Pelican Parts
Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   Pelican Parts Forums > Porsche Forums > 911 Engine Rebuilding Forum


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread
Author
Thread Post New Thread    Reply
Registered
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Danville - CA
Posts: 1,259
Head Surfaces

Need some opinions on the condition of these heads and whether or not they should be used. The mating surface has been resurfaced but the face of the combustion chamber domes for cylinders 4-5-6 are pock marked from something having been blasted around in there. The edges of the mating surface on a couple are also somewhat rough. Looks like maybe they were machined one time too many possibly resulting in a slightly more narrow section of mating surface on a couple of them. These have already been rebuilt by my machine shop and they felt they were fine to use (obviously) but I'm looking for some second opinions.

Thanks,






__________________
Rob Montgomery
'88 Blk/Blk 930 ('Lucy') - Not Stock & Not Running
Old 08-27-2011, 11:08 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #1 (permalink)
Eschews Obfuscation
 
dhagood's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Littleton, CO
Posts: 318
Garage
question for the experts: is that from detonation?
__________________
'84 Porsche 911 Targa
'97 Ford F250 Heavy Duty
'98 Volvo S70
'02 Subaru Forester
'05 VW Passat TDI
Old 08-28-2011, 12:27 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #2 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 7,007
The bottom picture looks like detonation damage; thats a set of heads I would not be using.
__________________
Steve Weiner
Rennsport Systems
Portland Oregon
(503) 244-0990
porsche@rennsportsystems.com
www.rennsportsystems.com
Old 08-28-2011, 08:38 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #3 (permalink)
Moderator
 
304065's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 9,569
I agree with Steve. Pockmarks around the small valve are a telltale sign of corrrosion from when the engine sat out in the rain. Pockmarks everywhere suggest detonation or a foreign object getting trapped between the piston and the head, makes a nice pencil holder for your desk.
__________________
'66 911 #304065 Irischgruen
‘96 993 Carrera 2 Polarsilber
'81 R65
Ex-'71 911 PCA C-Stock Club Racer #806 (Sold 5/15/13)
Ex-'88 Carrera (Sold 3/29/02)
Ex-'91 Carrera 2 Cabriolet (Sold 8/20/04)
Ex-'89 944 Turbo S (Sold 8/21/20)
Old 08-28-2011, 09:52 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #4 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Danville - CA
Posts: 1,259
Really... there isn't anything that can be done with these? Three out of the six have the pock mark issues and a 4th, maybe 5th, have the symptoms in the bottom picture.
__________________
Rob Montgomery
'88 Blk/Blk 930 ('Lucy') - Not Stock & Not Running

Last edited by 930LDR; 08-30-2011 at 10:29 AM..
Old 08-28-2011, 04:32 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #5 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Danville - CA
Posts: 1,259
So what are the ramafications of running a set of heads that look like this? Clearly they aren't pretty, but I'm hearing from my machinist (who worked on the 935s for Garretson) that he wouldn't be worried about bolting these back on.
__________________
Rob Montgomery
'88 Blk/Blk 930 ('Lucy') - Not Stock & Not Running
Old 08-30-2011, 06:59 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #6 (permalink)
 
Evolved
 
Mo_Gearhead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,338
Quote: "So what are the ramafications of running a set of heads that look like this."
_____________________

IF ..if any of those "pock marks" have (or later develop) sharp edges (as they can lead to carbon buildup) - as the engine temperature builds they can become ignition points - and cause 'detonation.'

In other words - think about the piston NOT being near TDC when the fuel lights off. NOT a good situation.
__________________
Don't fear the reaper.

