Finally got my heads

**CobraII** · 04-26-2010, 05:21 PM

There's the off, where's the on??? :D

Any close up of the pistons where you think the valves might have hit?

Wild looking block... it took me a little to realize why it looked so strange to my knuckle draggin' carbed single cam self. It's the DOHC, so you have no need for an open lifter valley or oil under the intake.

Let me know if you need a hand.

**Ares** · 04-27-2010, 12:22 AM

Well I got a cluster *uck going on. Have some serious ticking tapping whatever happening. I am currently hoping that it's bad lash adjusters as the noise is from right under the valve covers. I had triple checked that timing chains were on the marks. Which they were. I had advance cams 1* back to where they are suppose to be. Which was never an issue on driver side. Passnger cam was ground 2* advanced so it's kept retarded with both set at 112 which is spec and cleared pistons with stock PI intake valves.

Now these heads have aftermarket valves which don't have the lip around valve like stockers which should have increasd my PTV clearance. Spent 3 fn days on this crap fighting with everything(locking header bolts for the suck) and have about had my fill of mod motors. Only to turn key and listen to some wonderful noise that shouldn't be happening

**biminiLX** · 04-27-2010, 12:34 AM

hope its something simple Ed, good luck
-J

**AdamantiumSilvr** · 04-27-2010, 01:42 AM

Mine was having some similar tapping noises like that too, when my rocker arm popt off. Good luck thou gettin it all figured out. Will be catchin u out @ PRP here soon hopefully.

**Martin0660** · 04-27-2010, 04:46 AM

Wow Ed, I hope you find it and it's a easy fix. No idea on the Mod stuff, but my valvetrain is noisy until oil pressure cycles through the HLA's a couple of times. It's strange but the only way to quite them up is run it, off, run it, off, then they will settle in. I "think" the mod stuff uses a similar lash adjuster?

**Ares** · 04-27-2010, 08:38 AM

Yah they use lash adjusters. I do think a few are bad as when I removed them from old heads a few had play in tip when I think they should remain "pumped up" untill compressed in say a vise slowly to get oil out. I seriously hope that is the problem.

**Ares** · 04-27-2010, 08:16 PM

Well ordered 16 new lash adjusters. Going to pull valve covers after work tommorrow and check that followers are all in place. Retard cams the 1* I had put them and fire it up to see if the noise goes away/lessens or doesn't change.

Ah well some pics from when all was going good.

Cleaned pistons, deck

Heads on, all was still going good. Oh yah the 3 lower back head bolts have to stay in both heads since they are to long to remove/install with heads sitting on block.

**biminiLX** · 04-27-2010, 08:21 PM

damn, you do some nice clean-up work :)
-J

**Ares** · 04-27-2010, 08:29 PM

This was the passenger side valve contact from last year. Seems 110* ICL is umm real close with stock valves and this cam grind. Cleared fine at 112* and I had them at 113* for my peace of mind. Thats why I'm annoyed when I have them at 112* and it sounds fugly.

**Ares** · 04-27-2010, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by biminiLX

damn, you do some nice clean-up work :)
-J

Right angle die grinder with a 1.5" scotch bright looking disc

**Martin0660** · 04-28-2010, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by Ares

I think they should remain "pumped up" untill compressed in say a vise slowly to get oil out.

Again, no idea on the mod motors, but on a 2.3 that is the case. I have had HLA's in a box for years that still needed to be put in a vice to bleed them down to check clearance.

That's another question ... are your new cams on a stock base circle, or do you need to shim HLA's for clearance?

**Ares** · 04-28-2010, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Martin0660

Again, no idea on the mod motors, but on a 2.3 that is the case. I have had HLA's in a box for years that still needed to be put in a vice to bleed them down to check clearance.

That's another question ... are your new cams on a stock base circle, or do you need to shim HLA's for clearance?

No they don't . I still think a few are bad but from what head builder told me. With these heads/valve combo plus my cams that with perfect install set at 113*. I only would have .030" clearance to piston. Tight but normal on mod motors. Now the question is with 1* advance did they get screwed up or did I get lucky. I'll find out tonight.

**Ares** · 04-28-2010, 07:13 PM

Ok can't find my 8mm deepwell socket so I can't get valve covers off.

I did get my new lash adjusters and I'm sure I have a bunch of bad ones in motor now. Think I had 10 with play in them when they should have been pumped up when removed from heads untill compressed in vise.

**Ares** · 05-01-2010, 11:57 PM

Looks like I will be pulling heads back off and replacing all 8 intake valves. I have the cams retarded 2.5* over spec and 1* more than I had them set with the stock heads/valves and still some contact.

Looks like some quality time with pistons and a die grinder

On a side note I have found a really nice looking '06 Mustang GT that I will be looking at.

**wick** · 05-02-2010, 12:02 AM

Man, that sucks. But seeing as there was a problem before, I would have checked without a gasket before final assembely. Oh well.

**Ares** · 05-02-2010, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by wick

Man, that sucks. But seeing as there was a problem before, I would have checked without a gasket before final assembely. Oh well.

Wasn't really an issue before. Just me screwing up what I had right the first time and then causing a problem. This time I did same thing but what caught me off guard was the slight increase in valve diameter. I thought I had more room then there was.

No matter I have 8 new valves coming, a set of Cometic head gaskets, head off spring compressor. I should be up and running and still make first day of points at PRP in 2 weeks.

**wick** · 05-02-2010, 10:45 PM

Good deal. Still sucks though. I have a compressor if you didnt already get one.

**Ares** · 05-09-2010, 12:51 AM

Well it's all torn down. New valves are in. Check springs currently on #1 and #6 intake valves. Valves were tweaked just enough to take a little coaxing out of the guides. Nothing was visibly bent. Entire left side took a beating since there was no prior valve contact from cam install last year. Right side I didn't notice much change to existing marks. When I screw something up I do it right.

Will spend some quality time with pistons in morning. I've been told to try and get these cams degree'd in at 110* ICL if possible.

**Ares** · 05-09-2010, 11:48 PM

Got the pistons notched this morning. Managed to get .110-.113" on the deep part of cut on all pistons. More then enough room to really advance these cams if need be. Got cams degree'd to 110* and at 10pm it was finally all back together and fired it up. Nothing but the sweet healthy sound coming from engine and exhaust. All 16 lash adjusters replaced as I found 3 collapsed and 1 jammed.

So it lives again

What slighty bigger valves did.

Valve contact at #1 didn't seem to change much. I think prior contact helped alittle.

Now the left side pistons didn't get off so nicely. This is #6 and since they saw no prior contact they took a beating.

**biminiLX** · 05-10-2010, 10:25 AM

Ouch, glad it wasn't worse.
How did you notch them? in the block?
I did that VERY carefully with my dad's guidance back when I was 18 when I bought a set of heads for the stock block 302 and then found the jackass had started to cut the heads for 2.02s. I rebuilt the heads with the bigger valves and just used a dremel on the pistons---taped off as much as I could to prevent shavings in the mortor.
-J