one finger john
Active Member
Head gaskets ???!!! Was this a known problem?
Northstar T is taking shape
- Thread starter Northstar T
- Start date
Great news, well getting the VIN anyway
(I just got mine today as well, but only for an "unfit" vehicle)
what's an "unfit" vehicle. doesn't sound good to me.
Russ
deckofficer
Banned
300 bucks for head gaskets plus your labor, what a real PITA, as you said in post #250. But getting the VIN is great news.
Bob
Bob
one finger john
Active Member
i remember the early Corvettes had purge tanks in them that I believe also acted as expansion tanks. I see that you have an expansion tank on the side so how did you determine the size of the purge tank ? Could it have been smaller, less obtrusive ? Could it have been incorporated into the expansion tank ? Would it be possible to get a profile shot of the engine to show the different levels of coolent for the radiator, engine, tanks, etc. Not dire, but if you can and its convenient. One last question, how much coolent is displaced from when the engine is cold to when the thermostat is fully open ?
Curious, John
Curious, John
Purge tanks really became necessary when the auto makers decided to reverse the flow of coolent through the system. steam creates air pockets that, in a reverse flow system, can stop water circulation, so the tanks provide a way to rid the system of that air. the stainless puke tank is my "expansion" tank, sized by hours and hours of technical calculations (it fit there). the purge tank is the high point in the system, so that's where all the hot air collects (well... most of it anyway). I'll see if I can get you a profile shot this evening when I get back from the salt mine.
BTW. as a side note. we woke up this morning to a couple inches of snow in the yard. I'm gratefull that the weather Gods decided to wait for me to take the T to be inspected yesterday before she let loose.
.Russ
Congrats on the VIN, Russ :hooray:
sorry so dark. it's not only dark in my shop at the moment, it's fricken cold.
from the frozen N.W.,
Russ
Keeper
Active Member
It just means it still has to pass a safety to be on the road. Its a big enough task getting a VIN and ownership (title) for it up here. It will have to pass the safety before I can get plates for it.
Friday 7:00 AM. it's time to solve the apparant leaky head gasket mystery, so I start removing parts and pulling down the motor. Actually I just get a nut looking at all those sprokets, chains, cams, valves, aluminum..... you know... the really cool stuff. If I could drive the car with all that exposed I would do it. arrrr arrrr arrrrrr.
Saturday PM: So refreash my memory... what was the problem with your car again sir?
It's complicated, but monday I need to shake some bushes to locate another block. the hits just keep coming, but in the world of hot rods..... well..... if it was easy everyone could do it.
Cheers,
Russ
Saturday PM: So refreash my memory... what was the problem with your car again sir?
It's complicated, but monday I need to shake some bushes to locate another block. the hits just keep coming, but in the world of hot rods..... well..... if it was easy everyone could do it.
Cheers,
Russ
deckofficer
Banned
I'm guessing since you pulled the engine, a bit more entailed than head gaskets. If your cam covers weren't so good looking, you could always make covers out of Lexan so all could see your cam, sprockets, etc. in motion.
Bob
Bob
one finger john
Active Member
O.K. Russ, give it up, was the engine over heated? Improperly purged? Something happen during the fuel injection computer's problems. Too lean? Too much horse puppies?
I gots to know.
John
I gots to know.
John
ok ok. I've been trying to forget it and move on, but... my fault for mentioning it at all. :fidget:
By far the biggest issue with the gen 1 Northstar has always been head gasket sealing. several suppliers have come up with "sure cure" products for the main culpret, which is the head bolts pulling the threads out of the aluminum block. high torque values on 4 bolts per cylinder contribute to this also. The thread insert that many folks look to as being the best is made from stainless steel by a small time machinist specifically for this engine. it has very deep threads, and requires his special tap kit to install. 99 times out of 100 this kit solves all thread pulling issues, but the down side is that because of the large size insert, it's a one shot deal. if it comes out there is no material left to go bigger yet. The best arrangement is to install the kit mentioned, along with studs and Cometic gaskets. an expensive setup, but a proven one. unfortunatly, when I put this engine together I never expected to actually use it in a car. it was a test mule for the injection project, and therefor put together on a budget. no studs or expensive head gaskets, just the inserts. the engine served it's purpose very well for two or three years, and helped me to set up each injection system that I built and sold. the thing is, I neer needed to run the engine for long periods of time, so I never had any overheating problems with it at all, even with the tiny Fiero radiator I used on it's test stand.
I could perhaps find a solution to the couple bad thread holes, but it's not worth my time to do so when I can just get another long block and start over. I've found a couple low milage engines for a pretty reasonable price, so I'll go that route and make a planter out of the old one.
It's all downhill from here...... right?
Russ
By far the biggest issue with the gen 1 Northstar has always been head gasket sealing. several suppliers have come up with "sure cure" products for the main culpret, which is the head bolts pulling the threads out of the aluminum block. high torque values on 4 bolts per cylinder contribute to this also. The thread insert that many folks look to as being the best is made from stainless steel by a small time machinist specifically for this engine. it has very deep threads, and requires his special tap kit to install. 99 times out of 100 this kit solves all thread pulling issues, but the down side is that because of the large size insert, it's a one shot deal. if it comes out there is no material left to go bigger yet. The best arrangement is to install the kit mentioned, along with studs and Cometic gaskets. an expensive setup, but a proven one. unfortunatly, when I put this engine together I never expected to actually use it in a car. it was a test mule for the injection project, and therefor put together on a budget. no studs or expensive head gaskets, just the inserts. the engine served it's purpose very well for two or three years, and helped me to set up each injection system that I built and sold. the thing is, I neer needed to run the engine for long periods of time, so I never had any overheating problems with it at all, even with the tiny Fiero radiator I used on it's test stand.
I could perhaps find a solution to the couple bad thread holes, but it's not worth my time to do so when I can just get another long block and start over. I've found a couple low milage engines for a pretty reasonable price, so I'll go that route and make a planter out of the old one.
It's all downhill from here...... right?
Russ
Ted Brown
Member
Russ, I was always told to never use Stainless mixed with Alum, as they do not like each other, bolt holes in Alum intake manifolds seem to grow larger over a season or two, and they never bolt Stainless headers to Alum heads without a steel spacer and using steel bolts. What do you think about the two together?
Of course I agree with you, that one should never use stainless bolts into aluminum, but in this case the stainless insert is never intended to be removed from the block. in fact you might actually want it to sieze in there.
Russ
Gerry
Well-Known Member
Hey Russ.
Really sorry to hear this. Even if you did know in the back of your mind it may have been on the cards its still a bitter pill to swallow. Maybe with the new motor you could add a few trick bits while your building it. Good time to have some parts chromed if you were thinking of it.
Gerry
Really sorry to hear this. Even if you did know in the back of your mind it may have been on the cards its still a bitter pill to swallow. Maybe with the new motor you could add a few trick bits while your building it. Good time to have some parts chromed if you were thinking of it.
Gerry
The only trick bits I've thought about would be cams, but them bits are well over $600.oo for a set of four by the time you add the needed heavier springs etc. naaaaa. 300-325 hp and tq will be fine for now. it's easy to change cams in one of these, so that could be done in the car at a later date if deamed necessary, but heck, I'm pretty sure I can keep myself scared fine as it is.
Did you say CHROME??? Moderator. please escort this gentleman out of here at once and give him 40 lashes!! chrome is for bathroom fictures and 50s Buicks IMHO. I HATE chrome. I do accept polished stainless, brass, and aluminum as very fine contrasting bits, but I prefer paint for the majority of a project.
see that you don't mention that word to me again. K??
Russ
Similar threads
