Very nice work on the ports. Did you do it or did you have someone do it for you? Either way it is very, very nice!
I can't tell for sure from the photos but if those are four thread plug holes take a few more hours and put eight of the Lock-N-Stitch inserts in to prevent an unwanted spark plug blow out later when it will be more painful.
Nice looking heads. Whose valves, Manley or Ferrea?
How so? It has been my experience that the Manley H-beams, when eqipped with ARP 2000 bolts are good to 900 horsepower.
When I worked in the performance marine industry, every engine that came from our shop that made 900 horsepower or less used Manley H-beam rods with a 0% failure rate. 99% of the time, if a rod was being replaced it was due to another part causing its premature demise. That being said, I have a bent Manley H-beam from a DCB that barrel rolled and sucked water into the engines destroying 6 of 8 rods per engine (there were 2).
Fox lake did the heads. Ferrea valves. I was thinking of just going with the plugs as is. I had some inserts on my last set of heads and some of them felt loose from time to time. I figured I would just pay closer attention to the torque. And check more often. It only sees a few hundred miles a year as it is.
It is very difficult if not impossible to reliably prevent a Timesert from loosening over time. The Lock-N-Stitch inserts have a positive mechanical lock in addition to the thread locker they use to secure the insert. As of several years ago they (Lock-N-Stitch) became the sole Ford approved thread repair for the 4 thread heads.
Here is a webpage with some additional detail. Click here => Lock-N-Stitch In addition to their mechanical locking design, they use a proprietary thread design to enhance the retention of the insert in the head. You begin to realize the structural integrity of the repair when you see the torque spec the put on plugs for the repaired heads - it is 28 ft/lbs if I remember correctly.
I would not put the plugs into aluminum that tight even with their repair. Spin them down until they bottom and then give them just enough of a twist to snug them down.
Ed
p.s. Even though they make an insert to restore the four thread design I would not use it. All you are doing is recreating an inferior design that will eventually bite you in the butt again. It is equally as easy to install the 9 thread insert and live happily ever after.
Another thing I noticed with my previous set of heads was that there were very small cracks going from the insert out to the valve seats. Possibly from removing and thinning of the material in that area for installing the insert.
The cracks come from thermal shock. If the engine is run lean you will get them pretty easily. If you run it on the richer side it will take a longer time to appear - if they appear at all.
Who can help me with why the retainers in my kit are different? There are 16 of each but it doesn't specify which are intake or exhaust. Does not seem to be any differences in the springs.
Here is where they stand right now.
Bank 1 exhaust 117.5 intake 109.25
Bank 2 exhaust 116 intake 110.5
Only adjustment I made was to the bank 2 exhaust main sprocket ground the key slightly to get me from 111.5 to 116 which also took my intake from 113.5 to 110.5. I figure another degree ground from the key should get me matched pretty even bank to bank. The cam card I have from crower calls for intake center line of 110.
Any suggestions or recommendations as to the 110 ICL crower is recommending?
Take a look at this post while you still have the motor open. Click here=> The Eternal Question - Where to set cam timing? You might find something that you may want to consider before you button it up.
On Ed's recommendation went with the cloyes stuff. Still waiting on the crank gear. I don't get a warm fuzzy from the disclaimer in the last picture. I guess they got tired of paying for motors.
On Ed's recommendation went with the cloyes stuff. Still waiting on the crank gear. I don't get a warm fuzzy from the disclaimer in the last picture. I guess they got tired of paying for motors.
I wouldn't let it bother you too much Chris. The disclaimer is added for a lot of reasons from customers with stone age assembly skills to genuine misuse. The parts are very high quality, I would say better than OEM. Additionally Cloyes has been in the game for a long time.
No worriers here Ed I was just poking fun at the disclaimer. They look like high quality gears. I've already checked fitment and the space required for proper squeeze.
By the way the crank gear came in today. I think it will rob at least 5 hp due to rotational mass. Pretty heavy.
.375 difference on the intakes
.875 difference on the exhaust
I'm going to call it a day. Need to check PTV still. Assembled and dissembled at least 3 times and the numbers are consistently under 1 degree split.
One hurdle I have found so far are my old lash adjusters are just too stiff. Some would hold the valve off the seats. I need to find some new ones. I wish I could afford the jesel ones. Some of mine off my old motor were stuck extended very far. So far that they held the valves of the seats. Are there any ways to prevent this from happening in the future? If I buy new ones from ford how do I know that at some point they don't over extend and get stuck.
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