steam holes in head?

[adavis]

Cruising down the highway last weekend on the way to a show my car lost power and started smoking. I pulled to the shoulder and the car was still running, albeit smoking from the oil fill tube. I told the guys to head on without me, and proceeded to drive the 40 miles home at 30mph. The engine sounded fine (no knocking or other strange noises) and made it home without other incident. I did a compression check and #1 and #2 were just under 50lbs and #3 and #4 were at 110. The engine has less that 1000 miles on it from a complete rebuild so I pulled the head hoping to find a blown head gasket. Instead, from what I can tell the gasket was just fine but both #1 and #2 pistons are smeared on the side of cylinders closest to each other.

If you search my threads you will see the detailed story of things that have happened to me with the B motor in my coupe. I have had pistons smeared 3 different times in the motor (among other problems related to poor babbit etc....) and until this time was under the impression it was due to incorrect clearances between the piston and cylinder. This last rebuild I did completely myself, checking every measurement and tolerance numerous times to make sure it was correct. I KNOW that the cylinders measured .0045 larger than the actual diameter of the pistons. The engine has never been over 2200 rpm since rebuild and I was cruising at 1700 down the highway when this occurred. I run 160 degree thermostat in the upper radiator hose and my mechanical vintage SW temp gauge sits at 160 unless I'm climbing a long hill in 90+ degree weather....never going over 210. I run a vintage Mallory dual point distributor converted to Pertronix. I've got a zephyr dual carb intake with dual Stromberg 81's and a customer true-dual exhaust header. Nothing crazy about the engine....a "touring" version with a mild cam and modern valves. The first two sets of pistons ruined were .080 over....this set is now .100 over size.

So I need to figure out what would cause multiple pistons to smear to the cylinder walls. The rods were all checked for straightness this last rebuild when the new babbit was poured. The crank is true. The block is true. The first time I had problems was about 4000 miles after the original rebuild. It started smoking and had excessive crank case pressure. I took it back to the engine builder and when he pulled the head he found 1 and 2 cylinders had pistons that were smeared across the rings. He was able to hone the cylinders and clean up/re-ring the pistons and sent me down the road. He said it was because I was washing the cylinders with too much fuel due to my dual 81's. That made it approximately 800 miles when, on the way home from a show, I lost a rod bearing. When I pulled the head to tear down the engine I found 3 and 4 were very badly smeared. That is when I completely rebuilt the engine myself. Now, 500 miles later I'm back in my garage ready to pull the engine out because 1 and 2 are smeared again.

Ok, so now here's my questions. I am running a repop Winfield aluminum head. Its one made by Sacramento Vintage Ford and I checked with them to verify its a 7:1. Staring at it tonight when I pulled it off the engine I noticed that there are NO little holes between 1 and 2 or 3 and 4. The two holes near stud #1 in the center of the head are not there either. Could it be that because the holes between 1 and 2 aren't there it causes the "Siamese" area between the cylinders to get too hot, thus melting the pistons in that area? Anyone have an opinion as to whether or not those holes are important, and if they are why aren't they in my head? Anyone have an aluminum Winfield head from SVF sitting around that HAS the holes, or are they all missing holes? Can I just drill those two holes in my head to resolve my issue? I don't believe I want the two holes near stud #1, but I'm wondering if the other holes would fix my issue. The engine has to come out anyway to see if the machine shop can hone the cylinders or if they will need re-sleeved so I will check bearings and everything else as well.

Thanks for reading this and any input/suggestions you might have. At this point I'm seriously thinking about pitching the B motor in favor of either the flathead V8 or the 291 Desoto hemi I have sitting in my shop. I built my car to drive and enjoy, not sit in my shop with the engine out.

[adavis]

pics of head.....

[dumb person]

At this point i would drill the steam holes out of stubbornness.

