Found traction but unleased Magic smoke.

thehueypilot

Active Member
Feb 25, 2004
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37
Medina,Tennessee
Why is it that your car always runs the best right before it breaks? The first pass it ran 7.561/89.51 with a 1.628 60 ft. The next pass was a mind blowing 7.477/90.89 with a 1.616 60 ft. The next run the magic smoke appeared and that put me on the trailer. The head gasket blew again (3rd time since last year) because the melted head weld repair is not holding. The question is......why does an engine run so good right before it blows?
 
Keeps you motivated to dump yet more money

If it ran like crap, then blew a head gasket you'd be more reserved in spending your next two months pay checks. Right about now I'm thinking you are looking at your christmas list of people to buy for, and seeing where you can trim it down a bit :D

Very nice run!

Scott
 
10secgoal said:
Can you buy just one head, and say "F" it to all the repairs ?
I'm about there with my block.

Yes, but for some reason they do not like to sell just one. It is such a waste to scrap a $900 head when all that is wrong with it is the small breech between combustion chambers in one spot. I thought one of the selling points of aluminum heads was the repairability?
 
Yeah, but how much was the repair last time ?
It's split between the Combustion chambers ? Why the smoke ? Is it crossoning a coolant passage ?
My but freind works for a speed shop here and he does all the heads. He said repairing aluminum can be a pain, but easier than iron. Just when he thinks he gets it clean enough to weld, he pre-heats the area, and sees a ton more impurities
 
The gaskets all total about $120 and the labor is free. The head gasket actually melts with the repair aluminum and opens up into a coolant passage that is very close by and hence the white smoke. I was told that aluminmum head repairs must be made with a better grade of aluminum alloy filler rod instead of the normal, softer aluminum alloy filler rod.
 
Pakrat said:
Probably for the very same reason that we as people seem to have a momment of clarity prior to death knocking at our door. And much like the meaning to life itself the reason that happens is................................................(this broadcast has been temporarily interupted)..........................................


You have to remember with most of us car guys the last think we usually think before death is "oh, s**t.....":rlaugh:
 
Congrats on getting the car to start hooking! Motor problem sucks though. I know all about it. Mine pushed the head gaskets out on the engine dyno on the first hard pull. Talk about a bad day. :( You can't buy just one head?? Maybe call Brian at adperformance.com He might be able to help? Most heads that I have seen, including my vic jr's are bought one at a time. Give Brian a call. You never know.