How's Your New Head, Mr. Cini?

[LaGrasta]

specs? pics?

 

[michael_cini]

It sure is purty. But I have many things to get/do before it makes it on the block. I am hoping to be able to install it on the weekend of September 22nd. I have to pick a cam, get lifters and am currently waiting on Mike to get in my Holley carb adapter. I will post pics (probably too many) and all the details when the head is on.

 

[LaGrasta]

It sure is purty. But I have many things to get/do before it makes it on the block. I am hoping to be able to install it on the weekend of September 22nd. I have to pick a cam, get lifters and am currently waiting on Mike to get in my Holley carb adapter. I will post pics (probably too many) and all the details when the head is on.

Sounds good! C'mon Mike, cough up the parts...

 

[michael_cini]

OZ head from bottom ready for new valves.

closeup, opened up for oversized valves.

valves ready for installation.

head with valves and springs installed.

header modified to fit around frame and starter. we had to put a couple of pie shaped cuts/welds to get angle right to clear frame after this. but now it fits!

old head and carb during tear down.

more to come soon.

 

[michael_cini]

intake water jacket inlet needed to be moved to the bottom to clear the shock tower.

Holley adapter on, hogged out.

head and carb on engine, finally! but we had to pull out the pushrods after this. notice how high the adjusting nuts on the rockers are. the adjusting nuts should be somewhere in the middle of the thread instead they are very close to the bottom of thread. richard my machinist and supreme advisor did not like this angle, he felt with the travel it may even have the rods impacting the bottom of the rockers so we removed them and Richard took the cup ends off of the rods and removed 300ths to shorten them. I reinstalled this evening, they look much better now.

just painted the valve cover to match the intake. it doesn't look too bad, but it could match a bit better to my eye.

 

[LaGrasta]

ahhh, the 250 beast is stirring. I can't wait to get in and go for a ride. The hammer is soon to be dropped!

 

[michael_cini]

indeed. initial startup is planned for friday morning. i will keep you posted

ahhh, the 250 beast is stirring. I can't wait to get in and go for a ride. The hammer is soon to be dropped!

 

[Bort62]

Nice.

You say your machinist removed the cups and shortened the pushrod .03 - did he re-install the cup afterwards (and how - weld?)

Seems labor-intensive. There are pus rods available in nearly any length.

 

[michael_cini]

yes he did. the cup end is just pressed in, the ball end is welded. so he pulled the cup end out, cut them down, then pressed the cups back in. really not that time intensive.

Nice.

You say your machinist removed the cups and shortened the pushrod .03 - did he re-install the cup afterwards (and how - weld?)

Seems labor-intensive. There are pus rods available in nearly any length.

 

[Jett's_Pony]

Forget the push rods, the big question is it ALIVE!!!!

Jett and Jett's Dad
............8)

 

[LaGrasta]

Do skid marks exist on the street in front of your house yet? Well, do they?

 

[michael_cini]

Well, I have good news and bad.

First the good, we got it running today. It sounded badass, big and loud without an exhaust. Richard said it sounded like Doc Hudson in the movie cars! It ran for about 15 minutes. Long enough to get the oil flowing and tweak the carb to get it idling decently.

Now the bad news, after it ran for about 10 minutes it started to leak water from what seemed like the back of the engine on the passenger side. We shut it down and tried to figure it out. Richard went home and got his cooling system pressure tool and I jacked the front end up. When he came back we pressurized the system and discovered it was coming from the rear freeze plug on the head. So, then I took off the intake and header, yep the rear freeze plug. I was relieved to know if was the freeze plug and not the head having a crack or something. I was the one who installed the freeze plugs, I guess I pushed them in too far or ??? A couple of others looked a touch wet too.

Anyway, I am tired and feeling rather defeated tonight. I really was hoping I was ready to take 'er to the muffler shop. Anyway, tomorrow I will pull the freeze plugs and get them re-installed. It will be a pain in the ass with the head on the block, but I will get it done.

I'll keep you posted.

Michael

 

[mustang6]

Did you use sealer on those freeze plugs? I've heard some people say they don't use it but I always have and have never had a leak.

 

[mach1 mark]

Yep, know the feeling on the freeze plug issue. However I was pleased that was the problem, as are you I'm sure. I'm glad its running.

You probably have mentioned this before, but can you remind us. Do you have a C4 or manual, what kind of dizzy are you running.

 

[Bort62]

Throw a can of aluma-seal in there when you put the plugs back in.

 

[michael_cini]

Did you use sealer on those freeze plugs? I've heard some people say they don't use it but I always have and have never had a leak.

Yes I used sealer, Permatex #2 as someone on this forum had suggested. My friend Richard thinks I pushed them in too far. I got them in using a socket and hammer. Pushed them in a little farther than flush, I don't know. Any suggestions on installation?

Yep, know the feeling on the freeze plug issue. However I was pleased that was the problem, as are you I'm sure. I'm glad its running.

You probably have mentioned this before, but can you remind us. Do you have a C4 or manual, what kind of dizzy are you running.

Yeah, out of all of the possible reasons for a leak, I was quite pleased to know if was the freeze plugs!

The car has a C4 and I'm running a duraspark distributor.

Throw a can of aluma-seal in there when you put the plugs back in.

What is aluma seal?

 

[woodbutcher]

Something that will plug up your radiator too.Several years ago,a friend of mine had a problem with leaking core plugs and a couple that for no known reason would just blow out of the block.Finally got really PO`ed with the situation and pulled the engine and THREADED all the core plug holes and put PIPE PLUGS in.Never had a problem since.
Leo

 

[Bort62]

Upon recommendation of a good mechanic friend of mine, I put aluma seal in every time I service part of the cooling system.

It is a fine aluminum powder that fills small leaks and voids in the cooling system.

It also lubricated the water pump.

Good stuff.

 

[addo]

One thing that's advised by some specialists, is to not use antifreeze/inhibitor for the first week or so. It means sealants can cure a little bit more before exposure to the "creeping" tendencies of these additives.

 

[LaGrasta]

sorry to hear you're not driving around, but it sounds good to hear you have a handle on things.