1972 350 Chevy Pickup Engine
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With the visual inspection finished, the block needed to pass some physical tests before a dime was invested in machine work. The first is a pressure test. JMS' Freddy Hernandez sealed the coolant passages and pumped compressed air-30-psi, nearly twice the typical pressure of hot coolant-into each bank to check for leaks. He then squirted soapy water on the block and head to identify escaping air bubbles...and potential cracks. The key areas for inspection are the lifter valley, bases of bores, and external surfaces of the block and heads. Note that each head is torqued to the block with a gasket during testing to duplicate the stress patterns of normal operation. Nontorqued (hand-tightened) fasteners may not open and reveal existing cracks, especially in the cylinder heads. Validate parts in their as-run state whenever possible. View Related Article
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