So I got the head off... Let me say. It wasn't pleasant. I did not realize how incredibly long the head bolts are. The top head bolts (intake side) wouldn't come straight out because the chassis is in the way. They were out enough that I could pull the head off and tilt it down. Then pull the bolts out, but of course they got hung up on the head gasket too. If you do this, make sure you have space cleared out and probably a second set of hands. Also make damn sure that you have that chassis brace out of the way. The head also got hung up on the chain guides. Wouldn't have been a problem if I had gotten the chassis brace out of the way. I'll try and snap pics when i'm putting things back and have a second set of hands.
So far this method doesn't seem that bad still. I would consider it bad if I had hit a stoppage where I was stuck for hours. Everything so far has just been inconvenient, but manageable. We will see if that's the case going back on.
Anyway that's not the problem now. This is now the problem:
I inspected the heads and can't find any cracks! ****************! Like... I am an engineer in my daytime job... and I would think I know what to look for... for hairline cracks in aluminum. But nothing. The head gasket doesn't look that bad either... but it got mucked up while pulling the head, so I am not 100% sure on that either.
Does anybody know where I should be searching for these cracks? I have been focusing on the block-side of the heads. See images below.
Another note: I was getting coolant coming out of the exhaust. Clearly it was in the cylinders, but no coolant mixed with oil. No oil in the coolant and no coolant in the oil.
There was one very interesting find though. I believe I found parts of the water pump turbine stuffed inside the water passages for cylinders 5 and 6. Cylinders 4 and 5's exhaust valves were quite clearly covered in coolant. That flavor was unmistakable.
So do you guys think that blockages from the water pump breaking could cause the gasket to blow but not crack the head? Or maybe recommendations on where to look for the cracks?
Pics of the head:
