2.7 head repair?? filling head gouges

[rebible]

I finally pulled the heads off the 87 200 xp I bought (for parts).

I found out why it was in the abandoned pile. Something went through the number 4.

Presumably it was a ring but it isn't obvious as the top of the piston and the head have the same amount of hammering marks and there doesn't appear to be anything missing from the piston top. I can't turn it to look at the ports to see if something caught. Either because something is still caught or it has just been sitting too long.

The outside ring of the #4 chamber is pretty severely hammered on the bottom side, a few marks all the way around, nothing in the combustion dome.

Is it recoverable? I could mill off the displaced material, and clean up the few marks going into the chamber, but I would guess there is one gouge that is 0.06 to 0.1 deep. Can you fill these? What do I have to watch out for.

Otherwise it looks like I have half a pair of the good heads. That should give me half the improvement if I put it on.

Thanks,
Robert

[Jay Smith]

Robert ,
If you not wanting to reduce the CC on that head I'd just look for a nice used replacement. The problem with welding a head is the head is aluminum and the filler rod will be of the same material. There is small fragments of the ring lodged in the crown and its of UNLIKE material ( carbon steel with chrome face ) when these two metals try to puddle or fuse the adhesion can't happen. Also applying THAT mush heat to a area as large as a squisch area will be likely to warp the head unless its pulled down to a flat table. Also after all the work is complete your still gonna have to have it milled , IMO its just not worth the time, labor and money when a used head would be cheaper and much less labor intensive.. I do spot weld heads sometime when reducing the CC and cut into an air pocket or cavity but that is a quick touch with a tig and its fixed..

Good luck,
Jay

[rebible]

Thanks Jay,
I hadn't thought about the ring still being stuck in there.

Since BWB ran their article everyone seems to want a fortune for these heads. I have a nice mill in the garage, so milling doesn't worry me.

These are down the list of projects anyway, unless my current power head goes pop. And the way this summer is going, it could be next week.

[charger19]

I had the same problem.I made a jig from half inch steel plate with the same bolt pattern.Bolted the head to the plate and clamped the plate to the welding bench.Welded up all the dings.You have to know how to tig weld aluminum.When the contamineted parts bubble up grind it clean without grinding into the head, then weld some more.My head warped a little but a machinist got it milled flat without having to remove to much material.I also have an extra 2.7 head in good shape I'd consider selling If you want it.