Newbie cylinder head

[739pete]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum, just starting to rebuild a '78 Spit, I have sent the head for new valve seats etc, but looking at the block, there was water sitting on the pistons, and in the area where the push rods were. Is this normal and just needs drying off, or is it something more sinister. Any advice welcome.
I took a  photo, but it was too big to attach.
Pete

[rotoflex]

Hello!

Create an account someplace like photobucket.com, & there you can upload huge photos & they'll give you a link you can put here so that we can see them.

Huge photos are great for looking a problems.

[739pete]

Hi
Hopefully the photo should now be on the link. Thanks for the advice.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k29/739pete/Spitfire/IMG_0272_zps646dcf13.jpg

[GT6 M]

Cant be sure fre the pic, but back of block looks rusty.
HG gone at the back,!!  some pics O the gasket  / head could help

Ohhh, use the IMG link at the bottom.

M

[JohnD]

Even if you drain the water out, it's usual for there to be enough around the head for it to spill into the bores etc.   So no worries there.

And as the head is there already, you might ask the shop that is doing your valve seats to take a pass across it with a machine cutter, just to make sure that the face is flat.  Then make sure that all remnants of the old gasket are removed from the block face, which will be most easily done if you take out the studs.    It's more work, but worth it!

Then, a good quality new gasket and you can be pretty sure of no water leaks on reassembly.    Froth ehad, at least!
John

PS many versions of Microsoft Explorer, the program you use to look at the pictures stored on your computer, have a picture compression facilty. Click on the picture you want to resize, and then on "File/Resize Pictures" if you have it, and follow the instructions.   A pic that is 640x480 pixels is best for posting here.    J.

[rotoflex]

You can just paste the text from the Direct box so people can go to the full size photo:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k29/739pete/Spitfire/IMG_0272_zps646dcf13.jpg

And here's what magically happens when you copy & paste the text in the IMG box:


Usually, even if a head gasket goes, you can just sponge out the water from the block, clean the block surface up very, very well, & if you're sure about the cylinder head flatness, just put the head back on with a new gasket.  As John said, if it's at the machine shop already, they can accurately ensure that the head's flat.  Damage to the top of the block is rare.  This doesn't seem like anything to worry over.  Keep all gasket debris, rust, & sludge chunks from falling into the engine, remove if it happens!

And as GT6M said, it would be nice to have a look at the head gasket if you've still got it, to corroborate a typical HG failure.

Don't forget to change the oil before starting again!

Pull the lifters out & look at their bottoms while you've got the head off.

[JohnD]

Pete,
Did you suspect a gasket failure before you took the head off?  OR was that just to have the steel valve seat inserts done?

John
PS "Froth ehad, at least!"  Not an Israeli Z-list celebrity , but my mistype - "For the head, at least!" I meant

[739pete]

Thanks for the info. When I got the engine complete and started it, it was running really rough. Then did compression test to find that cylinder 1&2 were well down on power. Wet test showed no improvement, indicating the valve seats. When I took the head off the gasket was in one piece. Will reassemble this weekend, then get a couple of new heater parts fitted before firing up again. In fairness, the car was last taxed in 1978, so don't know when the engine was last run. Oil and filter will be changed to make sure oil and water will be clean to start with