let me get this straight here..you have proof of a leaking fire ring. That could possibly turn your "new" motor into a door stop (which you just paid a pile of cold hard cash for). You have the option to spend approx 30 bucks to have a machinist swing buy and check the deck (or buy your own for a couple bucks more and invest the 2 minutes to check it).

OR - we can say...forget about it..hope it's in the heads, keep the couple bucks in our pocket.

A few dollar investment, to address a known issue. Or loose a couple grand to a door stop?

I'm not sure of the logic you are using...

I agree that you only have a ~30% chance that it is in the block...

 

Woah man hey.. I'm no engine builder so I'm not sure what the process entails. I was under the impression that removing the engine was required as well as other work in the machine shop to have it checked out. I appreciate the info but chill!

What's the tool most normally used for something like this? Some input I've received is a precision straight edge with a feeler gauge at .001 or .002.

On that note, I'm not really even sure what part of the picture is indicating the leaking fire ring. Are you talking about the carbon covered part of the copper ring surrounding the cylinder?

 

You need to wire wheel - NOT scotch-brite the surface to get it nice and clean, then check for brinelling(indentation) around the cylinders where the fire-ring resides, I see this a lot on the later model stuff with aluminum heads, the deck surface is eaten.

 

Won't running the wire wheel with my engine assembled and in the car leave metal shavings everywhere? I'm not sure how much the wire wheel does as far as abrasive damage... I can stuff the cylinders with rags all I want, but I'd be afraid of what would get in.

Man, this isn't what I wanted to hear at this point in time... I'm really concerned now. As far as checking for that indentation, how would I go about that, does the precision straight edge still apply? Or would it be easy to spot?

 

Like I said earlier and M1 related to,there is probably nothing wrong with it.
Clean it up with a scraper and do the streight edge thing to see. Ya don't have to use power tools to clean it,the old fashoned way with a little elbo grease will get it done.
Just take your time and get it clean-- it don't have to shine like a new watch to be clean. When ya pull it down with the new ARP bolts and the new Fel Pro's and other head's I guarantee it will seal if ya can't get a feeler guage under the streight edge. If ya CAN get a .001 under it it will STILL seal. Ya aren't trying to run 25# of boost or a 300 shot of hose.... It was not leaking before,all ya got was some seepage and ya had TTY bolts and 90,000 miles and would have gone HOW much longer.. Sooooo what ya think. I am thinking ya are worrying to much about it.

 

Here's some more pics, because maybe it's a bad angle.. I'm having trouble seeing the leaky fire ring in question, so I'm not even sure what to look for as a problem area.

They honestly ALL look the same to me...

Cylinder 5 by itself:



Cylinders 5 and 7:



Cylinders 1 and 3 (for reference):



And lastly, the head gasket, cylinders 5 and 7 shown, block side.

 

Is there any black or grey discoloration between cyls at 3&9 O'clock on either side of the gasket?

 

Nothing grey or black that I can see.. all the metal surfaces of the gasket appear shiny to me.. accept maybe a little brownish discololartion on cylinder 6? Pics below, just linking to hires images:

Bottom: Driver's side head gasket
http://www.zmydust.com/images/headsandcam/P2020001.JPG

Top: Driver's side head gasket
http://www.zmydust.com/images/headsandcam/P2020002.JPG

Cylinder 6 on the right, bottom side
http://www.zmydust.com/images/headsandcam/P2020006.JPG

Part of passenger side head gasket
http://www.zmydust.com/images/headsandcam/P2020005.JPG

 

Those water holes at 6 O'clock are also a concern.
I don't see anything wrong. There are a couple of spots that show not a 100% seal but they are going to be replaced. The block looks OK too.
Clean her up it will be OK to run.... A long time.
Seen a bunch worse and they are still running,Soooo.
Saw a dude with a groove cut between cyls from nitros and he put JB Weld in it and put it back together. To my knowledge it's still running and I would have bet my next 4 pay checks it wouldn't make it out the driveway-- go figure.

 

lol sounds good

In regards to the water holes you mentioned are a concern, are you referencing the pics of the block or the gaskets.. if it's the gaskets no biggie right, since they're being replaced? If it's the block.. maybe a flush is in order after I get it all back together?

 

It was a point for future reference for you. If ya pull another set, it's a place to look for trouble.That's where they blow through to water.
I wouldn't flush it,just put back a good 50/50 mix of anti freeze.

 

Oh I gotcha now.. thanks for settling my mind again for the evening man... I was starting to wig out... again

Looking forward to getting her up and running again.