[ScottSmith]

Got my block back from CSS. I decided to just have them do the closed deck insert but not the steel liners. Instead, I'll send it over to either Millennium Technologies or US Chrome to have Nikasil-like liners applied. If anyone knows where to get plasma arc spray done let me know!

First pic is just the block, second pic is with an old head gasket laid on top. It looks good but I do have one concern about the small holes (1/8-3/16" diameter) between each pair of cylinders. The ones on the driver side (top side of the pic) are not covered by the gasket, but the ones on the passenger side don't line up with the holes in the gasket. I may end up drilling the head gasket where those holes are depending on what the head looks like in that spot. Otherwise I'll just have to accept the compromise between cooling and stiffness.

navardi Kel918

[BrysonDM]

Yeah sadly cant expect the oem gasket to fit this application, but excited to see what you come up with and where you all end up!

[sqwinny]

This is good info. I was waiting for someone to do this and post pictures before I sent the spare block up there to css or just have it sleeved.

Curious to see what the gasket verdict is. To me I think it would be fine, but then again I know nothing about this. I have all the parts for the bottom end (block, pistons, rods, crank, seals, melting sleeves) and figuring out the supporting mods first before just bolting in a motor + pt6262.

[Kel918]

Looks great !!! congratulations on getting your block done

[Kel918]

Also did you get your turbo already ???

[ScottSmith]

Actually I plan on just running the stock turbo. Maybe I'll upgrade to the Bimmerworld/MHI turbo. For what I'm doing, I don't need big power, but I do want big torque and low spool time.

Arguably the closed deck work was unnecessary, but I needed to rebuild anyways, and the added cost wasn't too much.

[navardi]

Originally Posted by ScottSmith

Actually I plan on just running the stock turbo. Maybe I'll upgrade to the Bimmerworld/MHI turbo. For what I'm doing, I don't need big power, but I do want big torque and low spool time.

Arguably the closed deck work was unnecessary, but I needed to rebuild anyways, and the added cost wasn't too much.

This is standard with upgrading to a closed deck, leave the OEM gasket alone, you will see slight increase in coolant pressure and coolant temp by 10sh Deg C but an up graded cooling system will resolve this.

Even the upgraded Cut-Ring HG would have the same issue as the OEM gasket, if you drill the gasket you could end up causing it to fail prematurely, but the coolant pump is still faced with the same situation of forcing more coolant through smaller holes.

As for the Cut-Ring HG you won't be able to use this gasket without sleeves as you'll damage the block once you tq the head down (Done this myself was an expensive fix).

Sleeves in general have alot more benefits over the plasma arc spray, but if you want to save money and use it then go ahead, the factory coating is fine for around 30psi of abuse.

[ScottSmith]

Originally Posted by navardi

As for the Cut-Ring HG you won't be able to use this gasket without sleeves as you'll damage the block once you tq the head down (Done this myself was an expensive fix).

I thought the issue was trying to install the gasket with the engine still in the car? Or is that gasket meant to bite into steel, not aluminum?

Sleeves in general have alot more benefits over the plasma arc spray, but if you want to save money and use it then go ahead, the factory coating is fine for around 30psi of abuse.

I'm not saving money by avoiding sleeves; I'm having the nickel silicon carbide coating done in addition. My walls were already damaged from cracking a piston; I chose to go with a coating instead of sleeves for the better thermal properties (better heat transfer, thermal expansion, etc). I ran in race conditions with coolant at 112C without any knock issues (stock ECU allows up to 117C before taking protective measures). My gut is sleeves negatively affect that (though I know that manufacturers are choosing coatings for cost and weight as much as anything).

[navardi]

Originally Posted by ScottSmith

I thought the issue was trying to install the gasket with the engine still in the car? Or is that gasket meant to bite into steel, not aluminum?



I'm not saving money by avoiding sleeves; I'm having the nickel silicon carbide coating done in addition. My walls were already damaged from cracking a piston; I chose to go with a coating instead of sleeves for the better thermal properties (better heat transfer, thermal expansion, etc). I ran in race conditions with coolant at 112C without any knock issues (stock ECU allows up to 117C before taking protective measures). My gut is sleeves negatively affect that (though I know that manufacturers are choosing coatings for cost and weight as much as anything).

The gasket is designed to bite into the Aluminium cylinder head, but the base puts too much load on the Aluminium Cylinder walls, due to the lack of material there, at 90lbft you will see distortion and an impression into the top of the deck surface.

I haven't had issues with thermal transference on sleeves however I do understand why, the coating is preferred for that reason. But the added strength properties of sleeves in my opinion still outweigh the benefits of the OEM coating. For memory coolant at 120-125 deg C is when the OEM DME will put the car limp mode, and 130 deg C the DME will shut the car off.

But you have to choose what works for your application.

[snipagang]

what are you doing to the engine and what is the purpose of this?

[ScottSmith]

Super late follow up... yes I'm moving that slowly on my motor rebuild. At least I got the head on!

After looking over the cylinder head we decided to cut the head gasket to ensure the holes in the block allowed the coolant to flow. Attached are photos of the cylinder head, the head gasket on the block pre-cut and post-cut. I think the change is small enough it shouldn't affect the gasket integrity though one cut did close to the red seal. It is interesting the head gasket coolant holes are asymmetric - I assume it's to control coolant flow?