LocostUSA.com

Not to be picky, but those are pushrods and it looks like you have a bent one there. You will be able to look at your lifters once the head is removed to see whether they are 'dishing' out. You can remove them from their bores with a pick hook or flat snap ring pliers or such, I've even used a mechanics magnet. Also gives you a chance to inspect the cam lobes.
Sometimes a head gasket can be a bear to break loose. Double check all the head bolts are out. I've had to use pry bars to break the head loose.

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle

I'd cut a 1/8 plate to fit over the front exhaust port and pickup two bolts, fit a short chain between the left side arm at the water neck and the forward exhaust bolt (head-plate-chain-washer-longer bolt, both bolts snug).

Slip either a 3/4 inch pipe, 2x4, or other three foot bar through the chain loop, between the studs on to a small piece of wood over the rear valve cover flange. It should easily break loose.

I'd roll all the pushrods on a flat sided aluminum 4 foot level or aluminum 2-3 inch wide two foot carpenter square looking for wobble. I think more than the obvious one may be bent.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Rereading what I wrote earlier, I realize how rusty I am on my nomenclature terminology.
Yes, the push rod has a bend in it and quite a bad one at the very top just out of the pic. So a lifter and push rod set it on order.
Hopefully I will be able to get some time tomorrow to pop the head off.

I retrieved the head from the machine shop. The previous work done was pretty shoddy so its nice to get the head straightened out.
Two of the head studs would not come out for anything; double nuts, vise grips, map gas, etc. After several hours with several screw drivers, chisels, pry bars and hammers I managed to peal the head off without any damage to the block.
I was planning to go with the ARP head stud kit but after a long nation wide search, I found that I won't be able to get a set for a good 3 months. I settled with just replacing the 2 that were stuck in the block and damaged and found exactly 2 new ones in all of the US. I believe I payed more for the shipping than I did for the studs.
With several more parts coming in the mail, maybe I'll have this car ready by the gathering in May.

I love these little GTs! Just saw a nice one at our local C&C last weekend..

Please keep us updated with lots of pics

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Thanks for the encouragement.
The little GT has been quite a fun little go kart so far.

Its back on the road and I found a proper food truck.



I managed to get the car back on the road just in time for the Midwest gathering and let it stretch its legs. I did notice that I still need to worry about temps in stop and go traffic. I'm sure all this scale and rust are playing a considerable role. I'm currently testing the Evaporust Thermocure. I'll try to post some before and after shots to see if this stuff is as good as they say for cleaning the coolant system.

Good stuff, nothing beats pasty power!

Please do some after pics of the Thermocure process. I'm interested.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

They are going to be setup next week in a neighboring town so I might give them another visit.


This engine will definitely be a good candidate for the test. The water jackets look more like a cave system than a cooling system with all the rust formations.

To experiment, I bought a bag of DAP fertilizer which is the main ingredient in thermocure and also used to make beer.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Interesting. What were your results?

Here is 6 days and approximately 1.5 hours of run time on the engine during the treatment.
Not a whole lot of change but it did recommend 3-4 hours of driving. I chose to run with the thermostat out just in case enough rust broke loose to block it but it doesn't look like that would have been in issue.
I flushed the system again and added another bottle of thermocure. I will do more driving and run the treatment for longer this time.

Inconclusive, as I am still waiting for the DAP. Same situ for my irs bushings for ford 8.8 in the spitfire.

You could have poured it back in. The flush can be reused in multiple cars and/or save it in a tub for a parts rust remover. Isn't phosphorous wonderful?

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

The amount of DAP powder required to be dissolved in water is significant and the process creates phosphoric acid (regular metal prep, OSPHO, etc) which does not damage aluminum but dissolves rust leaving and blackened surface depending on the strength of the ratio to water.

I think the reason for not adding directly to coolant is the resultant mix would be the disposal requirements of regular coolant as hazmat and company liability.

I added a 1/4 cup metal prep to my cooling system and I'm checking the results daily. I intend to drain and flush in about a week depending on indications. That amount in 2-3 gallons of coolant is so weak that it should barely do anything in that period of time but I can already see the improvement. The cap has some rust on it as does the overflow.

Why do I have rust in my cooling system? I usually mix concentrated coolant with water versus the ready to pour. I grabbed a gallon to mix that had already been diluted with water and made the mix too weak. I didn't check the ratio with a float gauge and didn't check the coolant again for months.

The coolant stays green so it is not continuing to rust but the rust remains as an insulator, so I'm trying to dissolve it.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12