[colin1928]

I have had lots of those repo Winfield heads and none have ever had the steam holes and when putting after market heads on engine rebuilds I block them off in the block and have never had a problem
For you to have had problems with several sets of pistons in the same bores with good clearance tells me to look for something not straight and square
start with rod alignment , bore square , taper crank journal something is pushing the piston sideways

[Halswell]

Get rid of the oil control rings that most suppliers provide nowdays and fit proper oil rings as would have been in the engine when it left the factory. You are not getting enough oil to the rings. Check also that the water jackets are good and clean free of scale and lime deposits. Years ago when building a fresh engine for my A I would block off the water outlet and fill the water jackets with battery acid-boy that got them clean-nowdays the reconditioners have the hot tank. Happy Motoring

[adavis]

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I had the crank, rods, and block all triple checked for true when I rebuilt the engine the last time. I also think it is odd that the first time I had an issue it was with cylinders 1 and 2, but when I lost the rod bearing 800 miles later both 3 and 4 were smeared. Now less than 500 miles after a complete rebuild including boring the block from .080 to .100 I have cylinders 1 and 2 smeared again. The ONLY thing I can think is that they are getting hot? I drive my car every day but NEVER ran it hard or got it hot (according to the temp gauge)....especially this last time. I'm using the standard rings that come with the pistons so if its an oil control ring then how come number 3 and 4 look perfect, whereas 1 and 2 are smeared about 2 inches wide right across from each other (to the back of #1 and the front of #2)?

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by adavis

I had the crank, rods, and block all triple checked for true when I rebuilt the engine the last time. I also think it is odd that the first time I had an issue it was with cylinders 1 and 2, but when I lost the rod bearing 800 miles later both 3 and 4 were smeared. Now less than 500 miles after a complete rebuild including boring the block from .080 to .100 I have cylinders 1 and 2 smeared again. The ONLY thing I can think is that they are getting hot? I drive my car every day but NEVER ran it hard or got it hot (according to the temp gauge)....especially this last time. I'm using the standard rings that come with the pistons so if its an oil control ring then how come number 3 and 4 look perfect, whereas 1 and 2 are smeared about 2 inches wide right across from each other (to the back of #1 and the front of #2)?

Certainly feel your pain as explained. Very costly,eh time and money !
Here is a picture of my super Winfield alum new head that is now on the B engine that I'm working. It is NOT from SVF, but as you can see, it does not have the 'steam holes' that you asked about.
BTW as one or two comments already stated...no steam holes , no problem. These holes are blocked shut on a B block when using an 'aftermarket' head...like your/like mine. These holes are blocked to provide support for the head gasket used , whereas the holes would be open to the head gasket....making for possible leaks.

When you started out using this block, did you personally inspect it for scale/rust content...especially between cylinders ? Just saying that excessive scale/rust in those areas, where the scuffing is occurring could/would be expected ! Curiosity, do you still use dippers on rods or full pressured oil system.
Sounds like you did GOOD in your clearance (piston/cyl) dept. Can you say which brand pistons were used. I've seen and read where some pistons are made so badly that they come apart, where quality pistons would not do so, under same conditions. Did you use the newer style / modern thin /quick seating rings in you rebuild ?
Can you show us some pictures of smearing pistons and cyl walls ?
Excessive blow-by occurs when rings not seated or worn out or broken. And, excessive crankcase pressure...out the filler tube...could be from blown head gasket, which you state was NOT the issue here...so back to rings not seated and too much heat between Siamese cyls

[d.j. moordigian]

Well,..I looked at your previous post / blow-up.

I have no problem with your oil rings,...I think they work better than the one piece type.
The "True-arc" clips for the pin is installed wrong!
You took the guy's word for it on the compression ratio with the head / piston set-up,..
bad boy! You should have "CCd" it and done the math,...this is a big deal!
When I see pistons that look like the ones you had in the last failure and I bet this set
will look the same, I see two things. Either the engine got "leaned on"...worked hard,
or your timing did it. I believe you leaned on it with too much timing.....

What's the inside of the piston look like...."caramel" color....?

