Any recommendations for companies that sell rebuilt heads? Just looking into options in case the head is cracked.

I found cylinderheads international in Texas that wants $300 a piece, mostly good reviews (BBB rating of A). Also heard about Odessa Heads in Florida, but the BBB gives them an F rating.

Or send them to the local guy for about the same price $600 and hope that any cracks are fixable.

 

Don't bother attempting to fix cracks if you find some, unless you enjoy the idea of doing this job again in the near future.

 

I have bought a pair of cylinder heads from Odessa off of ebay in 2010 for the Econoline in my signature line with a 351w. The old ones had a burnt exhaust valve. The transaction was very smooth and the engine runs well all the way up to today.

>>>>>>>>>Action

 

So I'm almost certain that the heads are going to need machining. The tolerance is 0.003" over 6", and 0.006" over the whole length. I haven't finished scraping down the bottom of the head to measure, but in talking with the local machine shop its very rare that an aluminum head doesn't need machining. Since the #8 valve is bent, it's likely that the valve guide needs replacing as well. So with those two things in mind, I think I'm going to order two re-manufactured heads and put the truck back together.

 

As I'm thinking about remaned heads, anything else I should add to the list of replacing while I'm here..

Here is my list;
upper and lower radiator hoses (flushing radiator/cleaning)
water pump
new gaskets (duh)
timing chain?
timing tensioner?
belt
spark plugs/coils/wires are less than 200 miles.
head bolts
a few rounded bolts off the exhaust manifold
exhaust manifold?

I don't really want too/haven't considered pulling crankshaft/pistons,etc as that would take a lot longer and this is my wife's daily driver.

I've already replaced the EGR and associated parts tracking down a EGR code, so I think the intake is good.

It's got 144K on the motor, so I'm hoping to get other 100K now that I'm putting some money into the block... Any other suggestions?

 

Good you put new headbolts on the list, NEVER reuse headbolts.

I would suggest that you do include a set of new timing components, meaning chains, tensioners, guides and sprockets. The plastic guides has a habit of cracking and breaking off pieces that find their way into the oil pan, and then clogging up the pick up tube, so make sure they're complete when you remove them.

New bolts for the exhaust manifolds are a no-brainer, I'd say go with stainless steel studs so that they stand up to rust a bit better.

Aftermarket kit:

Ford OEM:

 

If you decide to re-use exhaust manifold check the mount surface for warpage.

>>>>>>>>Action

 

The plastic timing guides came off in one piece and I didn't notice any parts missing or chunks gone.

With and aluminum heads and stainless bolts, do I need to put a coating on the bolts with the dissimilar metals?

I'm looking for gaskets right now, and I've heard from a couple of home mechanics that aftermarket gaskets aren't as good as the Ford OEM ones.

Looking at prices from Napa and other online stores this seems to be the best price for all the timing parts. I looked up Cloyes and they have a lifetime warranty for replacement parts.

 

Yes, use an anti-sieze compound. I have some MC brand I bought for my spark plugs and that would work.

>>>>>>>>>Action

 

To follow up with this thread. Had the heads redone at the local machine shop for $300 a piece. On the recommendations from others I made sure to order Ford OEM gaskets for reassembly. Today I finally got the last bolt on, and fired the truck up. Turned over just fine, and I ran it for a few minutes. After I pulled the truck out of the garage to have it idle, I noticed a coolant leak. Shut it off, and tracked the coolant leak to the (oil?/transmission?) metal lines on the passenger side. One of them is leaking fluid at a pretty steady rate. Now I have to figure out how to replace the lines... But the truck was running for a few minutes and it sounded fine!

 

Way to go!!!!

>>>>>>>>>Action

 

I probably could have had the truck back together a lot sooner, but I delayed ordering parts until the heads were at the machine shop. Of course the gaskets were the last thing to arrive. I replaced the water pump, timing chain components, radiator as I figured I might as well since it was torn down to that level.

I worked on it for about 2-3 hours a night on and off, and maybe at most 4-5 hours on the weekend. I'm sure if I had pulled longer days it would gone faster, but family duties pulled me away.

 

I found my coolant leak today. The hose to the heater coil wasn't snapped in all the way, so when the engine was above idle it popped the little bit of seal that was in place. Once I got that reseated, I didn't have any coolant leakage. I did however get a P0135 & P1055 code that come up after I drove the truck for a while. Sounds like I fouled up the O2 sensors. Thankfully I haven't put the fender liners back in, so replacing both sides should be easy.

 

Sounds like you are on the home stretch now!

>>>>>>>>Action

 

So 500 miles after doing the head job my family took the truck for a camping trip. About halfway (less than 100 miles) we hit Snoqualmie pass (elevation 3000') about a mile from the top of the pass we started losing power. Speed dropped from 70 to 40 mph. Stopped at top of pass to check truck and found antifreeze sprayed under the hood. Limped 30 miles to the next town and noticed that we didn't really lose power above 2000 rpm. Had bil town us tow his house in spokane. Just checked compression in 1-3 and had no compression. Number 4 cylinder hasn't been checked yet but when I pulled the boot it had antifreeze on the boot. Cylinder 5 had 150 pounds when I tested that side. I'm thinking cracked block? Spark plugs on 1-3 look burnt. Could I have messed up the timing when I redid the heads a couple of months ago?