RE: Cracked head...?

["Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz@kla-tencor.com>]

At least here in the US on the WX motor, the Bentley states that cracks
between the valve seats and/or spark plug hole are OK as long as they are
smaller than some spec and do not enter the water jacket (DUH!).  

That said, Bentleyless me 12 or so years ago took the head from my '83 to a
shop that stripped my head and then proceeded to tell me that I needed a new
one for $$$ since it was cracked.  I took the head to my brother-in-law who
worked at an auto parts store/machine shop at the time.  Apparently some
American marques have similar problems (Chevy?) and there was a place not
too far away that repaired the cracks for a pretty reasonable amount.  That
head has served well on the car ever since ... but if I were to do the same
thing today I probably would have just put the head back on ...

I've seen the underside of a couple of MC heads and haven't seen a crack in
these locations on any of them.  

OBTW, you may also find cracks on the internal baffles on the EM ... Bentley
also claims that these can be ignored ... 

HTH!
Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)

> -----Original Message-----
> 
> Are cracks a problem on the 10v heads?
> 
> I lifted the head on my new parts car and found cracks 
> between the valves on
> all cylinders.
> 
> Has anyone had any luck with welding cracks in the head?
> 
> Has anyone got any good pictures of the combustion chambers 
> on a MC engine,
> I need to compare it with my european JY head. I already have 
> a piston from
> a MC engine. Are the valves in a MC 33mm and 38mm?
> 
> Jörgen Karlsson
> Sweden
>