Restoring Rusty

[Gregski]

so DIY Magnafluxing confirms no cracks in the Driver Side Vortec J 16 9 cylinder head

honestly I am still trying to get used to using this product, I've gotten better, in terms of creating less of a red mess, but I can still do a better job of wiping off the red dye before shooting the white developer

[Gregski]

DIY Magnafluxing also confirms no cracks in the Passanger Side Vortec J 16 9 cylinder head

there, did a better job of using this product, finally, hope its the last head I have to use it on, ha ha

did I mention, I am in love with these heads!

[Gregski]

someone asked me how do you clean the Magnaflux stuff off, well after it turns white, it becomes a sort of powder and I just use a brush to brush it off, comes off like chalk dust, then you could just go back to the SPOTCHECK cleaner and whipe them off, I assume this stuff is harmless and won't harm the metal, not sure what it do if/when it was to mix with engine oil

[Gregski]

alright on to Phase 3 of Head Inspection

What on Earth is this guy up to now?

so we glue the 1000 fine grit paper to a nice flat solid (no flex) board of some sorts

[Gregski]

we will be testing the heads to see if they are warped or if the surface is true in three different ways

1. use a metal straight edge and once again our trusty handy dandy flashlight, turn off some lights in your state of the art facility and see if the light of the flashlight will shine through underneath the strait edge while holding it flat on the cylinder head (this is not a perfect science) also not ideal in all areas of the surface only the ones solid underneath

[Gregski]

2. use a metal straight edge and a feeler gauge and see what's the largest gauge you can slide under there, in the pic I was trying a .010 (10 thousandths of an inch) and no dice, actually I couldn't even slide in the thinnest one in the bunch - and that is good, move the straight edge around the head and try it in many different places

[Gregski]

3. I make sure the head is level and using fine sand paper afixed to a flat board gently, under its own weight glide the sand paper board over the cylinderhead surface, remove board and see where contact has been made, the shinny spots are the high points,

[Gregski]

you should get an even shine, my driver side head looks good as the same machining marks are highlighted through out all four chambers

[enaberif]

you don't want your surface of the heads to smooth but you also don't want them to rough either.

[chevybuldr]

Originally Posted by enaberif

you don't want your surface of the heads to smooth but you also don't want them to rough either.

Actually you want them smooth. That is a terrible surface finish for a cylinder head. Factory was the worst for surface finish. The MLS (Multi Layer Steel) gaskets that are on everything now require a very smooth finish. There are actually meters that measure the Ra finish on a surface. A standard fel-pro gasket can handle a little rougher finish but you should have it smoother then that.

One other thing you need to think of. While you can't fit a feeler gauge under any part of the head you still have the highs and lows of that finish that a feeler gauge is not getting to. The minimum warp we tolerate is .003, but we have seen where we can measure .003 it would take almost double that just to get it to clean up.

Ok back to the story, this is entertaining. Congrats on a good set.

Oh one other thing. The process you are using is called DYE-CHECKING.
Magnufluxing would actually have a magnet used to detect a crack. Dye-check is used more for aluminum, But it has fallen by the waste side as it has not been a reliable source for shops to depend on. A wet mag is used to check cranks, rods, and there parts were the powder mag would not pic up or be reliable enough to get into the areas of stress. A dry mag is what we see on blocks and cylinder heads that are iron. The most for sure way to make sure there are no cracks to a water jacket is to pressure check.

[chevybuldr]

I keep looking at one of the heads and see that a spot in the water jacket that looks like it is eroded out or ground out. Its on the spark plug side of the head, a middle cylinder. compare all the water jackets and you will see it. Its a round area. My concern is that area is getting very close to the fire ring of the gasket. Trust me on this when I say that is not good. shoot a picture if you can. maybe its just an illusion to me but all the pics look the same. I just can't see the impression of the fire ring.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by chevybuldr

I keep looking at one of the heads and see that a spot in the water jacket that looks like it is eroded out or ground out. Its on the spark plug side of the head, a middle cylinder. compare all the water jackets and you will see it. Its a round area. My concern is that area is getting very close to the fire ring of the gasket. Trust me on this when I say that is not good. shoot a picture if you can. maybe its just an illusion to me but all the pics look the same. I just can't see the impression of the fire ring.

