cat head bolts

Needs counter bore. Can almost guarantee your deck is the issue.

 

If they aren't cracked you probably could but it might not be worth the trouble. You could probably check them.

If it was mine and I was doing it myself I would use them over, but I'm doing my own work and only I suffer if it doesn't work.

 

Rebuilt an engine using new used liners and ended up coming apart couple weeks later with a flange cracked.

 

Use the trouble light trick to find cracked liners. An old mechanic friend showed it to me.

I do wonder that if the block was decked you'd think it would've took care of the sunk hole..?

 

If the deck of the block was properly trued when it was out of the truck then the problem is a liner. CAT liners are not set up to bring the liner height to the max setting and are usually around 0.0035" to 0.004" high when done. This is acceptable to run. The problem is a liner can be machined incorrectly also, so liner height needs to be checked regardless of how flat the block deck surface is. A liner can cause as much problem as a block with head gaskets blowing. All liners need to be checked for liner protrusion around the circumference of the liner in 4 spots to make sure the liner flange is level to the deck also

 

Pretty common to find different measurements between the 4 points on the liner but there an acceptable range for that as well, as well as difference between individual liners and difference between all the liners.

 

yes, but if the block was properly trued, I'd bet someone didn't bother to check to see if the liners were square too. I've seen guys cheat checking liner protrusions by only checking one spot on the liner, because the felt the rest of the measurements would be in the acceptable range and didn't want to waste the time in their mind to check anymore than this

 

Kurt's right, I've seen liners right out the Cat box be as much as .003 thinner in places.

 

I have also seen the 9y-3368 shims vary as much as .002