Blown Head Gasket Question

[surfran]

Last year I blew the engine in my Cub 1811 hence my Kubota BX replacement. Well I himed and hawed about what to do with the Cub when I found a used Kohler Magnum M18 on ebay so I bought it (this was last fall). Anyhow, I got the engine in and running, but it was running rough. I tinkered off and on for a couple weeks and decided to put up for Winter as I had too much else to do.

Well a few weeks back I got it back out thinking about getting it running good and selling it. I tried all the adjustments on the carb and couldn't get it to idle smooth. Seemed to run fine at full throttle. I ended up swapping carburetors with my old engine and it ran nice, although I did hear some hissing (like a blow by) which I attributed to the muffler that I had damaged while using a screw driver to drive it off (bad idea /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif).

Anyhow, two weeks after my son uses for mowing the lawn, I go to start it up and it doesn't want to start. Trouble shoot for a while and finally realize I have blown head gasket.

The heads seemed slightly warped, but the mechanic at the Cub dealer said that they didn't look to warped to work. The block (or jug) on the one side shows some signs of blow by that I can feel with my finger and that is what I am most worried about.

So here is my question, I had heard somewhere at onetime that using aluminum paint on the block, heads and new gasket can help to get a better seal. Do any of you out there know if that is true, and if so, is there a chance that it would be enough to "fill" the area I can feel?

The Kohler book says .003" but I don't have feeler gauge lower than .012".

I have a neigbor that is a machinest, and he said he could shave the heads easily for me if I wanted. So second question is that a good idea or should I try with new gasket and aluminum paint (if people think that is a good idea of course).

Lastly if aluminum paint is good idea, is it the paint brush style like at TSC? and does anyone know place to get less quantity than 1 gallon as the head won't take that much and I won't have a need afterwords.

Sorry this ended up much longer than I thought it would, but any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[mahlers]

If you've got a friend who's got access to a machine shop and will shave the head down a bit, that's the way I'd go.

 

[texbaylea]

For coating head gasket for older engines I used a product called Copper Coat or Kopper Kote, I forget which. It was a spray on product heavily loaded with metallic copper. Did a nice job of sealing on low compression heads. Should be still available, look for it.

 

[Ozarker]

No type of paint is capable of filling a gap in a warped head and holding compression.

Have your friend shave the head.

 

[JimR]

Shave the heads or do them twice. The copper gasket spray is for sealing. Not for filling in a warped head.

 

[surfran]

Thanks for the reply's everyone. I figured that was the best way. The problem I have is I don't have the tools to remove pistons, jugs etc and put back together so I can't have the side that has the jug issue machined and that seems to be the worse of the two.

Maybe I'm going to have to bite the bullet and have someone do it. I am kinda trying not to invest much more in the tractor as it seems to just keep sucking it in. I am still in the air on keeping it for my lake property or selling it. Everytime I think it is running good, I want to keep it. Everytime it has a problem I want to get rid of it.

Problem is I don't want to unload on someone if it isn't working properly or I tell them what the problem is. So that means if it's working properly I want to keep it.........viscious cycle!!!

Maybe I will just invest in some more tools /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Haven't tore an engine apart since highschool and then it was only a 5 1/2 horse Johnson boat motor and a Briggs lawn mower.

Thanks again.

 

[Ozarker]

I love it when I have a good excuse to buy more tools.

 

[larso1]

R^2,

I too would do as the others suggested. Get a repair manual for the motor and have at it. As for the aluminum paint, I too have been told this by a car and diesel repair shop owner who also builds and races motorcycles. He told me he sprays a coat of aluminum paint on the head gasket, both sides, for extra assurance of sealing.

Bill in CO

 

[Ozarker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( As for the aluminum paint, I too have been told this by a car and diesel repair shop owner who also builds and races motorcycles. He told me he sprays a coat of aluminum paint on the head gasket, both sides, for extra assurance of sealing.

)</font>

Yes...but that is for two flat surfaces. He doesn't do that to compensate for a warped or uneven surface.