Small Crack in Early Style Head

[Sid Smith, SR.]

Don...Just replaced the headgasket(s) on an early style A4. Upon starting and warming up, a small....crack revealed itself on the starboard side of the head between the second and third head nut.....i can describe the leak as sweating thru the crack...that is how slow it is.

The crack is on a diagonal to the side of the head.

Note: I replaced freeze plugs about two years ago. Could this be a result of the owner not winterizing the boat then and this is just rearing its' ugly head now.

Advice?

[Don Moyer]

Sid,

It's difficult to tell for sure but my guess is that on a head as old as that one, it's simply getting a little thin from below. Unless the customer is planning on a long trip (or picky about how his engine looks), you can buy him some time by cleaning really well along both sides of the crack and then applying a patch using one of the little fiberglass repair kits from West Marine. Use the glass powder that comes with the kit until the epoxy becomes the consistency of thin mayonnaise. You can even lay on a strip of the glass webbing along the crack that comes in the kit if you want a little extra strength.

Otherwise you could consider a used head from our catalog (Product No. OVCM_01_363). New heads for early model engines have not been available for many years.

Don

[Sid Smith, SR.]

Thanks Don.....

The vessel is lightly used.....Inasmuch as it is in the "water jacketed area"
I am hoping they can get a little more life out of this before they get another head.

Thanks Again

Sid Smith III, Chief Engineer,
Son of Sid