head crack/pitting of CAT D330T engine

[1553]

I realise this head has had water damage but is the ring around the entry from the combustion chamber normal (from manufacturing) or is it the start of cracking/failure. The hole between it and the intake valve appears to be just pitting but can it be repaired (is the head weldable?)? Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[OzDozer]

I'd hazard a WAG that the ring indicates that the original thread for the precombustion chamber was stripped out sometime in the past, and a heavy duty thread repair insert has been installed.

The head corrosion is not too severe, welding it up is expensive, I'd simply put the head back and run it.
But replace those valves first, and check the seat inserts for damage and looseness before you clean them up.

 

[1553]

Thank you OzDozer, my son is trying to convince me it is a pin hole through to the coolant system......but I am not sure a water passage could be that close in an area that takes such great force?

 

[OzDozer]

The head material is pretty thick around that area, that's for sure. If there was a pinhole there, you would've had combustion gases in the coolant (top radiator tank) when the engine was running.

The other concern is whether there's any cracking between the valve seats. If the engine has been run hot much, it will have a crack between the seats, the D330/D333 is bad for this.

Make sure you magnaflux that area. If you find a crack there, it will definitely need to be welded then, or the head replaced.

Was the engine running O.K. when you pulled it down, or was there a reason it was pulled down?

 

[1553]

Ok, I will check for combustion gases when, and if, I get it running. I bought the Cat 955h for scrap value to replace my MF300, which was completely clapped out, apart from the engine!. I only want it for odd jobs around the farm. It has not run for the past 10 years and unfortunately was full of water (one cylinder had rusted to the bore, another was like new!
I have just put the head back on. I was not happy at all with the way it was sitting. Normally head 'clunk' flat and you know they are sitting true but this one could rock a couple of mm from side to side on its locating lugs. Took it off and checked it 3 times, could see nothing wrong. I am putting it down to the 'rubbery'water passage seals which look like they rely on compression to seal. I hope I am right!

 

[Welder Dave]

I've never seen a random crack that precise. An insert of some sort makes more sense.

 

[OzDozer]

Those rubber seals are a PIA to fit properly, and you must be extremely careful that the head goes down level and spot-on for alignment - or you'll crush the metal part of the seals.

Also note that these metal tubes are water directors, they have an arrow on them which must be aligned as indicated in the manual.

The best way to replace these heads is to lower them with some kind of mechanical lowering system, so you can control the lowering and positioning easily.

 

[1553]

OzDozer thanks for the advice. I do use a block & tackle set up directly above the head. It has always seemed the best alternative when working by yourself.

 

[1553]

I have been trying to buy a head gasket set for this engine but it is proving difficult, I'm told there are none available in Australia. They can get one in from the U.S. but they don't know what is in the kit, or the price all up. Do any members have a business they could recommend for D330t parts (D330 parts seem quite easy to get, not sure why)?

 

[OzDozer]

1553 - Get onto Glen Blakely at EPSS in Toowoomba, he's a gun on sourcing IPD aftermarket engine parts for Cats. He's extremely helpful and knowledgeable. He used to work for IPD at their Sydney premises for 4 years. If IPD can't supply, he'll know of other sources. Email him from their site.

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www.epss.com.au

 

[1553]

Thank you OzDozer, I have emailed him. Tilleys, in Toowoomba, also seem to be quite helpful.

 

[OzDozer]

Tilleys might be helpful, but watch their charges, they're out to make a million on every deal.
I asked them once about purchasing a secondhand ROPS for my 931B traxcavator, they wanted $2500 for one - and they never had one any, anyway! I built my own, for not much more than $500.

 

[.RC.]

Maybe 2S9004 might be the part number for the bare head. It is the number for a non turbo one.

 

[OzDozer]

RC, there shouldn't be any difference between the turbo head and the naturally aspirated head.
The engine differences are a lower compression ratio for the turbo engine, different pistons, and oil cooled pistons.

 

[1553]

OzDozer, you mentioned the rubber seals between the head and block need to go in a certain way; the new parts arrived today but there are no marks/or directional arrows on either the metal "ferrules" or the rubber seals. The ferrules look to be the same at either end but I discovered upon measuring that one end is 1mm bigger circumference. Not only that, but the rubber seal have a slight (about 1mm) flange at one end. So now I have discovered I have put some of the seals onto the ferrules up the wrong way. I still haven't been able to source a repair manual, so now I am unsure which way up to install them! Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[.RC.]

Not from the manual for your engine but is a D330.

 

[1553]

Thank you RC, that clarifies it to some extent.

 

[OzDozer]

Yeah sorry 1553, I forgot the positioning arrow was on the head, it's been over 50 years since I did up one of these engines! The important thing is to ensure the ferrules are not cocked as the head goes down onto the block.

 

[1553]

I installed the new head gasket today and re-assembled the engine. It doesn't sound like it is interested in starting. I'm still getting a bit of air out of no.4 cylinder delivery line, bleeding it at the injector. I would like to try bleeding it somewhere on the injector pump but can't find anything that resembles a bleeding point. It does have a valve at the top of the filter housing with drainage tube attached, a continuous flow of fuel flows when I open it. Is there somewhere else I should be looking?

 

[OzDozer]

If you have fuel with no air in at the top of the filter, you're halfway there. You now have to bleed the air out of the injection pump and injector lines.
Crack the nuts about half a turn that hold the injector lines on top of the pump, and then pressurise the fuel flow with the priming pump, or by pressurising the fuel tank.

You can pressurise the fuel tank by wrapping a rag around an airline tightly, then jamming the rag tightly in the tank iller neck, and applying some air pressure. It doesn't need a lot of pressure, 30 to 50Kpa is enough.

Once you have air-free fuel flowing from the top of the injector pump, tighten those nuts, then loosen the nuts at the injectors, and crank the engine until air-free fuel flows from the pipes at the injectors.
You can also bleed the lines at the injectors by keeping up fuel pressure without cranking.

Once you have air-free fuel right to the injectors, she will soon start.