OK, so I did a stupid thing. All set to build up the short block on my
original GT6 motor this morning. I've been running my spare motor for a year
or so while I collected the bits to put the original back together. The
triple Weber manifolds were the last and most difficult item to obtain and
they've now arrived.
So the block, all line bored and centered, has been sitting for a year or so
and had accumulated a light flash of rust. I tossed it up on the bench to
clean it up with a small grinder. Thought the bench was clean, but it turns
out there was a small bit of metal there somewhere. When I flipped the block
over again, there was a fine scratch across the head-gasket surface.
Straight across No. 4 cylinder -- no intersection with any water passages.
But all the way across the surface, right from edge to edge. It's maybe 4-6
thou. deep, not a big gash, but you can certainly feel it with a fingernail.
Damn.
My gut says, "take it back to the machine shop and have the surface touched
up. It's worth doing right." My cheap nature says "Don't sweat it. It'll
be fine."
Thoughts anyone? Is the combustion pressure held in primarily by the steel
ring inserted in the head gasket at the top of each cylinder, or do we rely
on the head gasket itself to keep the fire on the inside?
Scott
ScottBarr8@aol.com
|