Hairline crack on head

[MikeDSmith]

There is a 3/4 inch long hairline crack on my late model head, right behind the thermostat housing. It possilby goes under the housing as well, but i can't tell. It starts leaking steadily when I put a load on the engine, and starts steaming heavily in the engine compartment. There isn't any steam in the exhaust. I have a presurized fresh water cooling system. Is this a fixible issue? Braise, JB weld, other options?

Thanks
Mike

[msauntry]

Seeing as you got nothing to loose, go for it. Open up the crack with a Dremmel tool as best you can, and JB Weld it. Be aggresive with the Dremmel to give the JBW something to crawl in to.

[Jesse Delanoy]

I'm no expert, but if it were me, I'd bite the bullet and install a new head (I'd go with the Moyer aftermarket - no sense spending an extra $200 for name brand recognition). This way, you'll save on purchasing a second set of head gaskets when you have to install a new head anyway (which you'll probably wind up doing), you'll eliminate all questions about the integrity of the head, and you'll be back up and running that much sooner.

Just my $0.02.

[msauntry]

I'll agree, if you've got to remove the head anyway, replace with new the labor and gaskets aren't worth it for a maybe fix. The patch is just to get you through the short term if you can leave it on.

[MikeDSmith]

Can I use an early model head on a late model engine

Thanks for the input guys. I haven't decide what I'm going to do yet.
I do have an early model used engine that someone gave me. Since I have a fresh water cooling system with the indigo marine temp adjuster, I don't use a thermostat. Would it be OK to use the early model head on the late model block? The early model head does not have a hole for temprature sending unit. Is there any other place that it could be mounted.