Oringed head issues

C

cumminsman985

Master wrench holder
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
29
So here's a new one guys, so I pulled the head on my 12v and had orings cut and laid in. I get the head back and ran it easy for a few hours, retorque a brand new set of 425s and ran it again the next day. I'm running a. 12mm pump and 62/75 compounds making 72psi overall. I got on it once on the way home not even full throttle, I got home and opened the hood to check for leaks and found my overflow tank filled with oil, it blew the hg that quick even with orings.... I pulled the head the next day and found the gasket blew around the coolant port on #6 and on #4 oil port around the stud. When I started looking at the head I found #6 cylinders ring is literally on the inside edge of the fire ring on the head gasket on one side and the outer edge of the fire ring on the other side ( which is where the gasket blew into the coolant port). I took the head back to the shop that did the work and they're trying to Say it should be fine. To me that ring will never seal correctly, in addition to this #6 cylinder is washed from the coolant. Has anyone ever had an issue like this, what's your opinion? I'm hoping someone has went through this before and can shed some light on the situation, as of now I have a head that cant be corrected and a block that has to come back out....:bang:bang
 
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Maybe that weren't centered when they cut it? Man that sucks.


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Do you know if there using a receiver plate (bhj Style) or chucking it up in a mill? If thats the only one that has a issue then i bet there useing a mill and didnt get it set correctly before cutting. New head is the only fix! Always install, hot retorque, set valves, drive easy at low boost levels but build heat, retorque, set valves and repeat until studs wont pull anymore. Thats been our base for many years with great results.
 
They cut them on a mill, the heads never been decked and only has. 8k on it I was throwing the idea around if it's possible to mill the head down enough to remove the groves and have them reset the valve depth in the head.
 
I wouldn't want them taking that much off of the head. I'd argue to have them get you a new head, and not give up. They messed up, and if they oring heads regularly, then they know that they screwed something up. It's too bad you're out another head gasket and that labor, but you shouldn't be out the price of a new head and rework.
 
There is a min head thickness. If it has been on a truck i wont install my bhj jig on it unless it gets surfaced first. If they can get it in spec by surfacing (hard pressed to do that) then they have to reset valve to deck height and so on. What size wire did they use? .041 or .051
 
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I'm not only out a head and a gasket but the bottom end, cylinder 6 is washed the block has to come out to be bored and it's gotta get .040 over Pistons since it was already at .020 over, they used .051, I'm pushing for a new head as hard as possible, mine had 8000 miles on it and came new from cummins in March.
 
I only use .051 wire when I repair poor oringing jobs. That sucks about the block. Sorry for you and your wallet.
 
Probably cheaper to find a block bare or find a whole one and sell the rest that you don't need. You may come out a little better than you think. Care to mention the machine shop?
 
There is a lot of Things that go into a o-ring head setup ... Rings must be in the center so HG fire ring can wrap around the O-ring ... That what makes the seal....best way to fix it is to have a shop that does fire ringing cut big grove install fire rings ... Normally there so many diff sizes of fire ring , that they can find one that when they cut the bigger groove it will clean up the mess.. Most fire ringes are .105 and orings are .041
 
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Fire rings aren't good for dd trucks hey apparintly can't take the heat cycles, I've got another motor that I've had on the stad for awhile but this block has 8k on it and was just completely machined in March, that's why I'm reusing it it's already been ampro cleaned and painted
 
Use a block o-ring cutting tool next time and do it yourself. You know how the saying goes ...


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Yeah ^^. I bought one and grooved my block myself. So far so good. Probably about 400HP right now. Done some wicked burnouts and no leaks. It's in my build thread and a write up on CF on it. I'll try to find it


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