Garage Diaster

[Rick Iverson]

Gents;

When it rains, it pours.

Carelessly, my Pinto head fell from my engine block (mounted in an engine stand) to the concrete floor. There is absolutely no evidence nor appearance of any damage, not even the valve cover.

What is the possibility there was damage?
What should I do to have it checked?

Butler is is going to assemble and dyno the engine.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Cam towers would be my biggest concern.....

[Rick Iverson]

Nope, valve cover not dented

[t walgamuth]

Nope, valve cover not dented

x ray or magnaflux.....can it be done without the head being stripped?

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Nope, valve cover not dented

So it was loaded? (cam, valves)
I'd still be concerned about the towers. The G force was big. And not in the direction of the towers strength.
Any bent valves?

[EYERACE]

These boat anchors are, once assembled, tougher than you might think- mount it - run it - you'll find out - some things are just a matter of trust
How big a chip is in the floor?

[Steve Demeter]

1. Check the gasket surfaces (head to block, water outlet, intake and exhaust) for any nicks or dings.
2. Tell Rolllin what happened and I am sure he will know what to check/
3. This is probably not the first Pinto head to be dropped.

[Rick Iverson]

So it was loaded? (cam, valves)
I'd still be concerned about the towers. The G force was big. And not in the direction of the towers strength.
Any bent valves?

Loaded

[Rick Iverson]

These boat anchors are, once assembled, tougher than you might think- mount it - run it - you'll find out - some things are just a matter of trust
How big a chip is in the floor?

dimpled the floor, say 1/8” deep

[DaveW]

dimpled the floor, say 1/8” deep...

I think you're very lucky - it looks like it landed on that corner, and the fact that it yielded and dug into the floor a bit reduced the G-load and almost certainly saved the rest of it from damage.

[Rick Iverson]

I think you're very lucky - it looks like it landed on that corner, and the fact that it yielded and dug into the floor a bit reduced the G-load and almost certainly saved the rest of it from damage.

Dave, I am supremely confident you are right. But I will relay my bumbling bungling shop practices to Rollin, and let him proceed as necessary. Going with the long rods/piston/Holley and big cam combination. Need to do whatever to make sure I build survivability into this engine the best I can. At 71, it is the last go around for me.

[DaveW]

Dave, I am supremely confident you are right. But I will relay my bumbling bungling shop practices to Rollin, and let him proceed as necessary. Going with the long rods/piston/Holley and big cam combination. Need to do whatever to make sure I build survivability into this engine the best I can. At 71, it is the last go around for me.

I feel sort of the same way about getting my car on track after its 2+ year-long rebuild/update. I'm 77, so I know I won't be able to keep racing forever. But I sure as heck am gonna do it as long as I can!

[Hartley]

I feel sort of the same way about getting my car on track after its 2+ year-long rebuild/update. I'm 77, so I know I won't be able to keep racing forever. But I sure as heck am gonna do it as long as I can!

Dave I was hoping to have a crack at you in a race car while you are still in your prime! We met at Atlanta last year at the Road Atlanta ARC. I told you awkwardly that as a FF wanna be in the early 80s that you were my hero! We almost raced this year in the FRP F2000 race at Atlanta. Maybe some day! The car sits patiently on its stands!

[formulasuper]

These boat anchors are, once assembled, tougher than you might think- mount it - run it - you'll find out - some things are just a matter of trust
How big a chip is in the floor?

Years ago I had a head fall off a Dodge 318 mounted on an engine stand, broke off one of the rocker shaft support towers. JB Welded it back on, was still running fine 40,000 miles and years later!