1603cc engine build

dye penetrant check

The test on aluminum alloy is call Dye Penetrant. Used in the aircraft industry on castings and such. Done many times. A cleaner is sprayed on the area and air dryed. Then a penetrant is sprayed on the area and allowed to soak for a bit. The residual is wiped clean and dry and then the developer is sprayed on the area and the dry developer pulls the dye out of the crack. Aircraft spruce and specialty or some other aircraft supply should carry it.
 
I've tried taking a photo

but it doesn't show up. It crosses two combustions chambers into a water jacket opening. No way to tell how deep it goes.

I'll take the head to my machinist this week (hopefully) and get his opinion.
 
I spoke to my machinist yesterday...

...and he is still unsure if he can fix the head.

He is at a loss as to what caused the crack and he can't tell how deep it goes. He says it seems to be a shallow crack, which he hasn't seen before.

I'll hopefully know in a few days if I need to find another Yugo head or not.

Rob
 
rjplenter said:
...and he is still unsure if he can fix the head.

He is at a loss as to what caused the crack and he can't tell how deep it goes. He says it seems to be a shallow crack, which he hasn't seen before.

I'll hopefully know in a few days if I need to find another Yugo head or not.

Rob
Click to expand...

Ouch. Is he going to try welding it & see how it goes?
 
Probably welding

Hussein, first he is going to try to ascertain what's going on, and I'm curious to know what caused it to crack. His plan at this stage is to weld it as finely as possible then resurface the head by taking the least possible metal off. He will start with 5thou.

If he is successful I'm going to have to start with some combustion chamber work again and then re-CC them all.

Tony, some of those photos look scary mate!

Cheers,

Rob
 
Indeed they do... and IMHO most of them should be...

recycled!

A few years back I was watching John Force's pit crew go through an engine between rounds and they had this 55 gallon drum as a trash can of sorts... full of aluminum heads!

They said they were gonna recycle them and I thought they meant to say re-fresh them or restore them... but now that I think about it, I don't know exactly what they meant...

A set of aftermarket aluminum heads for a typical Chevy run from $1500 to $3500 and I imagine theirs are about $7000 a set... Amazing amounts of money spent to go 330mph in just under 4 seconds!
 
My machinist left a message today

He's a man of few words and simply said I could pick up the head tomorrow.

So I guess I'll see where I'm up to then.
 
Kinda scary, non communicator... Pick them up because...

they're JUNK... or that he was able to MACHINE then and they are GOOD?

I guess he likes to surprise people one way or another...
 
Dear Soupy *

He's just a quiet soul.

Well, the head is repaired and ready for some final touches and re-CCing.

As planned he welded over the crack then took a mere 5thou off to clean up the surface and cleaned up all evidence of his welding. If you look really, really closely you can just see it. I'm happy and very relieved.

Cheers,

Rob



* I can't believe this, but I have heard of (and possible even seen episodes of) The Soupy Sales Show. I also fondly remember shows like Star Trek, Laugh In and Lost In Space!!!
 
I can't believe how long this is taking!

Bumping to keep the thread open.

I finally finished the combustion chambers. There are two possible approaches. You can either rip into it like a mad gorilla, or take your time...
 
Added the valve spring thread at the head of this thread

The shimless buckets are scheduled to arrive today. :guitar:

The Eibach conical valve spring I ordered turns out to be discontinued so that isn't an option.

I found, and ordered, a spring that is produced for high boost, high lobe lift, high revving Subaru WRX STI engines. The dimensions are in the general ball park and I think that I will be able to dial in the seat pressure of my choice. It is a conical spring with ovate wire. The only down side is the retainer that is recommended for it is designed for 7mm valve stems, not 8mm, so if this spring looks good I will have to hunt for suitable retainers.

All this fiddling, and the interruptions of life, have this build entering it's third winter.....

Cheers,

Rob
 
Buckets arrived

They are a perfect fit.

Weights with "typical" shims.



That's a 47% percent reduction. :grin:

Waiting on the spring now before I can move forward.

Cheers,

Rob
 
Hey, it's good to hear you are continuing to move forward, even if it is slow going.

I was hoping to have had the Dallara kit on mine by now, but this fall was a bust with regard to any work (at all) on the X1/9.
 
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