Advice needed on block

[Burntz]

Got my block cleaned up real nice but I noticed some pitting, and thought I'd share a few pictures on here and get some insight as to how bad it is?

This is the intake side, very smooth

Thoughts? My plan was to have my head perfectly planed, and use a OEM composite headgasket sprayed with the copper gasket stuff.

Oh, and the whole block

Oh, and these were all phone pictures, so if its a bit hard to see I'm sorry lol

 

[cuel]

Actually, for a stock gasket ap., it looks pretty good(I've seen a whole lot worse...). What did you use to clean it up?

 

[Burntz]

LOL

Probably not the best idea, but I was using 80 grit aluminum oxide sand paper. Then I got fed up with sanding, so I grabbed my mom's b/f's electric wire brush, which worked very nicely, although it probably wasnt smart. I've cleaned out the cylinder's 3 times since then though

somethin like that

 

[supra_kid101]

I used the same wire wheel on my block and it worked just fine. Like the other person said it looks good.

 

[Burntz]

No way? I figured you guys would call me crazy, sayin I could be flingin wires and debris into my cylinder walls n stuff

 

[Doward]

Gonna have a hard time knowing if you have any low spots now or not.

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

What would bother me is the peices of wire and material that you cleaned off getting into the holes for the oil and coolant, not to mention the bolt holes, unless you had some way of keeping it out of those areas.

 

[cuel]

Hmmm.... I'd be worried about using the sandpaper(as Doward said). The first pic looks like it was sanded. You need to get a straight edge, and check the block for low spots. It's pretty easy to remove a thin layer of steel in small areas, especially if its a little soft in spots. Probably the lighting, but the circled areas look a little questionable.



If you refer back to your pic, they seem like dark spots where maybe you sanded a little hard

 

[BlackDynamite]

even though i took my block out and apart, it looks fine, though put some type of rag in each cylinder, if you do more, so that no major debris gets inside, just to be on the safe side.
:]

AND since it is cast iron, it is magnetic. Run a magnet inside each cylinder and around to pick up all the debris. WHOOT! Score 1 for Alabama! LOL

 

[Burntz]

i move it into the main shop tomorrow, and i'll definately take a straight edge to it since i'll have quite a few more tools and more space.

heres a lower shot of it, i thnk it might be the lighting, as i didnt keep the wire brush in the same direction the entire time.

as for the bolt holes and coolant passages, air hose
and when i start it i plan on keeping the bottom hose off and running straight water through it for the first 10 minutes or so to flush it, plus I've heard dont run antifreeze on a new head gasket if possible

edit: btw great idea on the magnet! i could get one of those small extenda ones and stick it down in the bolt holes/passages/cylinders

 

[amichie]

I did the same on mine with a wire brush. Worked a treat. Just make sure there is no pitting, damage or indentation where the fire rings go around the bores. If so you will need to have it decked.

 

[Burntz]

see thats the problem, if you look at the pictures, thats were the pitting came from, the fire rings. when it got so hot they kind of melted and yea, cylinders 1 and 6, those rings were tear drop shaped sort of.


Btw, can anyone tell me how critical it is to have the bearing caps for the cams be from the original head? my machinist said he cant switch everything over without the original cam caps because they'll put the cam in a bind. Is this true?

 

[cuel]

Well, they all have to be in the correct order, and be pointing in the correct direction, so I would imagine so. I think he could mix and match, if you have a bunch off of another head, and find one close enough that he could bore it to fit correctly. Might cost you a little extra, though...

 

[Burntz]

Ughhh why do I run into so many problems with this damn supra? lol

 

[ValgeKotkas]

^The pleasure of rallysport

 

[Burntz]

no, the please of a PITA supra lol. head is garbage, i buy a new one bare, machinist says i need the original cam caps, a million other small things. :'(

 

[iMod]

Ughhh why do I run into so many problems with this damn supra? lol

Hahaha join the club. I bought mine in October and I've barely been able to drive it....which totally sucks cos the car is so damn cool...

 

[Jaguar_5]

Yikes, when I scrolled down to a picture of that wirebrush you used, I cringed.

 

[Burntz]

thats not the exact one, just a quick picture i found that is somewhat similar lol.

The one i used polished and cleaned more then anything. I mean shit it had a hell of a time getting a few gaskets off things, so it isnt too harsh.