Block deck and straightedge question
03-31-2015, 02:20 PM
#11
D.R. THE PATHETIC DORK
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 30,863
The heads have been resurfaced, but not the block. If the block was machined, I'd feel perfectly fine using a MLS gasket. But what I'm not even sure if the composite will work because 4-5 thousands does not seem like anything a composite gasket wouldn't compensate for... but then again I'm not sure that's why I'm asking. What is strange is I didn't have a problem with the stock heads and according to the guy who I bought the heads off of the car they were pulled from was in perfect working order. I used brand new ARP bolts with thread sealer on the threads and torque lube under the washers on all the bolts, then I 4 staged the bolts using the proper torque specs and sequence. I just don't know what could have caused my issue.
03-31-2015, 02:26 PM
#13
D.R. THE PATHETIC DORK
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 30,863
that's what I meant........from what I can see in the first pic.......it's either a result of untrue surface or installation error/head could of shifted/not seated properly.........hard to guess at what you may have missed or done incorrectly, even though you're positive you did it all correctly if untrue surface is not the case........I'd lay a straight edge across the whole deck surface to check it
03-31-2015, 02:32 PM
#14
LOL sorry Im at work and doing 3 things at once...Carry on. Hard to imagine the install isn't done right if all four dowl pins are in place. and torque specs were followed. Don't you just love working on old cars.
Last edited by bluebeastsrt; 03-31-2015 at 02:36 PM.
03-31-2015, 04:15 PM
#15
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 632
"Yes." lol I'm just hoping it was the lop sided deck. The short block is in excellent shape, has great compression, and I still have the laps from factory in all the cylinder walls. It would be a shame to throw it out, but by the time you buy all your parts and pay for the labor, it's cheaper to buy somebody's "I just built this fresh motor with forged everything and my wife just go pregnant so now I have to sell it." Like I said, I can see it either way, but I'm just not sure 4-5 thousands could make a composite gasket leak.
03-31-2015, 08:45 PM
#16
D.R. THE PATHETIC DORK
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 30,863
you'd think it is......until after you install the motor and realize it burns a quart of oil every 5-600 miles and the damn sob story of the prego wife was just a cover story for the real problem......been that route more than once
04-01-2015, 06:01 AM
#17
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 632
Yeah, that's true. But when you're poor you have to take a gamble sometimes. That's what happened with the heads. You cannot always afford to buy new, so you take that chance sometimes. I'm sure if I had bought everything new I would have made it to the track, but it's also my fault for taking somebody else's word for it instead of testing it more. My OCD will not overlook this next time. lol Either way, I'll be grateful if it turns out just to be the heads and not the block at this point. I got the heads back late yesterday, they look really good, so I guess there is no other way to really find out besides putting them on again and doing a leak down test with a compression test before I try to start it.
Last edited by yurizx6r; 04-01-2015 at 06:04 AM.
04-03-2015, 02:22 AM
#20
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4,103
In my 40+ years of experience with different makes of American V-8 blocks, decking should be a standard rebuilding procedure.
As a fact, I've never seen one that was what the spec's said it was supposed to be....
As a fact, I've never seen one that was what the spec's said it was supposed to be....
