Head cracks and crack heads

Begle1

Begle1

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Nov 18, 2007
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People talk about cracked Cummins heads like they're worthless and defective, when it seems to me like they're ubiquitous and the cracks are usually irrelevant.



How many have had cracks in a 24 or 12 valve head that have gotten bad enough to leak, and what were those heads put through?

How many have had 24 or 12 valve heads with any considerable amount of miles on them that do not have cracks? (Verified with dye or magnaflux, not the eye-check method...)
 
I had a 24v head that had over a dozen cracks in it (found them when pressure tested) so yes they did leak. Had around 230k miles 2 years of pulling several 1800*+ bursts.
 
Im interested in this also.
I ended up buying a new head because of a few cracks in the exhaust valve ports.
 
I know my head is cracked. It's seen 1800* several times and has a 184k miles on it. I'm gonna have it trued up, o-ringed, and thrown back on. It's worked for me this far.
 
My current head has a good size crack between every valve and its been that way for years. Good news is I am getting a new one here soon :)

BBD
 
i had around 11 cracks on one seat alone.8 on another. as for how many all together lets just say lots!
 
Interesting.

I have the head of my 97 which had 140,000 on it when I pulled it. Took it to the machine shop and I had 1 crack between each intake and exhaust valve, so 6 total.

I ended up buying a brand new head.

Maybe Ill sell it or better yet, cut the intake off and port the piss out of it and build a Stainless Steel manifold!!
 
tony597fitter said:
Interesting.

I have the head of my 97 which had 140,000 on it when I pulled it. Took it to the machine shop and I had 1 crack between each intake and exhaust valve, so 6 total.

I ended up buying a brand new head.

Maybe Ill sell it or better yet, cut the intake off and port the piss out of it and build a Stainless Steel manifold!!
Click to expand...

That is what I plan on doing with my original head as well.. When I blew the HG I pulled the head, and found one small crack in the valve seat of the #1 exhaust. I bought a brand new head not knowing anybetter from Pure diesel Power at a great price with orings:rockwoot: the head is awesome. The head was on there for about 10-15k and my motor started having more and more blowby, and finally started knocking.. I pulled the engine to short block it, when I pulled the head it has a crack between every exhaust and intake valve, and several in each exhaust valve seat.. I just re ground all my seats, and valves and went back together with it.. I have had no problems with it.. I do plan on reworking my original stock head, port, polish, and new intake plenum at my lesiure...
 
Ive heard that almost all 24V heads are cracked, they just arent bad enought to matter or crack in a non vital area.

Just hearsay though.
 
wpeschel said:
That is what I plan on doing with my original head as well.. When I blew the HG I pulled the head, and found one small crack in the valve seat of the #1 exhaust. I bought a brand new head not knowing anybetter from Pure diesel Power at a great price with orings:rockwoot: the head is awesome. The head was on there for about 10-15k and my motor started having more and more blowby, and finally started knocking.. I pulled the engine to short block it, when I pulled the head it has a crack between every exhaust and intake valve, and several in each exhaust valve seat.. I just re ground all my seats, and valves and went back together with it.. I have had no problems with it.. I do plan on reworking my original stock head, port, polish, and new intake plenum at my lesiure...
Click to expand...

Yeah, my new head was the first one Garrett sold. It was a complete head full blown except for the intake being cut off. I actually helped him find the manufacturer of the head. This was when he was small.
I love the head, and Garrett is a great person to deal with!!!
 
wepeschel, with one crack on the factory head thats not bad.when i sent mine out and got the bad news it made me sick.to ship it was 140.$$ i really felt it was junk.i diddnt want to pay to get it back.i sold my boat so i diddnt need another anchor.
 
cant wait too see mine, 338,000 miles on it so far.... prolly gonna look like a spider cracked windshield, haha
 
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