Cylinder Head Crack Still Usable??

[72DMag]

Got a set of 302 heads for free that came off of a running 318. 1 cylinder head looks fine. The other has a small crack Into the water jacket area on on cylinder. Sigh.. See top of pic posted near my thumb. The engine was running fine and I even drove in the truck it came out of. Could the head still be used?

 

[1WildRT]

Not so much a crack as a casting flaw...

It doesn't connect to a combustion chamber & the head gasket should seal it... If your concerned it could be pinned...

 

[72DMag]

It doesn't look like it has gone through into the water passage just yet. I was thinking of a dab jb weld. Never came across a casting flaw like this before.

It is far out from combustion chamber. I was more concerned of water finding its way outside of the block towards the headers.

 

[rumblefish360]

I don’t see no crack.

Unless @pittsburghracer posts some Walmart photos!

 

[Professor Fate]

Lay your head gasket of choice over it- I don't think there's any way coolant would migrate out from there and it would seal just fine. If you're still concerned, fill the hole with braze and strike it off while still hot, dress it and run it.

 

[Dana67Dart]

It doesn't look like it has gone through into the water passage just yet.

Maybe it's the shadow. But it looks like a hole into the water passage.

I would braze or jb weld it. If it really is not a hole then ignore and move on.

You might even to be able to get your finger in behind to see what the other side looks like

 

[RustyRatRod]

I see a casting hole, not a crack. If the head gasket is solid in that area and I believe it is, slap it on and run it.

 

[George Jets]

Head gaskets for the mopar heads seal over those un-used water jacket / sand cast opening holes just fine.

You are good.

Nice Heads . . .

 

[72DMag]

Thanks al!! We'll tear down and rebuild is occurring and I noticed one more thing. As I lapped the new valves I noticed the intake seat on that head also has a nick on it. SMH

It does look like someone did a bowl blend or an attempt at it. It looks like they nicked the seat with the porting bit.

Can this be ran as is or is it a problem? You can see where the valve lap didn't really cover it.

 

[72DMag]

Last pic is best pic I can get

 

[rumblefish360]

Will it run as is, yes.
Should you? No
Would I? No

What should be done?
See a machinist. Fix it.

 

[MopaR&D]

Thanks al!! We'll tear down and rebuild is occurring and I noticed one more thing. As I lapped the new valves I noticed the intake seat on that head also has a nick on it. SMH

It does look like someone did a bowl blend or an attempt at it. It looks like they nicked the seat with the porting bit.

Can this be ran as is or is it a problem? You can see where the valve lap didn't really cover it.

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Unless you just need to throw those heads on an old stock engine to keep it going I'd take them to a machine shop and get a valve job done. Lapping makes the valve job worse anyway, I'm still learning about cylinder head machining but those seats look wide as hell, and only 1 angle on the INTAKE? You'll make more torque and power with a decent fresh 3-angle valve job for sure, compared to what you have now.

Looks like they succeeded at smoothing over the chamber edges at least, that's a good thing.

 

[72DMag]

@rumblefish360 I was thinking a 3 angle valve job could clean it up and seat wouldnt need replaced. But im not a head expert.‍♂

@MopaR&D Yeah the heads arent in bad shape. Guides were cut down too. Just looks like someone had an oops moment.  

 

[MopaR&D]

@rumblefish360 I was thinking a 3 angle valve job could clean it up and seat wouldnt need replaced. But im not a head expert.‍♂

@MopaR&D Yeah the heads arent in bad shape. Guides were cut down too. Just looks like someone had an oops moment.  

Your machinist should be able to tell if you need new seats or not. I would guess there's still enough seat material to not sink the valves too much with a VJ but I'm not experienced enough to know for sure. BTW smoothing down that ridge where the seat meets the chamber casting will also improve low-lift flow, not necessary but if the seats already need to be cut/ground it might be worth a shot, if you're comfortable doing that kind of thing yourself.

 

[rumblefish360]

The more low lift the better!