welding aluminum heads?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 462
Likes: 21
From: Kansas City Missouri
welding aluminum heads?
I blew a head gasket here a while back. Just started the project this weekend and got everything torn down. Once the heads were off, I noticed that right where the gasket blew, in the bolt shaft there is a crack. I know it takes an expert to weld aluminum, but how do you feel about welding heads at all?
I will be taking them down to the machine shop today to get their opinion. Always good to have some ammo from the group before I go though.
Thanks as always.
Oh....of course the unspoken question is....even if you could do it, would it function unimpaired....would I notice the difference between this and non-welded heads......would it run right? Thanks
I will be taking them down to the machine shop today to get their opinion. Always good to have some ammo from the group before I go though.
Thanks as always.
Oh....of course the unspoken question is....even if you could do it, would it function unimpaired....would I notice the difference between this and non-welded heads......would it run right? Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,376
Likes: 111
From: Cherokee National Forest TN
Have welded alloy heads for the race cars but the damage is normally confined to the combustion chamber area.
IMHO if you have a crack through a head bolt hole the head is junk.
Stock heads are cheap, an up grade to a product that flows better might be an option if you want to improve performance.
IMHO if you have a crack through a head bolt hole the head is junk.
Stock heads are cheap, an up grade to a product that flows better might be an option if you want to improve performance.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 462
Likes: 21
From: Kansas City Missouri
well, I talked to the machine shop. They said that he crack wasn't that big of a deal and that they do welds like that all of the time. However, we discovered that these heads had already been done. So he was saying that by the time that I shave off another 20 thousandths (thats how badly they were warped), and shim them to get my compression to where it is supposed to be.....weld it, etc, he wasn't convinced that they were worth all of the investment. We added it up and came to about $500 in cost by the time we were done. This really sucks! Guess I am going to have to look at saving for new heads after all. 
Pro
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 542
Likes: 0
From: middle of Illinois
There's a guy named Ron, id "cuisinartvette" or something like that...
His last post was titled "well...." and he said he wasn't going to be on the forums anymore but he left an email to contact him. He's very good with corvette heads, does some porting, and sometimes has a set or two for sale. Aside from all that, he's a good guy and seems to enjoy helping others.
It might be worth shooting him an email just to see what he has to say, if anything.
I tend to agree with Churchkey, if you're going through all the work to pull the heads off, and the cost to recondition them is over $500, not even counting new valves/guides/seats, you'd probably be better off upgrading.
His last post was titled "well...." and he said he wasn't going to be on the forums anymore but he left an email to contact him. He's very good with corvette heads, does some porting, and sometimes has a set or two for sale. Aside from all that, he's a good guy and seems to enjoy helping others.
It might be worth shooting him an email just to see what he has to say, if anything.
I tend to agree with Churchkey, if you're going through all the work to pull the heads off, and the cost to recondition them is over $500, not even counting new valves/guides/seats, you'd probably be better off upgrading.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,554
Likes: 13
From: Romeoville IL
I've had imperfections welded up and milled on a head before and it ran just fine.
Depending on the crack and if you could get good penetration and a solid bead you should be fine with it, but it sounds like the total cost is getting up there where a new set of heads is going to be worth it.
Depending on the crack and if you could get good penetration and a solid bead you should be fine with it, but it sounds like the total cost is getting up there where a new set of heads is going to be worth it.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 462
Likes: 21
From: Kansas City Missouri
Let me clarify the $500....that included the valve job and port matching the intake and exhaust. It doesn't include the valve parts, i.e. springs, caps, lockst etc. I have already purchased those.
I can get brand new edelbrock performer rpm heads for $1000 shipped, so I am right at half what I would be for buying those and those seem to be the most recommended heads for my application.
I can get brand new edelbrock performer rpm heads for $1000 shipped, so I am right at half what I would be for buying those and those seem to be the most recommended heads for my application.
