WWYD (What Would You Do)

[AIRICK]

I've been working on my 7mgte for about 9 years now. In the beginning I didn't know where to go to find the needed info on my build, so I just talked to a few other 7mgte owners. Based on what they said I had a shop clean and deck (.2mm off) & port and polish the head (intake and exhaust), do a "performance" valve job on the valves and rebuild everything using stock parts and new seals. As for the lower half, they cleaned and decked the block (.355mm off), bored the cylinders .020" over, shot peened the factory rods, installed JE pistons & rings, cleaned and balanced the crank shaft, & installed Clevite bearings and all ARP hardware.
Because of bad guidance, I didn't have the timing cover milled with the head, I had a stock head gasket installed, and I used ARP head BOLTS, and had the exhaust side of my head ported and polished......and whatever else I may have overlooked. So, as of now I have a incorrectly built short block that, if anything, needs to have the head taken off so it and the block can be cleaned. (It's been sitting on a stand for about 6 years covered and uncovered).
I'm trying not spend too much more on this thing, but I want it built right. My beginning HP goal was around 400, but now I just want a strong motor. What would you do in my shoes?



Oh, in case you were wondering....I have a rebuilt CT-26 (T04E, 60-1 Trim), new stock oil pump, Walbro fuel pump, 550cc injectors, Aeromotive FPR, ported and polish intake runners, & stock exhaust manifold.

 

[CajunKenny]

I'd pull it apart and have the block decked with the timing cover attached, put it back together with an MHG, install it, and run the mess out of it.

 

[kotu100]

I'd pull it apart and have the block decked with the timing cover attached, put it back together with an MHG, install it, and run the mess out of it.

x2
add ARP head STUDS

 

[hvyman]

I agree.

 

[AIRICK]

Who has the cheapest head studs and HKS Stopper head gasket?

 

[toyotanos]

You just need to check around. Suprasport and driftmotion are good places to start imo. The stopper gaskets are NOT cheap by ay means, expect to pay 300+ for one D:

 

[IJ.]

Good chance the head now has a .1 bend as well..

 

[gatorm]

What do you do about all the milling he has done to the head and block? How do you make up for all the material removed? Im not sure if there is a head gasket that will take up that much clearance.

 

[supraguy@aol]

Why do you say that?
Sounds like he had less than .6mm total removed.
I would think he could get by nicely with a 2mm head gasket.

 

[hvyman]

Cometic makes all sorts of different sized hg too.

 

[gatorm]

.863 mm after I did the math....I took the .355mm reading and turned it into .355 inch in my head for some reason. THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE LOL

 

[eraezer]

Cometic makes all sorts of different sized hg too.

are you talking about sizes in between 2.0 and 3.0 mm? if so, where do I find them?

 

[AIRICK]

Based on the stock head gasket being 1.37mm compressed, I calculated needing one that is 1.93mm thick. I guess I'd have to go up to a 2mm. Do I even need a "stopper" style, or would one of the other styles work for me? Thanks for the help guys!

 

[radiod]

Stoppers are the best, for your power goals a Cometic gasket would do just fine. It's a lot cheaper than the HSK stopper gasket too. If you're build is solid, you can go a little bit thinner rather than thicker as well. Just realize this is bumping up your compression ratio a tiny bit.

 

[AIRICK]

Stoppers are the best, for your power goals a Cometic gasket would do just fine. It's a lot cheaper than the HSK stopper gasket too. If you're build is solid, you can go a little bit thinner rather than thicker as well. Just realize this is bumping up your compression ratio a tiny bit.

I'm glad you say go with the Cometic because I was thinking that too. I'm not building a race motor and I want to stay on the cheaper side of things. But based on the consensus, it sounds like I'll still have to buy some head studs. Oh well! Live and learn!

 

[AIRICK]

I finally got back on this project again and ordered some parts from Driftmotion. I got a layered 2mm Titan head gasket to compensate for the amount taken off during machining and some ARP head studs to replace my ARP head bolts.

I unbolted the head from the block and found some concerns on the block. In the last two pictures, you can see some pitting on the top deck of the block. If I had seen this 9 or so years ago when this was all put together by the machine shop, I would have had some questions about this. If the head hadn't already had so much taken off, I'd consider stripping the block down again and having it decked again.

A fella at Driftmotion told me to use some copper spray on the head gasket before I install it to fill in some of the imperfections, but I don't know if this type of pitting would be considered "imperfections". If I had had the head off before I talked to him, I would have asked about the pitting.

Maybe since I'm not familiar with what a perfect finish should look like on the block's deck that I'm being too cautious. On the other hand, I don't think you could be too cautious with something like this.

After looking at the pictures, does anyone have any good advice? Thanks in advance!

 

[KicknAsphlt]

Regarding the spray sealer -- read this thread first...

http://www.supramania.com/forums/sh...ay-Sealer-on-a-MHG-...Might-Want-to-Read-This


Oh, and it looks like whatever machine shop you used before to deck the block screwed you...that block doesn't look decked at all. Your best bet is to suck it up, strip the block down, and have it decked properly. Just based on the (lack of ) decking, I'd be suspect of their other work on the block too, like ring gaps, bearing clearances, etc....might be a good idea to double-check those as well.

 

[AIRICK]

You're right, I might have to ask around and find some place local I can trust.

What do you think about head gasket compensation though? If I take anymore off the block, I'll be getting thicker than the 2mm gasket I already have. 2mm is already pretty thick!

Thanks

 

[KicknAsphlt]

I'm running a 3mm gasket and that was still too short. If you get adjustable cam gears, you can degree the cams back into alignment...that's what I did. Or, you could get everything decked, then measure for exactly how thick you gasket needs to be...order that one, sell you 2mm to make up the difference. Depending on what thickness gasket you need, you might still want to get adjustable gears and degree the cams in anyway.

 

[AIRICK]

Cool, I didn't know you could get a gasket that thick and not have any problems.
I'd like to keep away from the adjustable cam gears if I could. I've got enough worry making sure I have everything else set right, I'd like to stay away from another one. But if I have to, I have to.
Thanks for the advice, I might ask you for some more later when I order a new head gasket!