'91 v6 with ~240k mi on it. I had a blown gasket so pulled it apart, someone DEFINITELY had used some of that head gasket repair crap because about half of my coolant passages were closed shut.

Cleaned the block out only to find that I have some serious surface damage. Anyone think a new gasket will seal this up or is decking the block/new motor the only fix here.

http://benmillertime.com/images/p1020839.jpg
http://benmillertime.com/images/p1020840.jpg
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http://benmillertime.com/images/p1020843.jpg

 

You might be able to have it decked, but I'm not certain. If it were me, I'd take it to a machinist and ask them.

 

I dont like the way that looks,
Me personally...I have no idea what i would do.
So im probably not the best help, but you've got to decide how long you want the head gasket job to last...
And if you want it to last for a while, id say bite the bullet and get a new block...
I went ahead and put the head gasket on my 87 thinking it would seal (trying to save some money) and it didn't seal long...
But maybe thats just me, i dont know...

 

No I agree.... I tihnk that block needs to be resurfaced and with 240 on the motor it's just not worth it to me to pull it. I'll put it back together, run it til it pops, then sell it cheap or motor swap.

 

You guys are high, check out my build thread. my block looked 10 times worse, had it decked, and it lives again

 

I'd say have it resurfaced (or decked, whatever you choose to call it ) and you'll be good to go



PS: if you click the little "insert image" button above the reply text field and then paste those photo links into the window that appears, it'll embed the pictures directly into your post instead of being links like they are now

 

That's the point... if I have to pull the block to deck it just to have more money sunk into a 3.slow, I might as well just swap it for something with a little more kick.

 

Then stop rebuilding it and swap in a 3.4...
One of the more straight-forward swaps.
Honestly it looks like you can just get the block decked easily and have no problems.
Get it hot-tanked to get rid of the crap in the rest of the block

 

3.0 (3VZE) is a good engine. Send the block to the machine shop. Consider head porting and stroking.

 

A new gasket will not be sufficient to seal these imperfections.



Having the block decked won't fix them either. You'd have to take off more material than can safely be done and still reuse the other components such as the rods and pistons. Assuming they're in good enough shape to be reused. Shortening the rods would be required at the very least. Then you lose some of their stroke, and therefor some HP. Stupid move.

If you're looking for a cheap solution that doesn't involve doing any of those things I have an idea of what I would do. I'd fill the low spots in with weld and file them down by hand to match the rest of surface as is. I gaurantee I could make all those disappear like magic. Other than the shine of the new metal laid down, you'd never know they were ever there. But I'm damn good like that. Are you?

If you don't have a welder, maybe you know someone who does? Or maybe you can get ahold of a brazing torch and some brazing rod. If you not, then perhaps you could even fill them with lead and a propane torch. Or, last choice, even JB weld might work. Trust me, it's all been done before. If you take your time and do a precise job it'd probably hold up alot longer than you might imagine it would. In any case I'll bet it can be fixed up way easier than you think.

A machinist will probably tell you he can't or won't do it like that, because he'd rather milk you for more money. Why? Because it wouldn't take him much more than an hour, and less than a dollars worth of welding materials. In others words, he's got better/higher paying things to do with his time most likely.

This one isn't that bad. That's within what a new gasket can handle IMO. I wouldn't sweat any areas that look like this. Just leave 'em be.

 

Well a local friend said he actually had luck resurfacing with JB Weld of all things and since I refuse to pull this motor to repair I thought why not. Started cleaning up the heads and found this nightmare. Again kids, NEVER use any head gasket repair sealant, magic lube, super steel. Whatever they want to call it. This passage was COMPLETELY sealed shut for about 3 inches with some concrete like material. Got at it with both side with an impact drill and a masonry bit (wanted to minimize the damage to the metal) and then went to town sculpting the passage with a long flat tip. DO NOT use quick fixes.