Pro comp head failure

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Jax

Jax

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Hard weekend for the engine and us... below the results of a head failure...

Launched as we normal do, at first glance it sound like a fouled spark plug, the sound got a bit louder and pulled out. However, the result and damage was substantial.

We don't know exactly what failed, but it appears from what you can see as it dropped a valve seat and subsequently damage the entire cylinder head, valves, piston got substantial damage and the block sleeve cracked.

We have been running this setup without an issue, don't know what caused this. However will have to evaluate which route to take to rebuild the engine.

Head specs:

1687179731020.png


Heads were assembled by MRL Performance


Procomp damage head.jpg
 
I can easily repair that head. I do viper heads all the time like that. Send me a PM if you want to discuss
 
replicaracer43 said:
I can easily repair that head. I do viper heads all the time like that. Send me a PM if you want to discuss
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Yep it could be done.
I'd rather scrap the junk heads and buy a decent head rather than having the expense of repair. but it's not my decision.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do.
 
fishmens67 said:
Yep it could be done.
I'd rather scrap the junk heads and buy a decent head rather than having the expense of repair. but it's not my decision.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do.
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Except in his case, you have the cost of the heads, then the cost of the porting he allready had done. So probably would be 2500-3000 to replace with a fully ported new set, as compared to less than 1000 to weld, re machine, surface and replace all the worn parts...
 
Jax said:
Hard weekend for the engine and us... below the results of a head failure...

Launched as we normal do, at first glance it sound like a fouled spark plug, the sound got a bit louder and pulled out. However, the result and damage was substantial.

We don't know exactly what failed, but it appears from what you can see as it dropped a valve seat and subsequently damage the entire cylinder head, valves, piston got substantial damage and the block sleeve cracked.

We have been running this setup without an issue, don't know what caused this. However will have to evaluate which route to take to rebuild the engine.

Head specs:

View attachment 1716104195

Heads were assembled by MRL Performance


View attachment 1716104192
Click to expand...


I blew up that picture to check it out a little better. Is that shrapnel damage in the other chambers I’m seeing and did you pull the other head yet? That may help making you decision.
 
pittsburghracer said:
I blew up that picture to check it out a little better. Is that shrapnel damage in the other chambers I’m seeing and did you pull the other head yet? That may help making you decision.
Click to expand...
Yep, it slightly damaged the other cylinder on the same headside as well..... it even threw a piece of the valve to the other side of the engine via the intake into another cylinder...
 
Jax said:
Yep, it slightly damaged the other cylinder on the same headside as well..... it even threw a piece of the valve to the other side of the engine via the intake into another cylinder...
Click to expand...


Kinda figured with that much shrapnel something had to fly to the other side. Now just hope it didn’t pinch a piston ring. Our 1/4 inch piece did but not enough to hurt the performance.
 
That sucks! I hope the rest of the motor is good enough to save and not be a complete loss.
 
pittsburghracer said:
Kinda figured with that much shrapnel something had to fly to the other side. Now just hope it didn’t pinch a piston ring. Our 1/4 inch piece did but not enough to hurt the performance.
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Very true! Had a 360 oval track engine break a exhaust valve for a customer about 10 years ago, coming off the 4th turn... unreal how much shrapnel flys around in there. I knew when he sent a picture of the air cleaner with the lid removed, and chunks of piston laying on top of the boosters, it was gonna be ugly!
 
replicaracer43 said:
The beauty of aluminum is the ability to repair

View attachment 1716104376

View attachment 1716104377

View attachment 1716104378
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That’s why we buy it. I have mig, Tig, stick, and even an aluminum spool gun but I Dont take the required time to master any of them. Three welders that go unused sometimes for 12 months at a time. Pretty pathetic. Next years New Year’s resolution is going to be to weld something 1 hour a week. Ok maybe 30 minutes. Back in 2010 when I retired I was certified welding mig and stick up to one inch.
 
pittsburghracer said:
That’s why we buy it. I have mig, Tig, stick, and even an aluminum spool gun but I Dont take the required time to master any of them. Three welders that go unused sometimes for 12 months at a time. Pretty pathetic. Next years New Year’s resolution is going to be to weld something 1 hour a week. Ok maybe 30 minutes. Back in 2010 when I retired I was certified welding mig and stick up to one inch.
Click to expand...
I found the 2 most important things for me concerning welding aluminum, is getting it CLEAN, and having patience with the tig. Calm and slow
 
Seat came out? Another reason not to use cheap casting cylinder heads. The more I read on here the problems guy's are having with the imported cylinder heads make edelbrock heads look better at least they are cast here
 
Dan the man said:
Seat came out? Another reason not to use cheap casting cylinder heads. The more I read on here the problems guy's are having with the imported cylinder heads make edelbrock heads look better at least they are cast here
Click to expand...


Did you look at all that damage and know what happened first. Give me a break. What came first. The chicken or the egg.
 
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Dan the man said:
Seat came out? Another reason not to use cheap casting cylinder heads. The more I read on here the problems guy's are having with the imported cylinder heads make edelbrock heads look better at least they are cast here
Click to expand...
pittsburghracer said:
Do you looked at all that damage and know what happened first. Give me a break. What came first. The chicken or the egg.
Click to expand...


My oldest son runs a set of edelbrocks that were bought dirt cheap. The reason: An exhaust seat had fallen out. We found 2 ex valves with cracks in them, that is what I think went first in his. We fixed them ourselves and they have been good since. I don't think it's just a procomp thing.
 
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