Head repair

[PRH]

Most pump premium around here is 10% ethanol........ unless it specifically says it isn’t.
The ethanol blended stuff doesn’t play well with most epoxies over time.

 

[oldkimmer]

Most pump premium around here is 10% ethanol........ unless it specifically says it isn’t.
The ethanol blended stuff doesn’t play well with most epoxies over time.

That’s what I’m afraid of. So maybe just race gas then. Kim

 

[famous bob]

I was thinking of getting it tiged but was concerned that they may blow a bigger hole in it then have even more fun. Will epoxy take the oil running over it?

alum heli arc would be my first to consider, but if it isnt accessable enough, yes the a-b epoxy does work.
I didnt know belzona made epoxy for this app. , but I used some left over from work , belzona floor patch in a crack in my garage floor ,worked like a charm , and is holding up perfectly.

 

[famous bob]

One thing I really like about it is you can sprinkle a little water on it and smooth it out with your finger like PlayDoo. I throw on a harbor freight thin rubber glove and dip my finger in water and smooth and shape away.

I have done the same w/ the a-b stuff.

 

[famous bob]

Most pump premium around here is 10% ethanol........ unless it specifically says it isn’t.
The ethanol blended stuff doesn’t play well with most epoxies over time.

didnt bother my sbc head patch .

 

[oldkimmer]

I’m maybe thinking JB weld. The slow drying stuff. The hole is actually 1/2 inch behind the pushrod so I don’t have to worry about clearance. Kim

 

[pittsburghracer]

I’m maybe thinking JB weld. The slow drying stuff. The hole is actually 1/2 inch behind the pushrod so I don’t have to worry about clearance. Kim

I would still cost it on both sides with the stuff I recommended above. You will have zero issues if you clean it good and rough it up some. Your epoxy will see more oil than fuel.

 

[oldkimmer]

Here are some pics. Kim

 

[Jadaharabi]

Weld it.

 

[RustyRatRod]

You do what you want, but I'm tellin you here and now, JB Weld AIN'T impervious to gas. With aluminum bein as easy as it is to weld, I know what I would do.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Weld it.

RIGHT!

 

[oldkimmer]

Well dam, I thought JB would work. I believe there is a good chance welding will blow a bigger hole in it then I will have a even bigger problem. Kim

 

[RustyRatRod]

Well dam, I thought JB would work. I believe there is a good chance welding will blow a bigger hole in it then I will have a even bigger problem. Kim

That's "sorta" what I would do. I would grind it out bigger until I got to thicker metal and then weld from there. May even have to have some metal added, but it will still be cheaper to do it that way, than buy another head....or worse another engine from a bad repair come apart.

 

[oldkimmer]

I don’t think the guy that ported the heads will get me another head. He said he will fix it in June. I don’t want to wait that long but maybe I should. Kim

 

[famous bob]

I don’t think the guy that ported the heads will get me another head. He said he will fix it in June. I don’t want to wait that long but maybe I should. Kim

If accesable take it to a good welder , I know 2 here that could fix it !

 

[furrystump]

I would weld it, I used belzona on cast iron. Ran a little pump gas through it, now strictly race fuel. 6+ years happy as a clam.

 

[George Jets]

If it's a brand new head not having been run it oil it should weld easy with a TIG welder, more control over the weld puddle vs going at it with a wire feed.

FYI: If aluminum has been run in oil, it's like a sponge and soaks up the oil, giving impurities to the heliarc welding. Some folks have run their aluminum parts through a hot dishwasher to try to cook the oil out of the parts before welding. Some have used Borax to help clean the aluminum too.

 

[PRH]

One of the first SR’s I ever ported ended up with a hole in the same place.
Race car, running race gas only.
Fixed with epoxy........ 20 years ago.
Still going strong.

I had to give it a little recoat last time the heads were here for freshening(the edges were starting to pull up.
I lightly sanded it, smeared another layer on top.

Over the last 30 years....... I’ve epoxied up quite a few holes.

In one of the Dirt mod classes they run around here, the preferred head to run on BBC’s for years was a particular Brodix head........ that got about a 1/4” of epoxy put on the floor for the entire length of the port.

In the time it’s taken to write this post, and go thru the answers, post pics, reply, etc........ I would have already fixed the hole.

 

[PRH]

I don’t think the guy that ported the heads will get me another head.

You bring your heads somewhere to get ported.....there’s no guarantee you won’t end up with a hole.

The only way to guarantee there won’t be a hole is to not port them.

 

[pishta]

A good TIG welder can weld aluminum foil, very good heat control. What about fuel tank repair goo? fuel proof as anything and your app is not stressed.

Also Q-bond (super glue with iron filings) is very good for a built up repair, you stack the powder up into the repair and then soak it with the liquid glue, making a strong bond. The metal formula is good to 180C. Q-bond was for sale at my McMaster-Carr industrial fasteners store.

 

[pittsburghracer]

You bring your heads somewhere to get ported.....there’s no guarantee you won’t end up with a hole.

The only way to guarantee there won’t be a hole is to not port them.

A longtime racing buddy of mine is an Indy dealer and sells lots of Indy Heads and blocks. Most of his customers will have him touch up the cnc’d Indy heads they buy but he won’t touch them without before and after pressure testing. It’s not like he’s making money off the pressure testing as he pays another shop to do it.

 

[PRH]

Kim’s head could be welded easy enough...... and if that’s is preference....... just do it.

 

[oldkimmer]

What about Devcon filler. Thanks. Kim

 

[oldkimmer]

I’ll be sending it back to the porter. He said he will weld it up in mid june. Kim

 

[Clelan]

My Centerline wheels on the back of my car were drilled for screws when I got them. The shop I used to work at used an aluminum cold spray to fill in the holes. That may be an option for you if they can get at it. It builds up really well and grinds to whatever shape or contour when done. I wish I'd have taken more good photos. We filled the hole from the other side once it was plugged off with Aluminum (2nd picture).

Cley