LB7: Pitted heads so bad you cant use them

[SSchmi5519]

I dont have a LB7, what are the cups made from? Do they touch that metal down there? When two different metallics are touching corrosion always occurs. Water or any substance with O2 in it will expedite the process.


Sent from my iPhone.

 

[05smoker]

what kind of what did you use? distilled, purified, well/tap?

Distilled

 

[Kappa9012]

Fyi guys, coolant LOVES aluminum... If cooling systems aren't designed properly or the coolant ph levels aren't maintained, coolant will eat aluminum VERY quickly. for example.... got a call from a dealer saying coolant was pissing straight out the side of a cast aluminum elbow. Sure as shit they took it off, and nearly the entire cooling system was seriously erroded and cavitated.

The fix in this example was to switch to cast iron, but depleted coolant will do the same thing. Don't ignore your coolant...

 

[blk smoke lb7]

Fyi guys, coolant LOVES aluminum... If cooling systems aren't designed properly or the coolant ph levels aren't maintained, coolant will eat aluminum VERY quickly. for example.... got a call from a dealer saying coolant was pissing straight out the side of a cast aluminum elbow. Sure as shit they took it off, and nearly the entire cooling system was seriously erroded and cavitated.

The fix in this example was to switch to cast iron, but depleted coolant will do the same thing. Don't ignore your coolant...

Great info!

I just saw 1 today a friend is doing and he wanted my oppinion on it it eroded so bad it stated eating the very bottom edge where the cup goes thru the head that it made the edge of the cup blow out 1 side like a 1/16th of an inch.I asume the comresion did this as the heads have never been off the truck.I will post picks as soon as i can get back there and get some.

 

[hondarider552]

Coolant change every 10k miles :happy2:

 

[offtiny]

I'm going through this problem as we speak. 200k on my '03 lb7. Got a ton of white smoke and ended up with coolant in the oil. Took glow plugs out and had coolant in the rear driver cylinder. Tore apart thinking head gaskets it was fine. looked where the cups seat, discovered the problem. Removed all the cups from the drivers head and I don't know how the other three were sealing there was so much material gone. I, unfortunately, am not a mechanic and have to have someone work on my junk.

After reading through this thread has coolant been ruled out as causing this? My mechanic said that Dexcool was junk about three years ago and put in the green stuff.

Right now I'm thinking my best option is a new motor. I'm not a puller or racer(love watching just don't have the time and money), just want a good reliable truck.

 

[blk smoke lb7]

Motor should be ok,id probably just buy a new head/heads for the 280 each shipped on ebay and have your valves installed.Unless you can find a good low mialage motor to throw in.

 

[05smoker]

Coolant change every 10k miles :happy2:

Just run it with a lifted cup or blown headgaskets. Then you're always putting fresh coolant in it.:roflmao:

 

[hondarider552]

For the price I got a brand new cylinder head for... Id buy a set of new heads.

 

[offtiny]

For the price I got a brand new cylinder head for... Id buy a set of new heads.

I feared I was also having injector problems before this showed up. Plus it hydro loc'd on me. I decided against putting new heads on a 200k block that I'm not sure didnt have damage also. Just think new engine is the way to go for me. Just trying to decide if there is a solution to the cup lifting problem that I can have done to the new heads so I don't have to deal with it again.

 

[blk smoke lb7]

I feared I was also having injector problems before this showed up. Plus it hydro loc'd on me. I decided against putting new heads on a 200k block that I'm not sure didnt have damage also. Just think new engine is the way to go for me. Just trying to decide if there is a solution to the cup lifting problem that I can have done to the new heads so I don't have to deal with it again.

Only way to get away from a LIFTED cup is to do s crew in cups.I would just put it together and run it or but a good used engine and install.Russ from RPMmotorsports has a couple good lb7 engines for sale i believe.