Top End Install Time
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
I appreciate what you guys are telling me. I'm in a situation where I'm trying to do this in stages. I know it is not ideal and I'm not trying to build a killer engine (yet). I needed to replace my smog heads and wanted to buy something that would work with a future 383 build. Also, since I'm building on top of a tired bottom-end, I don't want to generate too much HP and blow out. I am concerned about the pistons sitting so low, but the motor is a dog now. I've gotten some great help from several CF members in selecting parts (there is a whole other thread referenced at the beginning of this thread about the build criteria and selection process.) I know I'm going against conventional wisdom here and it will not be optimal. I have financial constraints and have to do a little bit on the car each year. A big part for me is just the learning experience. Maybe next year I can put $$$ into the bottom end (I hope).
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
Feels like Christmas today. Fedex just delivered the parts I ordered from vettesbydesign http://www.vettesbydesign.com/http:/...sbydesign.com/. Kevin helped me get the parts I needed and boy he delivers FAST!!! Thanks Kevin!!!
It's going to take me a while to get the engine bay prepped and get the radiator support and radiator painted and ready to drop back in. I'm taking my time to do the best I can, so won't be firing it up anytime soon, but at least now I have MOTIVATION. I thought I'd share some photos of the goodies that I bought.
These are the first performance parts that I have ever bought so I have nothing to compare to except for what I already puled off. The quality looks incredible!!!
It's going to take me a while to get the engine bay prepped and get the radiator support and radiator painted and ready to drop back in. I'm taking my time to do the best I can, so won't be firing it up anytime soon, but at least now I have MOTIVATION. I thought I'd share some photos of the goodies that I bought.
These are the first performance parts that I have ever bought so I have nothing to compare to except for what I already puled off. The quality looks incredible!!!
Last edited by redman76; Sep 30, 2009 at 02:57 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
What kind of valve cover fasteners are you using? I can't tell from the pic but they look nice. I was planning to paint the covers black with the polished lettering, but they look so great that I'm going to leave as is for the time being; maybe when I'm ready for a change and a different look down the road.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
fit up to the intake manifold, heads.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
I'll check tonight. I did eyeball the manifold to head ports and they looked pretty close if not dead on. I'll pull gasket tonight and compare to both to see how things line up.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
Here are the pics with the gasket on:Heads -
Intake -
So I'm grinding out the area on the intake inside the lines and tapering back . . . right?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
Gasket looks a little smaller then the head port entry, your marker lines on the right bottom side look a little off. If your not sure you can do this you can send the manifold down to me I have a set of 1206 gaskets and the head port dimensions.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
Thanks Little Mouse, I drew the lines fairly quickly to make sure I was on the right track, so may not be exact. I'll double check everything and redraw lines before I start. I'll use some machinist dye and scribe before I start grinding. Thanks for the offer, but it's all about the experience for me and I want to learn as much as I can. I appreciate you guys keeping me on track and giving advise. Keep it coming!!!
I'm going to try and get as much prep done to radiator and engine bay this weekend and then start on the more fun stuff . . .
I'm going to try and get as much prep done to radiator and engine bay this weekend and then start on the more fun stuff . . .
Last edited by redman76; Oct 3, 2009 at 12:06 AM.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 733
Likes: 1
From: Coquitlam British Columbia
My 2 cents opinion is those do not look like flat top pistons, they look like low compression dished pistons to me! If so you need to measure from the sides or highest point on the piston and not from the center, if you measure from within the dish part you are not going to get the right measurement. Also I would think twice about using a steel gasket with your aluminum heads, check with manufacture as to what gasket they recommend. I do not think it wise to compensate for compression using a thinner steel type gasket believe it is better to adjust combustion chamber cc in heads or deck block etc...
Sorry my BAD yours are flat tops, I was looking at running mans pistons which are dished sorry. Still you may want to make sure if you are using a steel gasket that it is not going to screw with your aluminum heads.
ikwhite
Sorry my BAD yours are flat tops, I was looking at running mans pistons which are dished sorry. Still you may want to make sure if you are using a steel gasket that it is not going to screw with your aluminum heads.
ikwhite
Last edited by ikwhite; Oct 2, 2009 at 09:07 PM. Reason: my bad
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 2
From: gold coast queensland
i agree ikwhite. no good having the heads on for a year then taking them off to do the 383 and finding indentations on the aluminium heads from the gaskets. thats why i try to use felpro 1010 if i can as they dont leave a single mark on the surface....but redman is at a crossroad with his sunk pistons so these gaskets wouldnt be optimum with how his motor is now. in hindsight maybe doing the 383 bottom first would have been safer.
you could pick that motor up by hand with 4 mates to get it out , put it on a tire and take it to a machine shop for a professional opinion on why those pistons are like they are or what they are. opinions are free. i just would hate to hear something goes wrong in the near future . you have invested too much in heads,cam,manifold now too risk it.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Fel-Pro/375/1010/10002/-1
you could pick that motor up by hand with 4 mates to get it out , put it on a tire and take it to a machine shop for a professional opinion on why those pistons are like they are or what they are. opinions are free. i just would hate to hear something goes wrong in the near future . you have invested too much in heads,cam,manifold now too risk it.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Fel-Pro/375/1010/10002/-1
Last edited by gingerbreadman1977; Oct 2, 2009 at 11:15 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
you can't use a steel shim gasket with aluminum heads, the 1094 gasket is not just steel shim I had JustinD put them on his holley aluminum heads two ys ago so far no complaints.
Last edited by Little Mouse; Oct 2, 2009 at 10:16 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
Steel gaskets will brennal the heads. DONT RUN THEM run a 0.41 ths gasket from felpro cant remember the part #. Dont even use copper or steel on the exhaust as they will brennal the exhaust ports also. my two cents vic.........