Last edited by Mo_Gearhead; 08-30-2011 at 02:28 PM..
Old 08-30-2011, 01:48 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #7 (permalink)
Registered
 
CaptainCalf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lithia, FL
Posts: 1,265
If you had a liitle more meat on them to smooth over the rough areas I'd think you could make them work, but from the pics it looks like you may have already run outta real estate
__________________
FS 1987 930 DTAFast EFI w/Electronic Dash, 17x9x11" Lindsey Racing Fuchs, Andial 8.39 R&P, C2 Intake, SuperCup Cams, Flame Ringed Heads & Cylinders, TurboKraft Full Bay Intercooler, RearlyL8 Twin Scroll Headers, Big Bullseye Twin Scroll Turbo...SOLD
1999 Harley Davidson Custom 1250 Hardtail Bobber..SOLD
2014 BMW X6M, 2012 BMW 128i, 2014 GMC Sierra, 2015 Cobia 237 Center Console 300hp Yamaha
Old 08-30-2011, 05:48 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #8 (permalink)
Registered
 
Walt Fricke's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Posts: 7,275
Rob

If this was a normally aspirated street motor I'd be less worried. But it seems that with a boosted motor you can much more easily run into detonation issues?

What do the pistons look like?

I've reused heads and pistons which had a bolt or two (small, to hold down carburetor stacks)rattling around in the combustion chamber for a couple of laps. Looked kind of ugly, what with dents from the bolt heads, and screw thread marks, but smoothed off the rough edges, discarded the one piston whose top ring land got squished, and things have run fine ever after, both pistons and heads. But no boost, and modest CR for a twin plug carbed race motor.

If you knew why this happened, and how to prevent it happening again, you might be able to make a better informed decision about trade-offs. Were it my motor, I'd not be too worried about most of the erosion, but the substantial pock marking between the exhaust seat and the cylinder edge is really ugly.

You might want to compare the cost of welding some of that up and remachining with the cost of a good used head (which will have to be resurfaced to match what you keep).
Old 09-01-2011, 11:27 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #9 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Danville - CA
Posts: 1,259
Hey Walt -

Cylinders were pretty clean. Pistons had some evidence of detonation on a few edges. No scaring like the heads though. I ended up picking up a new set of Mahles.

I've actually received feedback from a couple of well known and respected builders (offline) that suggested they would run these on their personal cars but not a customer's.

Honestly I'm leaning towards running them as is although your suggestion on a little welding may not be bad one.
__________________
Rob Montgomery
'88 Blk/Blk 930 ('Lucy') - Not Stock & Not Running
Old 09-01-2011, 11:48 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #10 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: So. Calif.
Posts: 19,910
Heads are aluminum. Aluminum can be welded and remachined.

Question is - Will the cost of this exceed buying a set of good rebuildable heads, then finishing up with needed machining and valve work?

Could be an opportunity to experiment with high compression along with adding combustion-friendly squish areas and compatible pistons. YMMV.

Sherwood
Old 09-01-2011, 03:18 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #11 (permalink)
Registered
 
Jeff Alton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Langley,B.C.
Posts: 12,002
They look 100% better than a set of 3.2 heads I bought (with out pics) from a fellow on this board who passes himself off as an engine builder..... But I would not run them in that condition.

I ate the cost and donated them to Brian (rarlyl8) where they were perfectly suited to his mock up motor for exhaust fitting.....
__________________
Turn3 Autosport- Full Service and Race Prep
www.turn3autosport.com
997 S 4.0, Cayman S 3.8, Cayenne Turbo, Macan Turbo, 69 911, Mini R53 JCW , RADICAL SR3
Old 09-01-2011, 08:18 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #12 (permalink)
 
Manassas, VA
 
lucittm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,210
Garage
These are desirable RR350 heads. I would use them, if you chose not to use them let me know and I will take the three of them from you.

Thanks,
Mark
__________________
1991 964 Polar Silver Metallic Turbo Coupe
Old 09-02-2011, 07:48 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #13 (permalink)
Registered
 
Walt Fricke's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Posts: 7,275
Engine builders are notoriously loathe to put questionable parts into customer engines. Many, if not most, have had bad experiences, even if they got the customer to sign in blood that this was against the expert's recommendation, couldn't be guaranteed, not the right thing to do, etc.

Were the rest of us in that business, we might take that approach also. Life is too short for the aggravation if something goes wrong, and no engine builder wants his engines to blow up. Somehow, the fact that use of the questionable parts was over his objection is not likely to go along with the story that X's motor, built by Y, blew up.

Old 09-02-2011, 09:55 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #14 (permalink)
Reply


 


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:40 PM.


 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2025 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page
 

DTO Garage Plus vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.