Lotus Head - crack between valves?

[Pat]

This head came off the motor I was running in the Shadow. It's last pass it lifted the head a bit and pressurized the cooling system. Even after that, the car ran fine.

This crack is in #2,between an intake and exhaust valve. There is a smaller one in the same place in #3. I can't say for certain if those cracks have been there or not, although this is the first time I've noticed them.



I know these are not an issue on the 8v heads. Anyone seen them with the Lotus heads?

Thanks,
Pat

[Directconnection]

Only thing you can do at this point w/out knowing is have the head pressure checked thoroughly. (or cut up a junked one and see the inner construction the hard way)

None of mine have them and I haven't heard of this before on these heads, but am guessing it's happened for a few others in the past.

[rx2mazda]

lol

[zin]

This head came off the motor I was running in the Shadow. It's last pass it lifted the head a bit and pressurized the cooling system. Even after that, the car ran fine.

This crack is in #2,between an intake and exhaust valve. There is a smaller one in the same place in #3. I can't say for certain if those cracks have been there or not, although this is the first time I've noticed them.



I know these are not an issue on the 8v heads. Anyone seen them with the Lotus heads?

Thanks,
Pat

I'm no fan of ANY cracks in a combustion chamber "normal" or not! I'd have it Zyglow'ed and ground/welded back, if you think it's worth keeping... If not, I'd buy it for scrap value.

Mike

[turbovanman²]

My first TIII head had those, it actually leaked coolant around the seats, it was repaired but I started loosing coolant again, took the head off and you could see coolant again around the valves, tried to get it repaired again, couldn't so I gave up.

[Pat]

lol

She was a good girl...she gave all she had. :-)

[Directconnection]

I'm no fan of ANY cracks in a combustion chamber "normal" or not! I'd have it Zyglow'ed and ground/welded back, if you think it's worth keeping... If not, I'd buy it for scrap value.

Mike

Zygloing won't tell you anything. We already know it's cracked. We need to know how far it is going towards the waterjacket. :-)

[Lotashelbys]

I have had about 5 heads with similar cracks. I run em lol

[zin]

Zygloing won't tell you anything. We already know it's cracked. We need to know how far it is going towards the waterjacket. :-)

The Zygloing is more to see if there are other cracks that might make it too expensive a job to try and save the head. I'd want to do it once the crack was ground away too, just to be sure it was "all the way" ground out, otherwise it'll just start up again, which might have been Simon's trouble.

Mike

[turbovanman²]

The Zygloing is more to see if there are other cracks that might make it too expensive a job to try and save the head. I'd want to do it once the crack was ground away too, just to be sure it was "all the way" ground out, otherwise it'll just start up again, which might have been Simon's trouble.

Mike

I think I had a porous casting, as no matter what happened, it just kept leaking, and in different spots too. I am going by a weak memory but I believe the seats are very close to the water jacket.

[Turbo224]

I have a spare T3 head that came with one of my R/T's that has the same crack. I have always wondered if it was usable.

[turbovanman²]

I have a spare T3 head that came with one of my R/T's that has the same crack. I have always wondered if it was usable.

Its not, sell it to me for cheap,

[Pat]

I'm going to pressure test it this weekend. I have a feeling it's going to hold pressure just fine.

[glhs0426]

Andy Stachar's cylinder head cracked in the red areas. I think from having the cams advanced too much or from running too much juice or both. Either way it kept pushing out rod bearings and eventually cracked the head at these spots around every chamber. The head wound up as a gift Wallace White for anatomy lessons. I'll call him and see if it ever got sliced and diced.

[Juggy]

Andy Stachar's cylinder head cracked in the red areas. I think from having the cams advanced too much or from running too much juice or both. Either way it kept pushing out rod bearings and eventually cracked the head at these spots around every chamber. The head wound up as a gift Wallace White for anatomy lessons. I'll call him and see if it ever got sliced and diced.

would love to see some cross section and cut away pics of the ports/bowls and what not!!!