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Re: [Healeys] Head Gasket Woes Part Three

To: Steven Kingsbury <airtightproductions@me.com>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Head Gasket Woes Part Three
From: Michael Oritt via Healeys <healeys@autox.team.net>
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2022 13:57:33 -0500
Cc: Austin Healey <healeys@autox.team.net>
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: healeys@autox.team.net
References: <97ce4578-639a-4f54-8f60-b350f8e0e1d4@me.com>
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Steven

Yours is a cautionary tale as notwithstanding all your efforts the head
cracked etc as did mine in 2001.

I did what so many of us have:  put on a DW Aluminum head with steel
gasket.  No problems since.

Best-Michael Oritt,  BN1

On Wed, Feb 23, 2022, 11:35 AM Steven Kingsbury via Healeys <
healeys@autox.team.net> wrote:

> Let me start with a little history with this email. My engine has just a
> shade under 3,000 miles on it since rebuild. The head was checked for
> cracks, none found and was ever so slightly shaved to make sure it was
> completely flat. The machine shop I use builds race engines and they do
> really good, reliable work.
> Then the block was gone through, new sleeves inserted and bored so to fit
> my new pistons. Again the top of the block was checked and double checked
> to make sure it was flat and mated to the head.
> When I fired this engine up for the first time after rebuild, she lept to
> life! No turning it over and over and over. She fired right up. I was quite
> pleased.
> I ran the engine for about twenty minutes at 2,000 RPM, never got above
> 180 degrees and then took her out on the road. I took care not to over rev,
> and drove up a long hill in third gear at low RPM to help set the rings.
> I did have some problems with the distributor, but that was fixed and at
> fifty miles I checked the head again for torque. I drove the car more and
> retorqued the head again at 150 miles, all was fine.
> I checked again at 500 miles and again at 1500 miles. All was fine.
> Anyway, this history is to let you know I think I did everything I could
> and did everything overly cautious to break this engine in correctly. And
> this engine was running great! My car was a joy to drive and loved cruising
> down the freeway at 80 mph! Seventy was a sweet spot and was a joy to
> drive.
> I'm now thinking of going with the aluminum head thanks to the combined
> wisdom of this list. Aluminum head with the steel gasket. I've heard
> nothing but good news about them and I don't want to have that worry/doubt
> while driving down the road. I am also going to continue down the path of
> fixing this head as I think it's worth it in the long run.
> I want to thank all of those sending in suggestions and tips and
> cautionary tales and things to look for and all of the views have led me to
> believe, bite the bullet and spend the money.
> Thank you all and I will report back!
> Steven Kingsbury
> BN1
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>

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Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<div dir=3D"auto">Steven<div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Yours=
 is a cautionary tale as notwithstanding all your efforts the head cracked =
etc as did mine in 2001.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"=
>I did what so many of us have:=C2=A0 put on a DW Aluminum head with steel =
gasket.=C2=A0 No problems since.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=
=3D"auto">Best-Michael Oritt,=C2=A0 BN1</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_=
quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 23, 2022, 11:35 AM=
 Steven Kingsbury via Healeys &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:healeys@autox.team.net"=
>healeys@autox.team.net</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_=
quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1=
ex"><div><div>Let me start with a little history with this email. My engine=
 has just a shade under 3,000 miles on it since rebuild. The head was check=
ed for cracks, none found and was ever so slightly shaved to make sure it w=
as completely flat. The machine shop I use builds race engines and they do =
really good, reliable work.<br></div><div>Then the block was gone through, =
new sleeves inserted and bored so to fit my new pistons. Again the top of t=
he block was checked and double checked to make sure it was flat and mated =
to the head.<br></div><div>When I fired this engine up for the first time a=
fter rebuild, she lept to life! No turning it over and over and over. She f=
ired right up. I was quite pleased. <br></div><div>I ran the engine for abo=
ut twenty minutes at 2,000 RPM, never got above 180 degrees and then took h=
er out on the road. I took care not to over rev, and drove up a long hill i=
n third gear at low RPM to help set the rings.=C2=A0<br></div><div>I did ha=
ve some problems with the distributor, but that was fixed and at fifty mile=
s I checked the head again for torque. I drove the car more and retorqued t=
he head again at 150 miles, all was fine.<br></div><div>I checked again at =
500 miles and again at 1500 miles. All was fine.=C2=A0<br></div><div>Anyway=
, this history is to let you know I think I did everything I could and did =
everything overly cautious to break this engine in correctly. And this engi=
ne was running great! My car was a joy to drive and loved cruising down the=
 freeway at 80 mph! Seventy was a sweet spot and was a joy to drive. <br></=
div><div>I&#39;m now thinking of going with the aluminum head thanks to the=
 combined wisdom of this list. Aluminum head with the steel gasket. I&#39;v=
e heard nothing but good news about them and I don&#39;t want to have that =
worry/doubt while driving down the road. I am also going to continue down t=
he path of fixing this head as I think it&#39;s worth it in the long run.=
=C2=A0<br></div><div>I want to thank all of those sending in suggestions an=
d tips and cautionary tales and things to look for and all of the views hav=
e led me to believe, bite the bullet and spend the money.<br></div><div>Tha=
nk you all and I will report back!<br></div><div>Steven Kingsbury<br></div>=
<div>BN1=C2=A0<br></div></div>_____________________________________________=
__<br>
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r>
<br>
</blockquote></div>

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