You trying to rain on my parade Stu? jk I don't see nothin' looks blurry to me, ha ha

seriously looks like maybe a casting imperfection that survived 134,000 miles, there is plenty of meat behind it, but its just black and not shinny, I took a flat file to it to grind down the sharp edges a bit, I think it will be ok

[chevybuldr]

Originally Posted by Gregski

You trying to rain on my parade Stu? jk I don't see nothin' looks blurry to me, ha ha

seriously looks like maybe a casting imperfection that survived 134,000 miles, there is plenty of meat behind it, but its just black and not shinny, I took a flat file to it to grind down the sharp edges a bit, I think it will be ok

Your right that is a casting in-perfection. That is also the fire ring of the gasket that it goes right up to. You should be good. Nice job on lapping the valves.

[Valarius_Starchaser]

I've been on the hunt for that style air filter maybe we could work out a deal greg

[68Timber]

I didn't see that one coming. I figured you'd regroup and buy a new set. Congrats on getting some good ones. Can you return the cracked heads? Something you said earlier made me think you were stuck with them but not sure.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 68Timber

I didn't see that one coming. I figured you'd regroup and buy a new set. Congrats on getting some good ones.

Thanks, I am happy

Originally Posted by 68Timber

Can you return the cracked heads? Something you said earlier made me think you were stuck with them but not sure.

The first pair I bought last October. Turns out both heads are cracked. They only allow you to return them for 30 days. Well I didn't get around to inspecting them in time, so now I can only return them for a core charge of $5.00 bucks each, I'll take it, ha ha

Then I bought the single head which is good, but I no longer need it, so I may take it back or sell it on Craigslist, not sure yet.

[Will206]

I just wanted to check back on this thread and say I read it from start to finish, and it encouraged me to join the forum. (that and my own project)

It was this thread that I learned of POR 15, and I recently used it on my truck with great results, although its been two weeks and its still hasn't come off my arm yet...

Greg takes a lot of great pictures and his commentary is generally witty and hilarious.

If you want a great thread, be like Greg.

Also, nice truck.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Will206

I just wanted to check back on this thread and say I read it from start to finish, and it encouraged me to join the forum. (that and my own project)

Greg takes a lot of great pictures and his commentary is generally witty and hilarious.

If you want a great thread, be like Greg.

Also, nice truck.

WOW Will Thank you so much for the kind words, I appreciate the nice feedback very much.

Originally Posted by Will206

It was this thread that I learned of POR 15, and I recently used it on my truck with great results, although its been two weeks and its still hasn't come off my arm yet...

Ha ha, been there done that and a whole lot worse, lets just say Nature called.

TWO WORDS: Denatured Alcohol

get it at Home Depot for $5.00 bucks use it to wash your hands, it works!

[Gregski]

another $20 in the trash

but oh well she's cleaned two heads (ok 5) lol

[Gregski]

got to cleaning the valves out of the new heads (C 16 9) today, don't worry I'll spare you the mug shots, but I am beginning to think that the exhaust valves just corode and pit much more than the intake cause they run hotter, duh

seems like it don't matter if they came out of an engine with 234,000 miles on it or 134,000 they look the same to me

Would you agree? Concur? Object?

[Gregski]

what in the world has happened to my face shield, you can almost see through it, looks like an Alpaca spat on my face

honey?! who let the Alpaca out again?

[Gregski]

now what was I talking about, ah yes, valves, lets take a look at one sample intake valve out of the new (C 16 9) heads

just look at that stunning beauty, that's hot (get it) explosive even!

[Gregski]

alright Greg, so there's no cracks, the heads are true, and the valves are cleaned what are we gonna do next?

I donno, wanna lap dance?

[Gregski]

well folks when the dinosaurs roamed the earth the Flintsones would have used one of em them plunger looking tools to lap the valves, the process would look like the caveman trying to start a fire by rubbing a stick between the palms of his hands atop of a piece of bark or something, the stuff we put on valves was called lapping compound

but then drills were invented and YouTube came along, and that changed everything, even the stuff is now called "grinding" compound [excuse me] lol

[Gregski]

honestly this is the first time in my life that six inches proved to be too long, (I am talking about the rubber hose people) so I cut it down to 3 or so, but even then I had to switch from clear to a 1/4" 50 PSI black hose (one I wanted to use all along but couldn't find it) someone put it where I keep all my hoses and it was hidden in plain site, had to use my beer goggles to find it

notice I also switched to my trusty De Walt cordless drill cause it has veriable speeds, the slower the better, slow and low baby slow and low, that is the ... tempo

Side Note: played around with masking the heads for paint, god I wish to do anything but head work right now, how I would love to paint me something