Help! Look at my head! Need advice.

[Fishman7]

This is a photo of my 72 2.4 valve guide, I removed the carbs to rebuild them and when I looked down into the intake this is what I saw! How bad is it? Can I drive it? Just a note the motor did run fine (other than carb issues) before I took the carbs off.
Thanks!

[cgarr]

I am going to assume that it was installed like that and it didn't get sucked into the engine? I would guess that the guide went in tight (too much interference) is why it broke out, and most the support for the guide is in the head, some even reduce that area for performance reasons so I would fix it when you rebuild it in the future, in the meantime locate a good head to replace it.

[BURN-BROS]

Honestly looks like a poorly repaired(welded) guide boss that broke again when guides were pressed in. Hard to tell without a better pic.

[3.2 CAB]

Aaron, that is a good eye. I also noticed the "trapped gas bubbles" (or very poor casting job)also which would make me think that it was repaired previously, and the newly welded area did not have near as much "flex" as the original guide boss had, due to the high heat hardness. Then when the new guide was pressed in, instead of a tight fit, it broke out some of the hardened welded area. It possibly could have been reamed to a little larger opening to have allowed for this, had this been check with the proper tools. It looks like it is going to be needing to be done again, or a new(good used) head installed. Good luck with the repairs, Fishman7!! Tony.

[Fishman7]

So What do you think, drive it? Any worries?

[turbobrat930]

Originally Posted by Fishman7

So What do you think, drive it? Any worries?

As much as these motors cost to rebuild....not to mention if anything catastrophic happenes.. iI would not gamble it... dont run it like it is....fix it or find another head to replace it....