New Engine III

With the new “Jupiter” engine on the stand, I needed to get it ready for installation. I knew that I needed to replace the head gasket because the previous owner had removed the cylinder head after the fire. Head gaskets are good for one installation only so a new one was in order. I also knew I would need to transfer some parts from the old engine to the new.

To replace the head gasket, I needed access to the ten head bolts. These are under the valve cover and also the rocker arm assembly. The cover has been removed in the picture to the right, but the rocker arms are in place. These are the eight darker metal pieces that are attached to the long shaft that passes across the cylinder head. The good news is that the top of the cylinder head look clean. The better news is that, in contrast to my original engine, the rockers and push rods seem tight. In the original, they had some play, which could explain my compression problem. Also, note the heater hose at the top of the image. It appears to have survived the engine fire with little damage.

The closeup to the right shows the cylinder head with the rocker arms removed. You can see the valve springs at the top of the image and a few of the push rods in the foreground. The push rods move up and down and push on the rocker arms, which in turn open and close the valves. The large bolt near the center holds the cylinder head to the engine block.

I am very pleased with the apparent condition of the cylinder head. It looks very clean, and I would guess that it was recently rebuilt.  The cylinders (below) also look clean, and I could not find any evidence of wear. There is some slight surface rust or discoloration toward the top of the cylinders. I am hoping that this will not be a problem.