[6pack] The smartest person I've never met (cracked GT6 block)

[John Johnson]

Hi All,
          I wanted to thank everyone who answered my email regarding the
cracks I found on a GT6 engine I was tearing down. I really appreciate all of
the help. One of the people who responded was Vance Naverrette, someone who
was very helpful way back when I was doing my TR6. How he solved this from the
other side of the country is pretty impressive, here is his email.

"John:

        Thinking about this a bit more, I believe I can state confidently what
happened.

        At some point in the past, the studs at those two locations were
installed upside down. If you look at the studs, you will note that one end
has considerably more threads than the the other. The short threaded end is
the one that is supposed to be inserted in the block.
        When the longer threaded end is inserted into the block, there are not
enough threads on the top end to fully tighten the nut after installing the
head. The nut will run down on the stud until it bottoms out on the unthreaded
portion of the stud. From that point on, tightening the nut drives the stud
down into the block, where it bottoms out. Further tightening then splits the
block.

    I believe that a well intentioned amateur misassembled the engine, and
damaged the block as a result.

        Not that this makes it any happier a discovery. But I also believe
that you can use the block and it will be reliable.

        Vance"

After reading his email I went to the garage to check his theory. Since all of
the studs were out of the block I was not sure how I could check until I
remembered that one of those studs had it's threads damaged by my cheap Jeg's
stud puller. Sure, enough the previous owner installed the head studs upside
down. Amazing.


                                      Thanks again for the help,
                                         John Johnson