Yes, I pulled the intake valve out of chamber # 5 to get a look at the valve seat insert and port pocket, everything looked OK there.

A couple of other observations on the head:
I saw (now remember) that I used the short valve stem umbrella seals on both the intake and exhaust valves... I was concerned about getting lots of oil into the aluminum (no guide insert) intake valve guide. I will change those back to the correct "long skirt" umbrella stem seals before this head goes back into service.

As for those aluminum intake guides... yes, they show some looseness and wear for the short amount of run time on them. Once I have a chance to check all the intake guides, I will have to decide if i am going to put liners into all the intake valve guides.

Now that this head is "out of service"... I can't help but think about freshening it up and installing it onto the Buster engine.
DD

Well, poop.

I wonder if you had drilled the block at numerous places, inserted dowels through the holes, and then poured your fresh aluminum around the dowels if that would have held it in place? Or even done it post-pour by drilling and tapping and inserting a number of bolts (pre-pour would be better to my way of thinking simply because you could use aluminum dowels and avoid dissimilar metal expansion problems).

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just took the time to read this entire post (very very good reading). how did the coatings on the pistons hold up?

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1975 Plymouth Duster,225/6 2bbl. and duels, 904, 7 1/4
1986 Dodge Charger Shelby, 2.2 Turbo I, A525

Not very good idea to run valve stems on raw aluminum for valve guides. Metal is soft and tremedous pounding that valves stems imparts on these guide. Sleeve them with valve guides. (bronze or iron guides which chrysler used on 2.2/2.5 alum heads with iron guides).

Cheers, Wizard

The "heat barrier" coating on the tops of the pistons did flake-off in a few spots but most of it in now under a coat of carbon. I have not pulled the pistons out so I don't know how much of the skirt coating is left. I did tear-down a race engine that used this coating and all of the skirt coating on any high spots was gone.

As for the aluminum head... yes, the intake guides will get some bronze liners before that head goes back into service.

My current plan is to get my "Buster" engine block back from the machine shop and then use most of Twiggy to build-up Buster. (Light rotating assembly engine build)
DD

I like all the great info and advice you give doc I am getting a 1980 slant6 out of a volare to rebuild and eventually put in my truck I am thinking about your 260inch engine as a possible plan if feasible

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Nothing beats a slant six
1987 D150

Just an update, Robert Maw on FB who is doing the billet heads has also done a billet deck plate. Not sure how he's mounting it in the block but from the pictures I've seen it sure is purty.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

Zilla, If I remember correctly he machined a step in the block top,
machined a thick plate,
pressed it in with some super duper adhesive compound.
Something like that.

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Hyper_pak

I believe so.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

That is exactly what I was thinking of doing. I bet it should work very well and allow you to make real power and save the head gasket. Hopefully the guy will actually get something running someday...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Here is one picture:

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Hyper_pak

Cool, thanks. That is perhaps better or at least more elegant that what I was thinking. Mine would be easier to make. I think you could just mill the outside of the block down about 1/8", then make a flat plate that would slip fit around the cylinders (maybe with a light "trace" around each cyl liner with a CNC mill after locating the center of each bore) and be sandwiched between the head and block. The plate would have head bolt holes and would look just like the bottom of a cyl head but with bores that would fit the OD of the cylinders.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

A very neat piece - I had entertained doing something similar for an aluminum block I have had kicking around for years with a bad chip at the deck

(apologies - newb here)

Maxwedge413, Welcome on board!
That block was super nice.
He milled the top of each cylinder so it had a step on the inside and on water jacket as well.

Make sure you come back!

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Hyper_pak

Much appreciated - is there a link to this gent's FB page?