[Ron W]

If I had to guess, I would say it sounds like a timing issue. I would double check the distributor with a light. My high compression head will not stand any where near the advance that a stock head will. Good luck! Ron W

[Simonpie]

I recently pulled apart a donor motor with unknown history. It also had scrapes down the sides where the pistons Siamese (1-2, 3-4). I thought it odd because it was nowhere near the thrust faces and not both sides. I was on the last overbore, so I assumed thin walls caused it, but I don't know for sure. Head looked stock but the steam holes were gunked closed.

Random data point. Take it with a grain of salt.

[adavis]

Regarding ignition....when I purchased my Mallory dual point distributor it was rebuilt by a gentleman that restores them. He said to set full advance at 28 degrees. I have a timing indicator installed above the crank pulley and marked TDC on the pulley when I was putting the engine back together (using a mic to make it absolutely as accurate as possible). I've used my timing light to verify timing and it looks good, but is 28 degrees too much for the higher compression head? I can definitely tell if it pings and haven't heard anything like that since the rebuild. I checked the plugs a couple weeks ago and they were all dark brown. After pulling the head all the valves look good....no light tan valves and nothing sooty black.

DJ.....I don't understand what you mean about the "true-arc clips aren't installed right"? You use snap-ring pliers and slide them into the hole on the piston until they "snap" into the groove. Its a VERY positive "SNAP" so I don't see how that can affect anything. The last two times I've pulled the pistons all snap-rings have been snuggly in place and I expect to see that this time as well. The "smearing" I have is aluminum....not grooves in the cylinder wall caused by a loose snap ring caught between the skirt and the cylinder. Please explain what you mean by "installed wrong". You are correct about getting an exact CC of my head. I bought a graduated dropper and used a piece of plate glass with a hole in it to attempt to CC the head with alcohol. I got close, but definitely not exact. I came out with a calculated CC of around 7:1 so I took the manufacturer's word, but I will have the machine shop that is checking the engine out get an EXACT CC so I can be sure. I absolutely GUARANTEE this engine has not been worked hard ONE SINGLE TIME since the last complete rebuild. I don't THINK its running lean based on spark plug and valve color but I may be wrong. I have both 81's jetted stock and it seems to run very well without getting even the slightest bit hot.

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm headed to a show with the club tomorrow (without my car....) and hope to run in to some other guys with slightly hopped up banger motors to see what they think. I hope to find someone "local" that is experienced with high compression heads, dual carbs, etc to pick their brain and figure out my dilemma. I'll post any findings I make and hopefully a resolution when I find it. THANKS!

[d.j. moordigian]

Okay,...lets start here...

The distributor...you say you have 28° total, correct?
1. How much mechanical is in the distributor?
2. When is it all in?....at what engine RPM?

TrueArc's..
1. 99% of the time there are 2 sides to them,..a ground side and a side with a radius.
The ground side opposite the load side,....or away from the pin.
2. The holes for the pliers,...should both be too the top or the bottom. NOT the sides.

Pistons..
1. The top of the piston above the top ring is about .025" smaller than the skirt, plus
the clearance in the hole gives you about .0325",...correct? You raised the temperature
of the top of the piston too gauld to the cylinder. Your engine has a positive deck, the
piston see's the fire / heat every time it fires.. You have a lot of cylinder head / piston
temperature.

CCing....
1. CC all the chambers..
2. Then CC, using a used head gasket, with the head installed and the piston, CC the
engine. Do the math,...don't forget too add 1 compression ratio too the figure! I use
ATF oil to CC,...it's easier to see and it doesn't run down the bore when you grease
up the hole.

TDCing the engine..
1. How did you tdc the engine?....it's an art in it self too get all of it correct!

[40 Deluxe]

adavis, It's highly unlikely that you got an accurate TDC measurement using a mike of any kind! When a piston is near TDC, the crank can rotate several degrees with no discernable piston movement. The accurate method is to use a degree wheel and a positive piston stop. Just do a search for "How to find top dead center" or "How to degree a camshaft". The procedure is the same for any engine.