Strange thing I noticed

[BettinANDlosing]

So I got the headgasket for the B&W 300 today, tore off the head in preparation to take it to the machinist to get it specd. Noticed something very very strange when checking if the headgasket was correct for the 300cc MRP kit. I'm running the stock head keep in mind, if you look at the pictures the cylinder head has 6 holes for coolant to flow.


The cylinder kit has 8 larger holes for coolant.


I checked and both headgaskets are matched to the STOCK HEAD, with two holes blocked off. Could this be the reason why I can't for the life of me burp the coolant system? Very very strange and I hope I don't get the head to the machine shop just to have them say it's not warped at all. I'm about to say screw 300cc power and go back to 250cc but I do like the added torque the bigger bore gives. Does anyone have a spare stock 250cc cylinder laying around to check if it's the same way?

[zombie]

Lots of Marine engines purposely block of portions of the cooling system. I'm gonna have to think and post to sort this out...

All of those openings do connect so the only reason to block ports is to give a flow direction. It looks like the blocked port is the one directly under the out let nipple for the coolant. Is that correct?

I assume that is made to re-direct the coolant to take a longer path, and not simply blow thru the cylinder.
What might help is drilling an 1/8" relief hole in a new gasket, and test run it. What I mean is a 1/8" hole in that blocked port (gasket) to allow air to escape, and still maintain MOST of the "suspected" purpose for blocking it at all.