Head strengthening mod
05-07-2006, 06:08 PM
#1
Head strengthening mod
ok, well here it is finally. this is actually a pretty darn simple mod. simple atleast in it's purpose and function.
in the casting of the factory head there is holes from the original sand casting, these holes are located directly inbetween the cylinders where there is no head bolts. this is the area i was leaking combustion and is the shortest distance the combustion forces have to make it into a cooling passage. now luckily, nissan finished these casting holes with a straight thread and not a pipe thread that is tapered, making it so a stud can be threaded right through it. once you pull off your valve cover, these holes are evident and have a recessed allen head plug installed in the hole.
now, inside of the head in the cooling passage, at the floor of the head there is a structural beam cast in that is designed to strengthen this area between the cylinders. this casting brace is nice and flat and is centered directly under this casting hole. it is nearly impossible to take a good pic of it, so trust me, it is there, lol.
what has taken so long to get the parts needed for this is the fact that the thread count and size is extremely rare in a bolt longer than 1" and i have had to search, search, search, for an application that may use something like this. all that is done to install is remove intake and wire harness, pull your valve covers and you are there. no cam removal or head removal. full detailed instructions and torqueing figures will only be given out to purchasers. this process took me almost exactly 3 hours from start to finish. it may take others longer, but really the problem it is fixing, i think most would think even 8 hours to be a bargain.
now, why the heck just toss a stud in there? what you are accomplishing is adding more support to that lower structural brace by making a solid post to now distribute load to the top of the head also. this will make it alot harder for the areas between the cylinders to lift or flex and allow combustion to pass by.
does it work? my car has started leaking again pretty badly, so this was the perfect time to test on my own car. i went out hammering on the car to the point i would have normally blown all my water out in a few minutes! guess what? i didn't lose any!!!!! i am not trying to incinuate this is an end all to the "head lift" issues, but this is definately a very good step forward to control it. to make this mod have further benefits, more preload on it and 1/2" head studs will be a very good combination.
there really is no down side to this mod. it cannot possibly fail, it can only help, in any level of f/i!!! some have had problems as low as 450rwhp. there are literally thousands of Z/G owners that will benefit from this, if not immediately, then used to get more longevity and keep leaking at bay. i will be buying out as much stock as possible to keep up with orders as the first batch is already sold sight un-seen.
PRICE IS $110 SHIPPED FOR THE KIT
now for pics-
stock plug in the head
pic of new studs screwed in
completed install with head out of car
pic of install in progress with assembled engine (in-car)
last but not least, lol. this one is for mike b. ya'all thought i was joking about my double f/i project, hahhaa. this is why i am trying to make the motor stronger, it will need to be with this sucker!!! or is that blower? oh well you know what i mean.
in the casting of the factory head there is holes from the original sand casting, these holes are located directly inbetween the cylinders where there is no head bolts. this is the area i was leaking combustion and is the shortest distance the combustion forces have to make it into a cooling passage. now luckily, nissan finished these casting holes with a straight thread and not a pipe thread that is tapered, making it so a stud can be threaded right through it. once you pull off your valve cover, these holes are evident and have a recessed allen head plug installed in the hole.
now, inside of the head in the cooling passage, at the floor of the head there is a structural beam cast in that is designed to strengthen this area between the cylinders. this casting brace is nice and flat and is centered directly under this casting hole. it is nearly impossible to take a good pic of it, so trust me, it is there, lol.
what has taken so long to get the parts needed for this is the fact that the thread count and size is extremely rare in a bolt longer than 1" and i have had to search, search, search, for an application that may use something like this. all that is done to install is remove intake and wire harness, pull your valve covers and you are there. no cam removal or head removal. full detailed instructions and torqueing figures will only be given out to purchasers. this process took me almost exactly 3 hours from start to finish. it may take others longer, but really the problem it is fixing, i think most would think even 8 hours to be a bargain.
