I am not quite sure why you feel so offended, but I can assure you that you have no reason to be so.

The bottom line here is you have been working on this truck for over 2 years. It is about where you were when you started. For whatever reason, you have some limitations on what you can do. Fine, we can live with those, but it means the diagnosis and final outcome is also limited.

#1, You have a head that appears, for all intents and purposes, to be fine.

#2, You are unable or unwilling to pull the block and get it tested. Unwilling only because in the course of 2 years, it could have been removed either with a rented/borrowed/stolen hoist or with a couple of big strong friends. Regardless, you could get that block out and to a machine shop if you had to. Finances not withstanding.

#3, You have put this thing back together in a few different configurations (new head bolts, gaskets, heads ect), but it still has a serious compression problem.

ergo, without further diagnostics on the block it could be assumed it is the source of your problems.

So, you can try one more time (at the cost of your time and another head gasket) to put it back together. You could visually inspect the block again to see if you can identify a problem. You could get a machinist's straightedge and see if the deck is warped. Although I would hazard the guess that if the block was cracked or the rings were an issue, you would only see compression problems in one hole. And these blocks just don't crack very often.

That said, that is why I keep asking about HOW you are doing things. I am not there and no matter how hard I squint, I can't see through your computer. Clean up the block, make sure the bolt holes are clean, throw on a new gasket and carefully bolt that head back on. Put the rest of it together, time it and see what you get.

It is either going to be OK, or not. If it is not, you exactly where you are right now; scrap it or tow it. At least all the parts will be with it if it has to go. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Good Luck,
Michael