Operation Black Beauty: 2.8L Camaro Cracked Head

[d4xycrq]

Folks,

Found a local kid selling a 1986 Camaro with 2.8L V-6. This place is headquarters for V-6 information - so I hope you will bear with me. Car was on the side of the road with a For Sale sign. $900. Hmmm.... Awful darn good shape for $900. No rust, no dents. Kid tells me it needs a new cylinder head, per his mechanic. He was out on the highway and lost a radiator hose and overheated the car causing the cracked head. I buy the car for $300. A compression test reveals the starboard side cylinder bank are all at about 45 PSI or so. Port side cylinders are all up around 160 or so. My neighbor and I are looking forward to yanking this thing apart. But before we do, we were scratching our heads about all three cylinders on the right side being low. We were thinking that it would be more like just two cylinders. You guys are the experts on these V-6s'. Is 40 - 45 - 40 PSI consistent with a cylinder head that has cracked? I have no expectation that the problem is just the gasket, but I have never heard of a head gasket failing on all the cylinders either(usually just two...).
Another quick question, is there any reason to be picky on where we get the replacement head? I've seen remanufactured heads on eBay for $100.

Many thanks in advance for your help. A few pictures below on why I sprang the $300. Car's got potential...





Best Regards

Ray Wilson

[robertisaar]

good score...

it could blow the gasket/crack the head between all three cylinders at the same time or slightly after. depends on the exact situation the guy driving it in. did he wait until there was a noticeable loss of power to shut it off, then realizing it was way too hot? if so, it could happen. catching it early can get just 2 or even save it.

but for $300, its not bad, i don't know about those "like a rock" floormats though, they belong in a truck, not a F-body...

[Smittro]

Folks,

Found a local kid selling a 1986 Camaro with 2.8L V-6. This place is headquarters for V-6 information - so I hope you will bear with me. Car was on the side of the road with a For Sale sign. $900. Hmmm.... Awful darn good shape for $900. No rust, no dents. Kid tells me it needs a new cylinder head, per his mechanic. He was out on the highway and lost a radiator hose and overheated the car causing the cracked head. I buy the car for $300. A compression test reveals the starboard side cylinder bank are all at about 45 PSI or so. Port side cylinders are all up around 160 or so. My neighbor and I are looking forward to yanking this thing apart. But before we do, we were scratching our heads about all three cylinders on the right side being low. We were thinking that it would be more like just two cylinders. You guys are the experts on these V-6s'. Is 40 - 45 - 40 PSI consistent with a cylinder head that has cracked? I have no expectation that the problem is just the gasket, but I have never heard of a head gasket failing on all the cylinders either(usually just two...).
Another quick question, is there any reason to be picky on where we get the replacement head? I've seen remanufactured heads on eBay for $100.

Many thanks in advance for your help. A few pictures below on why I sprang the $300. Car's got potential...





Best Regards

Ray Wilson

Very nice find! Finding a 3rd gen in that ggod of shape from those years is needle in hay stack stuff. I once had an 89 2.8 Camaro myself when I was younger. Ran very good for what it was. Hit a small deer @ 70 mph and the rest was history.

As for your motor. I'm willing to bet the block it fine. I would honestly just locate a "pair" of good heads used or new and go from there. May end up spinning your wheels so to speak messing around trying to figure what's up with the old heads.Meaning the problem could be deeper than head gaskets. You have the car now so it's yours to with as you please. Dont know your money situation but a freash set of heads would most likely be kinda plug and play IMHO. Then you'll probably be out there smokin' that right rear tire in no time @ all and havin' some fun with it. Good luck!

Ps. If you dont know it already also check for that infamous busted trany mount near where the torque arm mounts. Also take a look @ where the torque arm is mounted to the axle houseing for missing bolts or signs of loosening bolts. Just an FYI from a 4 time f-body man..

[geoffinbc]

A compression test wont reveal a crack in the heads. I had a full 160 compression on my Trooper motor and both heads had cracks between every valve seat. Only 1 was deep enough to make it into the water jacket and cause the engine to consume coolant. It was caused from overheating

[mongo]

There are two good heads in my garage that you can have if you want them...

[NFSINSANE]

I have good heads from a 3.1 M vin Malibu. Don't know if they will fit though. prolly not but eh


EDIT- actually scrach that, two rear bank spark plug holes are stripped anyways nvm

[Smittro]

I have good heads from a 3.1 M vin Malibu. Don't know if they will fit though. prolly not but eh


EDIT- actually scrach that, two rear bank spark plug holes are stripped anyways nvm

Someone maybe able to use them though. Aside from a perfomance app. The holes could be drilled and "Heli coiled" to work again. Using spark plugs that have the "crush" washers on them for an added seal..

[d4xycrq]

Follow-Up on Operation Black Beauty!

Folks,

Thank you for the advice and kind offers! My neighbor and I pulled the heads and confirmed the diagnosis that the kid had from hid auto mechanic. The starboard side cylinder head is indeed cracked between the valves, as commonly seen. The other two cylinders may be cracked as well. Meanwhile, the head gasket was blown on that same cylinder. So, to recap:

Blown head gasket - starboard side

Cracked cylinder head - starboard side

Burned valves, or at least warped. You could daylight between the valve and the seat - starboard side.

Exhaust Manifold bolt snapped off

Previous mechanic inserted a heli-coil in the failed head (looks good) but you gotta wonder why he was in there in the first place.

Just another day at the office. Meanwhile, the more I look at this car the more I like it. It's a survivor, as the Corvette crowd would call it. Unmolested. No mods at all - none.

Again, thank you folks for the advice. As for the offers, I already have some heads on order. Watch this space for further updates. We may have it back on it's feet by the end of the week.

Best regards

Ray Wilson in Sunny PA

[robertisaar]

i thought and hoped i would never have to hear port and starboard again, but damn, you use it a lot...

basically, we all hit the problem with our diagnoses...

heads are easy enough to find but this would be a great excuse for a hybrid...

[neo71665]

If you were local I have 2 sets of iron heads I'd give ya.

[d4xycrq]

Operation Black Beauty: 2.8L Camaro Cracked Head

Robert - Yep - ex-Navy here. Old habits are hard to break. You guys hammered the diagnosis.

Neo - Thanks for the offer! Arkansas is a looooooong way.

Ray

[robertisaar]

Robert - Yep - ex-Navy here. Old habits are hard to break.

technically, i could say i was part of the navy, but you'll never hear me say it.

[bszopi]

<< 6yr Navy veteran, submarine force...

[robertisaar]

no shit? i did not know this....

[Joseph Upson]

Be careful with the cylinder head choice. MPFI and TBI iron heads are different. All TBI engines received the small valves (except maybe the 3.4L crate motor), all MPFI engines received the HO heads with larger valves.