Head gasket replacement 6CTA M2 CPL 1929

[Richard Janek]

Hello,

Question for the forum. What is the advice on replacing vs. re-conditioning the cylinder heads on an older 6CTA8.3 M2 (CPL 1929) ? S/N 45034714 and 45035203 (1960 hours) 1995 vintage.

There is some stain on the rear of the engine that gets damp at WOT (2700), below 2300, stays dry. Most cruising is done at hull speed.

Once the heads are off, is it recommended to replace the heads? Or, can these be safely re-used if they are in good condition? Are new heads available, for the M2?

Thanks,

Richard

Topic

[Richard Janek]

Thanks. I am planning on also replacing or rebuilding the heads, not just the gaskets. What I am trying to understand is the difference between having the 27 year old heads rebuilt at a local shop and buying new heads from Cummins. Can a shop do a good job at a rebuild or should I go with new from Cummins?

The aftercoolers done six months ago according to your procedure, one core replaced. Also replaced the transmission coolers proactively.

Thanks again for all the great information on your side!

 

[Tony Athens]

Post the full history  of the engine and good pictures of all..

Replacing the head vs. just the head gasket ( for a leak)  comes down to how long you have run engine in hours cruising on plane/above 2200-2300 RPM,  vs. running at hull speeds.   

Aftercooler history??

 

 

 

 

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