K181 head resurfacing

[gt14rider 944]

Morning all,  I've been working on the 856 and would appreciate your thoughts on this head. These spots just don't want to disappear,  first sandpaper grit was 180, worked for a while and this mark's don't want to clean up. Should I keep going? 0.001 feeler gauge won't go under the head.

                                            Thanks 

 

[ebinmaine 72,426]

18 minutes ago, gt14rider said:

Should I keep going? 0.001 feeler gauge won't go under the head.

 

Manual might say something like .003 or less?

 

I don't see why you shouldn't be able to just run that on some 400 paper for a little while and smooth it out. Then reinstall.

[oliver2-44 10,689]

Some you been sanding awhile, that spot had a little depth.  Yes manual says .003 feeler gage. You have a lot of good smooth contact area around it. If a .001 won't go under it I’d would run it. 

[8ntruck 7,782]

Looks to me like that head casting has a bit of porosity.  It might not sand out.

 

I'll agree with the others - probably good to run.  If it were mine, I'd use a new head gasket.  Might think about using Copper Coat on the gasket as well

[ebinmaine 72,426]

5 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

Copper Coat

 

Not sure I've ever done that on any of my own but I thought about it several times. Then I forgot about it.

 

Maybe a good idea here.

[gt14rider 944]

1 hour ago, 8ntruck said:

Looks to me like that head casting has a bit of porosity.  It might not sand out.

That's  what it looks like,  did a little sanding with 500 grit, I'll get a genuine kohler head gasket , should work fine.

             Thanks for input , waiting on gaskets,  every part I've ordered lately is taking 2-3 weeks, still don't have the tires yet,. Well it gives me time to brake something else,        

Can't feal those mark's with my fingernail.      

Edited June 20 by gt14rider

[gt14rider 944]

Got a question,  looking for a good head gasket,   what the scoop on Rotary or stens, head gaskets. Any genuine kohler gaskets all seem to take 2 weeks to get here. 

 

                                   THANKS 

[ebinmaine 72,426]

Somebody was looking for one just recently that had a fire ring in the middle.

[ri702bill 9,348]

1 minute ago, gt14rider said:

Got a question,  looking for a good head gasket,   what the scoop on Rotary or stens, head gaskets. Any genuine kohler gaskets all seem to take 2 weeks to get here. 

 

                                   THANKS 

But it's worth the wait. The OE gasket with the fire ring is the way to go. Are you sanding in a figure-8 motion?? That gives the best result.

DO retorque the head after allowing the engine to get to temp with no load. Repeat as many times as necessary to compress the gasket and have the proper torque when cold. Usually takes 3 or 4 times.....

[gt14rider 944]

Don't see any with the fire ring , thay say genuine kohler but don't have the ring

[gt14rider 944]

I don't think the small block head gasket (k181) has a fire ring like the big block head gasket (k241- k321). I found some genuine kohler head gaskets but don't have a fire ring. Anybody know. 

[ebinmaine 72,426]

My understanding is that old ones did. New ones do not.  

@Achto ?

@WHX??

 

 

[adsm08 3,148]

45 minutes ago, gt14rider said:

I don't think the small block head gasket (k181) has a fire ring like the big block head gasket (k241- k321). I found some genuine kohler head gaskets but don't have a fire ring. Anybody know. 

 

I think older ones did. I have not been able to source one with a ring in the 6 years I've owned my WH.

 

22 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

My understanding is that old ones did. New ones do not.  

@Achto ?

@WHX??

 

 

 

Not sure where @Achto is. I saw @WHX??sitting on his butt with @squonkand @953 nut this morning in Biglerville. He weren't particularly close to the computer at that time.

 

  

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Somebody was looking for one just recently that had a fire ring in the middle.

 

 

That was me. Never did find one.

Edited June 20 by adsm08

[gt14rider 944]

@adsm08 what do you prefer  the stens, or rotory.  

[adsm08 3,148]

1 hour ago, gt14rider said:

@adsm08 what do you prefer  the stens, or rotory.  

 

I don't know that I can say. I have been using Stens mostly. I think the most recently replaced on was a "Garden Buddy". It looks to be about the same as the Stens, price was within a dollar. I think the biggest difference when I bought was how fast I could have it.

 

I'm not sure I ever used a Rotory brand one.

[squonk 43,735]

The old Kohler gasket with the fire ring has been replaced by a graphite coated one. I think the Stens gasket is still the metal wafer. 

[ebinmaine 72,426]

38 minutes ago, squonk said:

 gasket with the fire ring 

Or

the metal wafer. 

 

You have a preference? 

[Achto 29,374]

Here is a small block head gasket with a fire ring.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/235643113133?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D264183%26meid%3D76ff18c6941848fa917702a13190f196%26pid%3D101224%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D275631368204%26itm%3D235643113133%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2332490%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWebV9BertRefreshRankerWithCassiniEmbRecall%26brand%3DKohler&_trksid=p2332490.c101224.m-1

 

I believe that Rotary gaskets also have a fire ring.