KA24e blown gasket. is my head save able?

[FiveSeventyZee]

Pulled apart my "running" motor to find a rusted out water pump which led to more inspection aka pulling the head to find a blown head gasket and a corroded head. here's a pic of the cause

 

 

what I'm wondering is if this head is save able or not. I was thinking if it is save able the only way would be shaving the head so that little channel no longer exists. is it possible to shave a head that far without issues? it's maybe a 16th of an inch deep. like 1 or 2 mm

 

 

 

Also for the sake of oics:

 

are those valves even usable?

[Skib]

wow.

[ggzilla]

Yes, it is saveable.

 

Is the head gasket still on? Remove and take another photo.

 

I wouldn't skim the head, if there is a slight groove at that spot, have it brazed back up, then carefully file it down flat.

 

The valves are probably OK, at worst will need lapping

 

I'd be most worried that the rings are rusty. Oil it up good before you rotate the crank, Does it move freely?

[datzenmike]

The head can't rust so get a wire wheel and clean that gasket off and inspect it. Probably fine. Valves look good. You took the cam out?

 

BTW you don't have the motor at TDC compression on #1....

 

 

That 240sx motor has been sitting for some time with the blown gasket to get that rusty. Between #2 and #3, so a prime candidate for a warped head right in the middle. Get a straight edge and lay it diagonal X across the head's length. If you can slip a 0.004" feeler gauge under it have it milled.

 

 

Get some of your money back.

[FiveSeventyZee]

no it doesn't move freely. in fact that's why I took that picture. I meant to ask how problematic that would be.

 

and the cam is still in it just doesn't look like it because of how it's rotated. the valves are just barely open on some of them.

 

and yeah I know the rust isn't on the head. I just hadn't cleaned it up yet because I wasnt sure yet if it all was save able. as you can see by the intake still being attached I just wanted to pull the head to see the condition of the internals because of the bad signs from the water pump.

 

I really just don't get why people don't just put antifreeze or water wetter just for rust prevention purposes....it's so easy to do yet so helpful....

[ggzilla]

Head's probably not damaged by the blown gasket. If you just peel the gasket off, you will be able to tell. You don't need to clean the head to tell, just feel if there is a groove on the head.

[FiveSeventyZee]

that first pic IS a groove in the head. there is no gasket on there in that pic just leftover residue and rust that I haven't cleaned off yet.

[datzenmike]

 

Hmmm, perhaps touch it up with a TIG welder and file down by hand is better.

.

[I'm BLUE]

Looks as though your cooling system was victim to neglect and electrolysis. This is why it is important to keep a fresh 50/50 coolant mix in ones engine. Even more important to check the life of it every year. Prestone Anti-freeze claims their blend will last 5-years (aprox).

 

As stated above .. don't just shave it for the sake of "shaving it to tell" .

 

Take it to a machine shop and request a pressure check as well as ask them to check for flatness/warpage. Point out area's of concern. Tell them exactly what happened to the engine. Make sure to keep your receipt and get a written quote before leaving !!! ( some will just verbally tell you a figure ).

[FiveSeventyZee]

Aaaaaand the saga continues....I really got screwed on this one guys....

 

anyway, so that little dark spot on cyl 1...not a patch of oil like I thought...shined a good light in there to discover this

 

 

 

and the point of shaving wasnt just to tell. I just didn't think you could do something like tig weld and file. hopefully at least the head is save able. I don't have the time/resources for a bottom end rebuild right now.

 

here are some close ups of the combustion chambers. that build up on cyl 1 & 3 is solid...destroyed my wire wheel...

 

 

is that build up gonna be a problem or can I still use this head?

 

 

edit: forgot to mention I only wire wheeled the first cylinder to see if that shit would come off so the other 3 are untouched as of now

[DAT510]

let it sit in solvent..?

That really sucks. Did you buy it from craigslist? or at a junkyard?

[FiveSeventyZee]

Craigslist. and I lost the guys number. I'm gonna do everything I can to find this guy again though. I know he's always got multiple 240's, he drifts them and he powder coats....I'll find him eventually. basically time to find a new motor....

 

some people should seriously be shot...I don't get it...

[Kisor]

Looks like its going to be more hassle than what it's worth.

 

A quick look on www.car-part.com in San Fran there are a few SOHC KA's for ~$500

 

That is going to add up quick at the machine shop, gaskets, piston, welding/resurface on the head.... Not to mention it took some hardcore abuse to cause that. What conditon is the rest on it in.

 

I personally would use it for spare parts/mock up block.

[datzenmike]

 

Melting a piston... that's detonation. No antifreeze, drove the shit out of it, blew the gasket, overheated and kept going till it stopped. Did you say you couldn't turn it over? Could be seized.

.

[Kisor]

Drifters......... :frantics: :no: :angry:

[datzenmike]

Yup, have littler respect for unnecessary shit like this. AND then having the balls to flog it to someone?????

[FiveSeventyZee]

yeah i can rotate it. but I'm not going to be fixing this engine. I'm looking for a new single cam as I type this. thanks for that kisor, I havent seen that site before. I wouldn't mind $500. I know it's a bit much for a SOHC but I already have all the SOHC swap shit so going to a DE or SR doesn't make sense slash I can't afford it.

[ggzilla]

is that build up gonna be a problem

Generally, that build-up of carbon on the combustion chamber & valve heads is not a problem. It's very light compared to many I've seen. But all the problems together tells a bigger story.

 

I wouldn't take a head like that -- or any head -- to a machine shop "for checking". It's easy to check it yourself, at least a warp is easy to check. A shop will nearly always tell you it needs to be shaved, when they are fine by Nissan specifications and don't need to be shaved. Mike's suggestion about the x thousands feeler gauge is right on.

[FiveSeventyZee]

okay I'll check it out myself first. dimer13forlife said he might be willing to part with his rebuild bottom end so at this point I'm REAAAALLY hoping the head is useable

[FiveSeventyZee]

I found a single cammer in a 240 still (so I could hear/see it run) rebuilt 30k miles ago about 50 minutes from me. owner wants $500. im thinkin this might be my best option right now. does that sound like a good idea?

[ggzilla]

Yes, sounds good. Do both smoke tests, and take a compression tester with you.

[FiveSeventyZee]

apparently the spark plug threads are stripped on cyl 2. owner says he's got another head but does it really worth all that? $500 for a KA...shouldn't it be all set to go for that price? I feel like its high for a KA, especially a single cam

[ggzilla]

Stripped spark plugs threads are easy to fix, about $50 if you don't already have a heli-coil kit.

 

If it runs, you can smoke test it and compression test it. Then make him an offer. KA24E is just as desirable as KA24DE, many Ratsun guys prefer it over the Dual-cam.

[FiveSeventyZee]

Yeah I'm one of them haha, I just haven't really seen them that expensive.

 

as far as the spark plug threads goes, how do I install the helicoil? I've never done that, I've only ever drilled holes out and pressed in threaded inserts and never done thread recovery on a car (used to mod paintball guns for fun)

[ggzilla]

How to Heli-coil