Mercruiser 3.7 Build, 1970 Cj5? Part 2, Fab And Adapting!

From someone who has done a lot of hand work on both heads and 1000’s of molds over the years. Get rid of the carbide or ball burr you are using and get sanding rolls, they are so much more forgiving of nicks, dings and grinding mistakes. You may have taken the material away but the ports are way to rough and now dinged up. There is still a lot of work to do before these would be truly useable on an engine.

 

Yea, I got some sanding cones for after done with carbide cutters.

 

Yes, hammer fell off table, on foot, and I nicked a seat.

 

Yes, I'll resurface, or replace if I mess it up too bad,lol.

 

It's going to mach shop.
To get,
Head leveled, and
Standard valve job.
Ant wasting any un needed money on this head.
If I like it(the engine ) and decide, it's permanent I'll , buy an alum head and do it right.
Exhaust hump removed.
Seat blended.
Int and ex ports gasket matched.
Ex floor opened up bout 1/8in.
Removed flash in water ports.

 

I don't get why they were made with the iron head on aluminum block myself. If you jump to an aluminum head you can run more compression. I guess a header isn't too hard to find since it is a 460.

 

New shorty header set, bout 110$.
I'll have one side for sale?

 

Got a come and get it call yesterday!
.028 off deck, piston in hole .003.
Crank polished up nice.
Going to have to file a slight taper in top of cylinder, sharp edge.
Gotta chase threads in all bolt holes, pressure wash, then assembling begins.

 

What's u r all's thoughts on head gasket sealing?
Lots of warnings on only using a oem gasket because of leaks?
Top gasket came in victor Mahle kit.
Second an eBay oem mercruiser (supposedly).
3rd, the original that came off engine, with red sealer around edge.
Think I'll use blue one with some sort of sealer around edge( that's where it leaks)?
What type of sealer? ,looks like red rtv?
When researching gasket, original part was superseded by a new #?(the blue one)?

 

None of your gaskets shown in the photos are OEM Mercruiser/Quicksilver. The bottom one is aftermarket "Printoseal" which is similar to the OEM. Neither of the upper two are marine versions, but are the same as the automotive for the 460. The OEM is black/dark gray in color, with gray raised sealing beads, similar to the red version of your original.
The sealing beads on the OEM is still a different pattern for the alloy block.
-Donny

 

Can I apply some sort of sealer and use one of these?
It looks and feels like red rtv.
Thanks

 

Only use sealer if required. Go with head gasket manufacturer recommendation

 

It might work, but the finding out will be once it is all assembled and running. I despise rework and would hate to see you have an issue after all this effort. Pretty strong recommendation from Donny to only use the OEM gasket. I wouldn't take that lightly, he knows stuff.

 

That red silicone stuff on your old gasket was applied during manufacture, thats the "printoseal" part. The factory gaskets also have this, only in gray, and in different locations due to the open deck design of the block.
-Donny

 

Hard to swallow 80-90$,for another gasket?
Is the sealer on the factory gasket available?
It looks and feels like red rtv?
What bout a real thin smear around edge, like my original?
Or is their an aftermarket budget gasket?
Old gasket wasn't leaking.
Block decked and head leveled,it will be real flat,the top gasket,the Mahle Victor
One is kinda stickey.
From what I've read, some have used the one in kit with no problems?
And if not overheated the cylinders seal ok?
I'm not a hard head, just think their ought to be a way to seal it up with
The one in the kit?
I searched for the printoseal gasket with no luck?
Would maybe my local marine dealer have a generic one?
I have Zero experience with marine engines!
Thanks

 

Ok, I'll buy another gasket, now someone with marine connections help me find
The best deal?
So far,78$,eBay, new in box old stock?
And I saw in pic the black gasket with the grey beads down each side.
It's not about the money, just think their ought to be a way?
Pulling the head on an old 4cyl like this ant that much work.
I might just be the ginny pig on this?
Any idea what type sealer the bead is?
Thanks all.
Keep the ideas, and Criticism coming!

 

Both valid points. Admittedly, advice can be easy when it entails spending someone else's $$. I've had the same debate in my mind countless times, but tend to lean toward quality parts are cheap insurance (especially when it is fairly involved to replace them) since my time is also valuable. Taking the risk leaves me hoping I get lucky and I'm not much of a gambler. Personal choice though, you ultimately have to decide the risk/reward you are comfortable with.

"Luck is the residue of good planning."

 

The factory head gasket has beads of that silicon-like stuff made/applied as part of the gasket. It is in very different locations than the original automotive one you pulled off. Remember, this is not a Ford 460 with a cam/lifter galley at one side of the head. There is an open deck alloy block you are sealing to the head, not an iron closed deck of a car engine.
The OEM gaskets are designed specifically for this application, not for the 100,000 Ford engines built, so I'm guessing this is why Mercury Marine is so proud of them. I have had close friends substitute automotive head gaskets, some even with red beaded sealers, an virtually every one has failed inside 3 months. The OEM gaskets last many years. The OEM gaskets can be under either Mercury or Quicksilver, as these are both the same.
-Donny

 

So why does Mahle Victor sell the grey gasket for a 3.7?in the kit,
It came from a marine dealer also.
Lots of false advertising it looks like?
Looks like they would get all kinds of bad press, and returns?
I've found one for 30$, from a marine dealer, the pic shows black gasket with grey beads.
I'll call or email before purchase. The blue one off eBay was also from a marine dealer.