What do you make of this ?

[Oddball]

Ok.. i have just split my ZE motor apart, i was aware that is was over heating, and had already tested the thermostat, and the pump sounded fine and no leaks, so had to be the head gasket.. so when split, yes the gasket had blown, no problem..
Now.. i could see where on the cylinder ring it had gone and had travelled into the next cyl also.. but then i found this .. (pic below) .. its between the same two cylinders but not where the damage was on the gasket.. now i dont know if this is just surface and is complete lower down, but obviously it could allow water through it if not.. there is a corresponding mark on the headgasket, you can also see the gunk around the cyl waterside walls from where the gasket went...

should i ignore it ? or have it patched ? people.. its over to you..

[Parallex]

Get it filled or replace the section! Possibly use the Holts Wonderweld stuff.

Ben.

[Postal Dude]

If the surface where the gasket sealing rings for the cylinders are is sound then ignore it, it is just between two waterways and will make no difference. Check that it isn't right through the cylinder walls by feeling with the tip of a fingernail. Any cracks will be easily felt this way.

Gerry

[Oddball]

Cheers chaps .. i cannot see nor feel any problems on the cyl walls, i'm pretty sure all would be okay, but i fancied a second opinion to be totally convinced, as it is after all where the casting has left the metal between the cyls.. The head gasket has a corresponding mark, so i guess its sealing it ok, may stick a litle sealant in there before refitting.. now here is another pic of another strange thing on this motor .. the only cylinder that does not have carbon in the squish areas of the piston ... must be a tighter tollerance this one.. the things that go on in these motors

[Postal Dude]

That's what usually happens when you get water in the combustion cylinder from a blown gasket!

Gerry

[Oddball]

Different bank Gerry ... this is the other side, perfectly okay gasket wise.. no water or anything on this one .. just clean on the squish areas.. all valve heads same colour and uniform.. where as on the head where the gasket went, different colour valve heads etc and no clean squish areas....


Paul.