Are the fel-pro's no good? That's what I got, seemed by a quick search they were more recommend than Clevite. But have no idea, got the whole top end kit for 108$ delivered from advance.

That's awesome to know they'll push to 120 and still have more room to go. Yeah, I picked up a 7/16 12p 1/2 socket specifically for this job, and even then, at times, I thought my braker might brake off.

I decked one block surface today with a new, straight flat knife sharpening wet stone. Got it good n flat'n straight. Got the passenger side head off, both are now in the barrow waiting for some TLC.

I found the most obnoxious little bolt holding the dipstick tube to the head, couldn't see it till it was inches off the block and binding up. Finally was able to get it off of there, but bent the ds tube a little. Should be fine though, really annoying placement for a little hidden bolt.

 

Oh, also there are some little trapezoid looking plug things, I haven't compared to what I pulled yet, but I think they go in the corner, are these to be used for the 6.9 yah or nay?

 

nothing wrong with Felpro

some folks however are very **** about using OEM and in this case I think it would be IH gaskets and not Motorcraft but probably same difference.

the deal is some gaskets are thinner than others and when you going for the max Compression the thinner the better but the Pistons do stick up above the deck by 0.10 to 0.30 so that is what that is all about.

 

Whew, okay thanks, now I can sleep tonight.

 

I did an edit while you posted to add more info

 

I think decking all surfaces smooth, might bump compression slightly, probably not by any noticeable amount, but, never know. surely compression on 8 cylinders, instead of the 6 It was pushing is a good start.

 

straight edge on them heads to make sure they be Flat

 

$ure thing, but.. I have the midas touch, 10y paint an body, I block smooth as glass by hand, all the time, every time..

 

I've decked a few blocks with a Glass Bar and fine emery and done same to heads in my day

it pisses off the machinists as they don't get paid when ya do it yourself

 

and BTW FORD says if out of spec the block or heads must be replaced and cannot be machined <<=== FORD's words not mine

 

I bet it does, I really wouldn't have been comfortable just a cleaning and laying down a fresh gasket. but I dk, maybe a jagged surface would've held er down so don't get ta slidin' round.

 

Yea FORD, I'll just replace that block and both heads while I'm in here. Keeping the pushrods thou

 

good read on Head Gaskets and they mostly talking Felpro https://www.motor.com/wp-content/upl...y082002_07.pdf

 

I remember back in the days when we used to dig into a can of Aluminum Paint and smear that on the gasket for a good seal ... nice heat transfer too on them old Kaiser engines

 

The fel pros are fine, personally I just don't trust them to run higher boost and I think they'd blow out easier than the oem multi layered steel gaskets.

The little pieces go in the gasket, that was the part that was updated as the factory gaskets did have to be revised.

The sharpening block is a great old school trick for cleaning everything up.

The reason Ford wants the block/heads changed is because of how tight the Piston/valve interface is, if you deck the heads or block more than the felpro can compensate for then the Pistons could contact the valves. Iirc they had aftermarket Pistons with offset wristpin holes to make up for this difference. They ain't cheap though, Pistons in general ain't cheap.

Sounds like you're making great progress, keep it up