One of my heads is shot.....!

[bowrider]

1974,115hp v4 'rude Starflite

Well guys, I posted last week about my head gasket problem, so I took the heads out, the STRBRD looks good (gasket and head) but the port side not only the gasket is shot but the head too! I guess the reason was a serious overheating pbm. even though I always check water is coming out of the relief holes.
Here's my to do list. I work on cars but this is my first experience on OB's, so can you please check the list and chime in with some comments??

1-Get a replacement port head.
2-New head gaskets/head covers gaskets.
3-Get a new water pump/impeller/gaskets.
4-Resurface strbrd head.

Now some questions, -
Where can I get an used/rebuilt head?
-I noticed one of the little water stops in the water jacket was missing, could that be the reason for the overheating? Are thos easy to get?
-I checked this website and couldn't find a whole water pump, but the rebuild kit, is that the one to get?

Wel I know i'm gonna have more questions in the process....but for now here some pictures of my shot head...

Thanks for any help....

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

Hi Bowrider,
Keep an eye on eBay as cylinder heads turn up there fairly frequently, and it is USUALLY the starboard head that goes due to piston destruction, so there are probably more port side heads out there than starboards. Find out where your local marina sends their junkers and clunkers if they don't deal with them themselves. Most areas have at least one salvage place around that has a few hundred outboard carcasses to pick over. Note the casting numbers on your cylinder heads as in an ideal world you want them to be sequential.
I am betting the cylinder head gasket went first, followed by the overheating. Exhaust from the cylinders enters the cooling system and prevents water circulation on that side, causing heat buildup.
Good luck!
- Scott

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

left note in other post, tcoutboard.com horne salvage St. Peterburg,Fl

 

[bowrider]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

Hi Bowrider,
I am betting the cylinder head gasket went first, followed by the overheating. Exhaust from the cylinders enters the cooling system and prevents water circulation on that side, causing heat buildup.
Good luck!
- Scott

Thanks Scott, I think that was what happened, sounds very near to the scenario we had the other day.
I have a search on ebay running daily to be notified of any of these poping up. What do you mean with SEQUENTIAL? You mean like the following or previous manufacturing serial number? If is that ,the posibilities to find it will be close to zero I guess.
I'm going to give a visit to couple of marinas on tuesday to see what they got, also had a couple of offers yesterday that I'm waiting on.
Juan

 

[bowrider]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

left note in other post, tcoutboard.com horne salvage St. Peterburg,Fl

lol Thanks Tasha's, I saw the other post and made sense, calling them tuesday also...

Also, I'm noticing rusting spots around the cylinders due to water intrussion, any advice how to clean in there or how to examine everything before putting them back together?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

maybe a really fine emery cloth and then clean with light oil.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

The water deflectors are tubing, available at any BRP dealer and they are needed.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

Bowrider,
I don't think other heads would be close in casting number, so sequential would be one up or down from the one you have. If you're lucky, you'll find another motor with both heads and be good to go. As I understand it, the sequential heads are nice to find, but not super critical. Most for a given year are the same number, but if you're looking outside of your model year you might find different ones. I have rebuilt a couple mid 1980s V4s and found a few different sets from various years.
- Scott

 

[bowrider]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

The water deflectors are tubing, available at any BRP dealer and they are needed.

Yes! those little tubes! my manual refers them as water stops, and actually one of the was missing. I wonder if that was the cause of the over heating just in the port side. The other side had the 2 of them and everything looks nice.

 

[bowrider]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

Bowrider,
I don't think other heads would be close in casting number, so sequential would be one up or down from the one you have. If you're lucky, you'll find another motor with both heads and be good to go. As I understand it, the sequential heads are nice to find, but not super critical. Most for a given year are the same number, but if you're looking outside of your model year you might find different ones. I have rebuilt a couple mid 1980s V4s and found a few different sets from various years.
- Scott

So, since my starboard side is ok, I understand that I'will be fine replacing just the port side head with anotherone from the same year range right?

 

[bowrider]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

Well, I've got the parts, got a new (used) head from a helpfull friend at this forum. Put the heads back on today and started it to make sure still running before getting into the t-stat and impeller. Fired right up! like never before, got it running at the first try. I think the cold start issue I used to have is now gone.
As I was letting it warm up though, I noticed the strbd head got a lot hotter that the port one. I guess I'm gonna have to get the t-stat and the impeller replaced before I get into that, but why could that be happening? Is there a separate cooling circuit for each bank?
Oh, does somebody knows where can i get one of those melting thermometers sticks?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: One of my heads is shot.....!

dealers have them. some of the boat stores.