Cascade Crew

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

So I am getting ready to swap heads. I have ever done before. I have done head gaskets about 11 years ago on my 84 Chevy. Anyways first. Gaskets. Do I just buy a top end gasket kit from a machine shop or autozone? Second. Pushrod and rocker arms. How do I determine which ones to get? Third. Machine work. They are low Mile used heads so what should I have machine shop look at and what work should I have done? And finally what other areas should I address when ivhave heads off?

Dewey316 · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:13 pm Post subject:

What heads are you going from and to? If you are sticking with the stock cam, and using GM heads, I would bet chances are good that your pushrods won't need to be changed, but you will want to check the alignment of the rockers on the valve stem once you get it together.

I think it would be wise to have a machine shop give the new heads a once over. It could save you a lot of frustration later. Make sure they aren't cracked, warped or otherwise damaged.

You'll need everything just like changing out head gaskets. Top end gaskets, along with new head gaskets.

Some of the questions will be more able to give answers to once you give us more info about what you current setup is, and what the new heads are.

Its always helpfull to give as much information as you can on questions like this.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Sorry. I forgot to give head info. The heads a currently have are the 882 heads. My new heads are called pro topline srt's. They have 167cc runners. 64cc combustion chambers and are 1.94/1.60s. They have screwvin studs and guide plates. I don't know what cam I have and they are going onto my carberated 327

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Sorry. 67cc chambers. These heads
http://www.flatlanderracing.com/heads_protork.html

Dewey316 · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:33 pm Post subject:

Don't take this the wrong way....please.

You need to find out what cam, also, what pistons are in the 327, are the 67cc heads even going to give you meaningful compression? Also, what springs are you using, do these springs work with the cam/lifter combo being used? For gaskets, what gasket size has the intake runners been machined to? Does your intake match this, or will there be an issue there?

Are you pistons at zero deck, or how far in the hole are they? You will need to know this to pick the right head gaskets.

What hardware is included with those heads, studs? Also, I want to think that someone on our board used a pair of these, and had problems with the installed studs and had to go to ARP studs.

Before you really take this all on, you want to make sure you get all of this stuff sorted, or you won't be happy at all with the results.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Great. Seems like I need the answers to questions that I don't know how to figure out.

Dewey316 · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:27 pm Post subject:

well, you need to do some reasearch into what you have, that is for sure.

Its part of the learning process, I spent more hours than I can count asking people questions like this to learn, it is HOW you learn. But, you do need to do some research for yourself, and we'll help you figure out what will work.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

And as far as compression. Is smaller the chambers, higher the compression?

Dewey316 · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:28 pm Post subject:

Twilightoptics · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:05 pm Post subject:

The old pros had crap for studs. I put in arps after breaking them quickly.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Ya. Ill probably have to hold off for a while. I may not be ready for such a grand undertaking. Iit would end up taking me monthes it sounds like.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

So Paul. Besides studs breaking, what did you think of heads. Were you happy with them?? I am sure they will be an improvement over what I have. I just want to make sure it will be worth the time its going g to take me. I still have a lot of learning to do. Lime how to figure out which cam to use, and such but it is what it is.

MrMike98 · Member Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 231 Location: Bremerton

I believe that you will also need Hardened push rods for use with the quide plates,
so you must also figure out push rod length to keep geometry proper..

M

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Ya. I am still doing my research on how to figure all that out. I am new to this and have never done before. It will still be awhile till I start because I need to buy my pieces as money permits and I want to have everything ready so hopefully it can be done in a weekend. I have been reading about cam selection and it seems to be quite a science

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:13 pm Post subject:

Need hardened pushrods for the guideplates, and you need to measure to get the right length with a pushrod length checker.

Heads were awesome for cheap power, but mine were 200cc not 180 so I can't vouch at all.

Mine at 2.02/1.60 valves, the guides were weak and the seats were weak. The valves didn't seal that well for long.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

So can some of these issues you addressed br taken care of by a machine shop?

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 1:10 pm Post subject:

Yeah, you can have new guides installed. Or spend even more money and have better seats installed and the valves redone.

You're talking $400+

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

Never mind in that. We will just see how long they last.

jchaussee · Member Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 1318 Location: renton

So I was talking to a guy about my head swap. And he is telling me if I don't rebuild bottom end, it will fail soon after I put on different heads. Is there any truth to that and should I be concerned.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:17 pm Post subject:

Bottom end life is based on age and materials.

300 wheel horse is about the limit for a sbc without mods.

They guy is talking out of his ass.