Hi. Long time member and reader but seldom poster. I am rebuilding the 8BA in my 49 F1. Someone gave me a set of used Fenton aluminum heads and I intended to put them on until I read Frank Oddo’s FORD FLATHEAD V-8 BUILDER’S HANDBOOK 1932-1953. The writer said to stay away from using all used “swap meet” aluminum heads. He said there is no way of knowing how many times they have been overheated in the past. “Aluminum starts to lose its anneal (strength hardening) at 500F. These heads will simply not hold the torque and will seep.” Anyone have an opinion on this?

 

I'm no expert, but another thing to look at is you may not know how many times the heads have been surfaced. if using them make sure the check valve lift so you don't have valves contacting the head.

I also had a set of used fenton heads and the aluminum was very corroded in the water passages as well. they ended up not being used and sold at a swap meet, have we met?

 

Ask over at the HAMB, some old crotchety "hates anything but a 32 ford" will give an answer.

 

Price was right...nothing to lose if you take the heads to a machine shop and have them checked/decked. As jmadsen notes...aluminum does corrode but that condition is easily detected by a visual exam. If you like the heads, go for it.

 

Are the heads the older, 59-series type with the center water outlets? or for an 8BA?

Corrosion on the gasket surfaces and in the stud holes is another thing to watch for.

 

Also check the spark plug threads closely for condition issues.

 

Thanks for all the input. It is an 8BA. I'll take it to a machine shop. Will a machine shop be able to tell if it has been overheated/lost strength and therefore has a torque issue.

 

From a websearch: "Precipitation hardening is done at 320°F for 18 hours and air cool, followed by 350°F for 8 hours and air cooled. Annealing should be done at 775°F for at 2 to 3 hours at temperature, followed by controlled cooling at 50°F per hour down to 500°F then air cooled."

I can't imagine a flathead getting hot enough to anneal its heads. I have never heard of it.

 

With the use of aluminum being as common as it is today, even in ultra high performance engines, I would think were there a real problem it would have manifested itself long ago.

 

I picked up a set of Evans aluminum heads and am running them on the '49 Merc engine in my '50 F1. I had most of the spark plug threads replaced with threadserts, had both surfaced and the combustion chambers clayed and most recently had to helicoil the hole for the dizzy hold down bolt. I do have leaks through the threads for the water necks which I'm going to Teflon tape. When running vintage parts its always a challenge to get all the quirks worked out. I only gave $100 for the heads, an Offy three pot manifold with Stromberg 97's and some other misc. parts so I'm still money ahead.

 

That was a smokin' deal, no question. But to the OP, you have to include the cost of a complete stud and nut set (perhaps a special length for those heads). They aren't cheap. Even if you stick with bolts, the stock bolts may not be the correct length. It's the usual slippery slope!

 

Awesome deal on those heads!
For the water neck bolt leaks try some permatex #2, it is a non hardening gasket sealer that works great on threads. I use it all the time.

 

Thanks! I'll give that a shot.

 

FOR SALE FORD FLATHEAD V-8 +