How bad is the HG job on a 7.3 IDI?

[steelholder]

Try using an electric or pneumatic wire wheel. It should look like the rest of the head when all the carbon is off.

This is the setup I used to clean my heads at home.

You must be registered for see images attach

I've heard using abrasives could really mess up the surface. Is that only with aluminum heads? I have a similar setup like yours

 

[steelholder]

Try using an electric or pneumatic wire wheel. It should look like the rest of the head when all the carbon is off.

This is the setup I used to clean my heads at home.

You must be registered for see images attach

Would this be just as good? Paranoid I'll take to much off

 

[Nero]

Would this be just as good? Paranoid I'll take to much off

For these cast iron heads it'll be fine.

 

[steelholder]

I cleaned it up with a wire brush attached to my angle grinder, it helped with a lot of the those previous gaps but some are still present. I noticed that when i lay the straight edge over any areas of the precups it caused the gauge to get stuck or go under. Those dont seem monolithic with the head and I can see the distinct edge of where they are. Can measuring over precups throw off the readings?

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Nero]

Yes it can. Heads look great, I'd run them as is.

 

[steelholder]

Question regarding the front and rear seals they are marked " install dry" yet many say to add a thin coat of RTV, suggestions?

 

[Nero]

Question regarding the front and rear seals they are marked " install dry" yet many say to add a thin coat of RTV, suggestions?

DO NOT. Any time I have used RTV on a seal, it has leaked. In rare occasions I have used anerobic on the outside, but that's all.

 

[Black dawg]

Question regarding the front and rear seals they are marked " install dry" yet many say to add a thin coat of RTV, suggestions?

The seals marked that way are refering to leaving the sealing lip dry. Like no oil.

Silicone is for the od of the seal, if the bore that the seal goes into is rough, may need a little silicone. Takes very little.

 

[steelholder]

The seals marked that way are refering to leaving the sealing lip dry. Like no oil.

Silicone is for the od of the seal, if the bore that the seal goes into is rough, may need a little silicone. Takes very little.

Yeah that's how I understood it as well, just not sure about adding RTV to the OD.

 

[steelholder]

Got the heads resurfaced for peace of mind. I had my .003" feeler gauge go under the straight edge in more places than I felt comfy with. I got the the front plate off to make installing that seal easier. The kit I bought came with with gaskets for the front plate as well as the water pump so figured I would use them. Removing the fossilized gasket is a real PITA, anyone have a better method than a razor blade and gasket remover? I am also using a wire brush on my grinder for anything made from steel. I noticed some deep pitting.
Just to confirm - the water pump gasket will take RTV right?
on the front plate where the water pump goes, is this normal?

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Removing the fossilized gasket is a real PITA,

This is why I use a thin coat of RTV on both sides of the gasket (not the head gaskets for clarification). It prevents this from happening. If you have to take it apart again, you'll be glad that you did.

Just to confirm - the water pump gasket will take RTV right?
on the front plate where the water pump goes, is this normal?

I don't know if it's "normal", but I've seen it a lot. Even if I didn't use RTV on the gaskets like I posted above, I'd use it here just to help insure no leaks.

 

[Nero]

All of them that I have resealed had that pitting. I also RTV'd both sides of the water pump gasket, the timing cover gaskets, the rear seal carrier gasket, the oil cooler gaskets... The only ones I did not was exhaust manifold, head, and the valley pan at the intake ports. You can do the intake ports if you are reusing the valley pan.

 

[steelholder]

All of them that I have resealed had that pitting. I also RTV'd both sides of the water pump gasket, the timing cover gaskets, the rear seal carrier gasket, the oil cooler gaskets... The only ones I did not was exhaust manifold, head, and the valley pan at the intake ports. You can do the intake ports if you are reusing the valley pan.

Didn't know you could RTV the oil cooler. I'll apply some

 

[Nero]

Didn't know you could RTV the oil cooler. I'll apply some

Be sure to use as little as possible. You only want enough to dress the gasket, not so much it squishes out in globs, you can plug your oiling system up if you put too much in.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Didn't know you could RTV the oil cooler. I'll apply some

Only the ones between the cooler ends and the block. I do like Nero does myself.