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Thread: Combustion Chamber Pitting

  1. #1
    Club Member RBOD's Avatar
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    Default Combustion Chamber Pitting

    I got to work on my heads tonight and started cleaning up the chambers. Once I got all the old carbon out of the way I discovered a good amount of pitting. They are cast iron heads so I don't expect them to be pristine, but should I be worried about this? I'd rather not lose the CC to get them all smoothed out, but I will if needed and have a bit more milled off to get it back. Thoughts?

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    Last edited by RBOD; 07-30-2015 at 11:52 PM.

  2. #2
    Club Sponsor 347convert's Avatar
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    I would think its ok..... Id just make sure there is no sharp edges....

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    Club Member svopro's Avatar
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    It's from the ethenol in the fuel

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    Club Member RBOD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by svopro View Post
    It's from the ethenol in the fuel
    Is ethanol and cast iron a bad idea? I was planning to run E85 in this thing.

  5. #5
    Club Member AutoRoc's Avatar
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    Is that just from casting process? I wouldn't worry about the head.. the piston is the soft part that is moving and made of softer aluminum. How does that look?
    Denny Villemure
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    Forum Member Falcon64's Avatar
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    They are fine

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    Club Member mustangmike6996's Avatar
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    I think it would be fine. It almost looks like those low spots were from casting but if it is pitting, could it have been from detonation at one point in the heads life?

  8. #8
    Club Member RBOD's Avatar
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    Thanks everyone. This is the first set of cast heads that I've given 'royal' treatment and wasn't sure how typical this was. My worst fear was trying to dig in past the pitting only to find more putting and less compression.

  9. #9
    Club Member WhiteHawk's Avatar
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    Just mill them 0.020" and hog out a little extra material. The deck probably needs it anyways if the chambers look like that. Just make sure you have enough P to V. Give the valves a good leak check too or re-grind the seats.

    -Geoff
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  10. #10
    Club Member RBOD's Avatar
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    They're getting new seats and valves anyhow. The only stuff I might reuse are the double springs if they test well and the retainers.

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