now, why the heck just toss a stud in there? what you are accomplishing is adding more support to that lower structural brace by making a solid post to now distribute load to the top of the head also. this will make it alot harder for the areas between the cylinders to lift or flex and allow combustion to pass by.
does it work? my car has started leaking again pretty badly, so this was the perfect time to test on my own car. i went out hammering on the car to the point i would have normally blown all my water out in a few minutes! guess what? i didn't lose any!!!!! i am not trying to incinuate this is an end all to the "head lift" issues, but this is definately a very good step forward to control it. to make this mod have further benefits, more preload on it and 1/2" head studs will be a very good combination.
there really is no down side to this mod. it cannot possibly fail, it can only help, in any level of f/i!!! some have had problems as low as 450rwhp. there are literally thousands of Z/G owners that will benefit from this, if not immediately, then used to get more longevity and keep leaking at bay. i will be buying out as much stock as possible to keep up with orders as the first batch is already sold sight un-seen.
PRICE IS $110 SHIPPED FOR THE KIT
now for pics-
stock plug in the head
pic of new studs screwed in
completed install with head out of car
pic of install in progress with assembled engine (in-car)
last but not least, lol. this one is for mike b. ya'all thought i was joking about my double f/i project, hahhaa. this is why i am trying to make the motor stronger, it will need to be with this sucker!!! or is that blower? oh well you know what i mean.
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05-07-2006, 06:26 PM
#8
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This looks very intresting. Nissan put plugs in the heads and tapped the block I wonder why. Could they have been thinking of FI in the future for this motor? How soon till the next batch is available?
05-07-2006, 06:27 PM
#9
Originally Posted by booger
Did you install a new head gasket before you did this mod ? Or was it done with the old gasket in place ?
And Im not quite sure . Are you putting a stud in , that goes into the block ? Im stupid and just trying to figure it out
And Im not quite sure . Are you putting a stud in , that goes into the block ? Im stupid and just trying to figure it out
i swapped my head gaskets about a week and a half ago just to make a local cruise. my heads must be warped pretty good and the new ones are already leaking again.
this doe not go into the block, rather it creates a solid brace inside of the head. before this area is not supported, now it will have to flex both the TOP and bottom of the head to in order for that area to lift. thus making the head much stronger in that area now with no draw-backs.
05-07-2006, 06:28 PM
#10
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Basically it is pushing the top of the block down onto the support beam and limiting flexing of the head upward where the coolant is escaping. Very nice work Scott.
Hey Scott, are those the Mototron(Semiens Deka) 60lb injectors I see???? That's what I'm running and another turbo kit manufacturer is about to run those as well.
Hey Scott, are those the Mototron(Semiens Deka) 60lb injectors I see???? That's what I'm running and another turbo kit manufacturer is about to run those as well.
Originally Posted by booger
And Im not quite sure . Are you putting a stud in , that goes into the block ? Im stupid and just trying to figure it out
Last edited by theking; 05-07-2006 at 06:32 PM.
05-07-2006, 06:45 PM
#15
Originally Posted by captj3
This looks very intresting. Nissan put plugs in the heads and tapped the block I wonder why. Could they have been thinking of FI in the future for this motor? How soon till the next batch is available?
those holes are there so all the sand gets out from the casting of the head. nissan just tapped and drilled it to easily fit the plug in and seal the water passage. purely coincidence, but makes this mod really easy.
05-07-2006, 06:48 PM
#17
Originally Posted by theking
Basically it is pushing the top of the block down onto the support beam and limiting flexing of the head upward where the coolant is escaping. Very nice work Scott.
Hey Scott, are those the Mototron(Semiens Deka) 60lb injectors I see???? That's what I'm running and another turbo kit manufacturer is about to run those as well.
Hey Scott, are those the Mototron(Semiens Deka) 60lb injectors I see???? That's what I'm running and another turbo kit manufacturer is about to run those as well.
hey alan, ya you got it right on the injectors. they are a bit to tall for my modified stock rails and had to grind some material off the bottom of the manifold to get them to fit. make sure they test fitment first. but a good injector and no probs at all.