Jim Fulmer

I'm not that hard core Don, the cutter is on the way as we talked today, I'm going to order the gasket and studs tomorrow then I'll try to find the time to pull the head this week, I want to get it surfaced and a valve job while it's off but I haven't started calling around yet. It still driveable, all it did was over fill the overflow, I drove it today and even did a max blast to see if it would puke again but nothing, I'll just keep an eye on the tank and the oil.<br><br>Jim<br><br>

Don M

Jim, This is not good news. You could slap a stock 20 thou Marine gasket on that truck and it would hold good. <br><br>With the amount of miles you have on that truck, my advice would be to yank the block and surface the brinelling out of it as well. The stock metal ringed gasket leaves some nasty localized hardening and brinell marks all around each cylinder bore that makes an easy place for twin turbo pressure to start a leak. Some guys are using a stock gasket right back over the brinell marks and having spotty success. IMO it is hard to get the stainless ring to compress into the tiny valleys of the brinell marks to get a perfect seal. Twin turbos will find any compromise over time. <br><br>Many of the newer trucks with less brinelling will get away without having to surface the block and some of the older trucks wont. <br><br>If you look at the successful twin trucks they are either newer and or had the block and head resurfaced flat.<br><br>Gene comes to mind. Large twins, 65PSI and ran all season pulling 50,000 lbs of iron down the track at ultra high rpm. <br>His block and head were both resurfaced. No leaks.<br><br>The head and block must be surfaced on a machine that will meet or preferably exceed the stock surface finish requirments. Most of the gasser rebuild shops will roach the surface too badly to get a good seal. Most of the Storm/Vulcan resurfacing machines cant hold a close enough tolerance to do it correctly. The surface finish has to be very smooth and very flat when compared to a gasser.<br><br>The best place to get one resurfaced is through the Cummins dealer or a place I know of here in Dallas that will do it right that Cummins uses. <br><br>Watch the TQ on the head studs. Stock bolts only go in at about 120 ft lbs and work well. If you go to studs the TQ needs to be reduced. The reason is the studs offer much less friction between the threads than a stock bolt does. This applies more clamp force than a stock bolt would if torqued to the same spec. I would never exceed 110 lbs with studs in any conditions. TQ frugal is always best with head/block flanges. Too much can cause a warping effect enough to cause uneven clamping forces applied in different areas across the head and actually unload the flange in areas and over clamp in others. With the o-ring in the combustion sealing area of the gasket you have plenty of extra clamping force localized in the area that needs it the most without needing to TQ the thing down too much.<br><br>Keep everything clean and make sure you o-ring grooves are to a consistant depth all around. If it is cut deeper in some areas and shallower in others the o-ring will stand up in some places and lay low in others. <br><br>The stock gasket needs no more than a 41 thou wire IMO. With a protrusion no more than 11 thou. This means the groove needs to be 30 all the way around the head or deck.<br>The ring groove should provide an interferance fit so the wire will stay put and it also helps it seal better. I have only seen one head cut with the cutter used by most guys and the results did not sit well with me. The grooves were uneven and far from being smooth enough to not cause a combustion leak later. Be dern certain the grooves are very smooth and have a nice flat bottom. If you see tiny grooves in the floor of the groove you cut, it aint good enough, IMO.<br>I would be dern sure the cutter blade is new and replace it as needed while cutting. They are carbide but after what I saw the blades will and do wear out. Must the nickel content in the castings from Cummins that make the engine so strong and kills the cutters. I bet a guy could cut 500 Fords with a single cutter though ;D<br>See....there is a benefit to owning a Ford!<br><br>If everything is kept clean and you pay close attention to the grooves, flatness, surface finish, etc you should come out smelling like a rose and have a gasket flange that will last a long long time. Basically you will get out of it what you put in.<br><br><br><br>Don~<br><br><br><br><br><br>

TxDieselKid

ok, I have been asked by a couple of people on &quot;How to get there&quot;, so here is a link. I aways come from Plano, so it's a little different.

Yahoo Maps &lt;--- link to map

Take I35-E up to 121(THE SECOND 121, &quot;Business 121&quot;, see map).

Go east on the second 121 untill &quot;Fish Hatchery Rd&quot;

• landmark = A QuickieMart with a Church's Chicken

This road comes to a stop sign about 50-75 yards down, at a stop sigh, and take a QUICK LEFT, THEN RIGHT.

• when you look at map, it makes since.

By this time, you should see the trucks, and Speed Works is directly on the right.

That's the best I can do, Don, anything you want to add? [undecided]

Andrew

Jim Fulmer

Andrew, the 121 exit is marked 121 Business, at least it was 2 weeks ago!<br><br>Jim

TxDieselKid

Thanks Jim, that's what I thought, but couldn't remember for sure.

Jim Fulmer

Man I would like to come down but it looks like the timing will workout that I have it torn down that weekend, still driving it(short WOT sprints) and it hasn't again but I don't trust the drive back, if it were here I'd strap her down and let it fly!<br><br>Jim

Don M

Jim,<br><br>The dyno is easier on the truck than street driving is.<br><br>Don~

Jim Fulmer

but I would still have to make the drive, I made it puke again tonight testing, I will tear it down next weekend for sure. It doesn't mine short burst but hates several of them.<br><br>Jim

Don M

Its getting closer! The weekend will be here before you guys know it. Everything is a go for me. Hope we have some good weather!!<br><br>Don~

gunracer1

i am going to make it come hell or high water

fj40charles

I'll be there.. I'll have to dyno early and leave. I have to attend a wedding in the afternoon. I need to be there just so I can personall kick gunracer1's a$$ on the dyno.... ;D

Don M

I just got off the rollers today and have enough HP to just barely turn the dynojet drums

The good news is: I can turn the drums with that heavy dynojet locomotive brake &quot;on&quot; ;D

Looks like gunracer will be there too......no forecast for &quot;high water&quot; More like 70 plus degrees.

Charles, you need some injectors to wake that rig up!


Don~

fj40charles

Hey Don,<br><br>We'll see how much HP I can lay down this time. I'm sure it will be more than last time.... I wish I could afford some new injectors... I have to stay focused and finish building my FJ40..<br><br>BTW, anyone bringing a grill and food or do I need to fend for myself?<br><br>Charles

KatDiesel

Please make sure you post some numbers for those of us that can not be there! &gt;

Sat before 10pm woulkd be nice (when I leave for work LOL).

March 29th is my dragstrip opening day......hope to be there to test.

TxDieselKid

Sorry I couldn't make it guys, but sometimes family has to come first, and this is one of those times. :'(<br><br>Andrew