Outer Limits 4x4 Board

will be gettting the head removed to fix a suspected head gasket/cracked head in my tb42. was after info on the new improved better coolant flow casting incase i need a new head. also any tips or ideas..

also looking at doing water pump and thermostat at same time. is it best to buy genuine nissan or will after market be ok?

how successful is repairing heads on these tb42's?

will be getting some minor head work and a bit of comp work plus firmer valve springs to liven things up a bit in the process..

is there a better alternative to the standard radiator? had so much chemiweld in to try hold things together that ill be doin that also...

With my old TB42 I had a crack welded up, and it soon let go in a big way dumping the coolant into an exhaust port.
I had the head off a number of times and in the end sold it off as a motor with the farked head in the boot.
The reco heads that I found were expensive and the warrantees were short therefore not worth it.
If I had my time again I would have got a new casting and swapped my gear into it, alot more money but it seems that these heads are at their due date these days.

yeah wont be mucking round with my old casting if it needs anything major...just after info as im sure i read here that guys have sourced new improved castings..would love to here from them

When mine went I was lucky, gasket only. But while it was getting tested and machined I did my homework on a new one in case. According to the Nissan spare parts I went to, the head part number for the early ones states see part number xxxxxxxx which is the newer EFI head. But yes, there are two part numbers for a TB42 head. Apperently it is a far better casting, thicker around the crack prone areas and someone else who knows his stuff told me that the ports are a better casting too. Not exactly bolt on horsepower but better all the same. About $1000 bare is the best you'll find, but look at the cost of a welded head and a full freshen up at the same time. About the same but still the old weak casting which people have had repaired before and still crack again. If on LPG still fit new valve seats to suit. More money but you'll probably never touch the head again. Oh, and it benefits greatly from a little relieving in the bowl area. Best individual peice of porting, I've been told from lots of TB gurus.

sounds like the way to go... new head with my bits in it and new firmer springs and valve seats.
how bout the other stuff like water pump and thermostat? original nissan or aftermarket ok?

make sure you check the front timing case behind the waterpump for corrosion. Mine had a hole behind the pump impeller that was as big as a five cent piece. This was probably the reason I had overheating issues in the first place. The replacement front timing chest is $300-ish from Nissan or if you seach around like I did you will get one from an engine wrecker for about $50.

have used aftermarket water pump - seems to be OK, was about half nissan price.
Rad was recored as the fins were rotted completely - no probs since

is checking the timing case for corrosion as simple as removing water pump? will i see it while im changing the water pump? i have suspected a leak from somewhere around there as i have seen water drops running down sump but just assumed they were run off from somewhere else....

any updates on the super effecient head castings???