if you do it right.
03-23-2016, 06:27 PM
#48
Drifting
The last one was mine back in 2008. The others are from people that I helped work on their intermixes. They are all on the inner exhaust valve spring seat on cylinder #1 ( drivers side back of the car). I had mine repaired by Costa Mesa R&D in 2009. At that time they charged me $500 including a valve job. I have another 35,000 miles on the engine since I fixed it and it is still running strong. The goop in both my oil and coolant was much worse than yours.
To clean the engine oil side I let it drip out while I had the head and pan off. Then when reassembled I filled it with regular oil (non-synthetic, too expensive) and ran it for a few miles, drained it and replaced it. I did this two or three times before I went to synthetic.
The coolant side is more work. I to the radiators off and had them hot flushed, cleaned out the hard lines with rags on wires, replaced a couple but not all the hoses. Then I ran the engines with water, drained it and refilled it several times. Then filled it with coolant and over a few weeks drained and filled it again a couple of times. I still get traces of oil in the coolant, remnants from the contamination.
The contamination in the AOS can be from the contamination in the coolant.
To test my oil cooler I used rubber plugs on one side and soapy water on the other. Used my compressor with a fitting on one of the rubber plugs and got over 50lbs of pressure in it. Of course there was no problem with it. They are almost never the source of this intermix. I also heated it up in an over to over 200 degrees and retested it as some people say the leaks may not show up unless it is close to operating temperature.
If I was you the first thing I would do is to remove the spark plug tube on cylinder #1 to determine if you can see a crack as they usually extend down the chase for the spark plug. If you cant see it then remove the cams, the lifters and the lifter body and look again. I will bet you a beer (although you will have to come to the Chicago area to collect) that you find the crack there.
To clean the engine oil side I let it drip out while I had the head and pan off. Then when reassembled I filled it with regular oil (non-synthetic, too expensive) and ran it for a few miles, drained it and replaced it. I did this two or three times before I went to synthetic.
The coolant side is more work. I to the radiators off and had them hot flushed, cleaned out the hard lines with rags on wires, replaced a couple but not all the hoses. Then I ran the engines with water, drained it and refilled it several times. Then filled it with coolant and over a few weeks drained and filled it again a couple of times. I still get traces of oil in the coolant, remnants from the contamination.
The contamination in the AOS can be from the contamination in the coolant.
To test my oil cooler I used rubber plugs on one side and soapy water on the other. Used my compressor with a fitting on one of the rubber plugs and got over 50lbs of pressure in it. Of course there was no problem with it. They are almost never the source of this intermix. I also heated it up in an over to over 200 degrees and retested it as some people say the leaks may not show up unless it is close to operating temperature.
If I was you the first thing I would do is to remove the spark plug tube on cylinder #1 to determine if you can see a crack as they usually extend down the chase for the spark plug. If you cant see it then remove the cams, the lifters and the lifter body and look again. I will bet you a beer (although you will have to come to the Chicago area to collect) that you find the crack there.
03-23-2016, 07:10 PM
#50
Racer
Thread Starter
I had a rad shop test the oil cooler, it passed. The head is looking like the culprit.
Question: when removing the heads is it needed to lock them? Seems like I could remove them without holding them in place? I will buy the tools to reassemble but was wondering if I needed them to take it apart.
Question: when removing the heads is it needed to lock them? Seems like I could remove them without holding them in place? I will buy the tools to reassemble but was wondering if I needed them to take it apart.
03-23-2016, 07:14 PM
#51
Yes, you need to park the engine at TDC cyl #1 and lock the cams first because the cam cover is also the bearings supporting the cams.
I had a rad shop test the oil cooler, it passed. The head is looking like the culprit.
Question: when removing the heads is it needed to lock them? Seems like I could remove them without holding them in place? I will buy the tools to reassemble but was wondering if I needed them to take it apart.
Question: when removing the heads is it needed to lock them? Seems like I could remove them without holding them in place? I will buy the tools to reassemble but was wondering if I needed them to take it apart.
03-23-2016, 07:20 PM
#52
Drifting
By the way I have a brand new head that I picked up a few years after I fixed my intermix. It is the 1-3 side. Head, valves and Springs with cam cover. You would have to use your own lifter body, lifters, cams, etc. These list for $3,135.20 today. I am asking $1,400 plus shipping. It has been sitting in my workroom for several years no.
03-23-2016, 07:24 PM
#53
Rennlist Member
^^wow thats a sweet offer^^ nothing like the RL family when someone is in need
03-23-2016, 11:02 PM
#56
How is the head repaired? Is the crack through a channel that is welded on both sides? It looks like the crack is on a solid chunk of metal and am surprised such a small crack lets through so much oil or coolant.
03-24-2016, 11:34 AM
#57
Captain Obvious
Super User
Super User
My guess would be they drill holes at the end of the crack to stop the crack migration, then prepare the crack to accept an epoxy (appropriate for this environment) and then clen up the critical machined areas. Am I close?
03-24-2016, 11:56 AM
#58
03-24-2016, 11:59 AM
#59
Rennlist Member
Thread title- LMAO. You are making good progress, best of luck on the repair!
03-24-2016, 12:41 PM
#60
Rennlist Member
Agree that $1400 is a bargain for a new head. Very nice offer Doug. Best option...
OP should you go the used head route, make sure you get the camshaft caps as they are machined with the heads. (Ask me how I know this
)
OP should you go the used head route, make sure you get the camshaft caps as they are machined with the heads. (Ask me how I know this
)
