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Old Jan 13, 2003 | 10:31 PM
  #1  
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cylinder heads

Guys
I need a little help here from the experts. On closer inspection of my heads that were rebuilt (C6AE-H castings), I noticed that all of the intake valves sit at least 3/16 of an inch higher than all of the exhausts. Mind you, this is looking sideways at the valve springs. Is this normal?? I compared this 'new' head to a well worn set and I noticed that all of the valves in the old head were pretty much even in height. I never saw where all the intakes are a lil higher than that of the exhausts! Would valve seat recession cause the valves in the old head to all be even in height? Did the machine shop screw up??
Thanks
Regards
Ben
 
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Old Jan 14, 2003 | 01:37 AM
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cylinder heads

Yes they did a poor job. When you cut the valve seat and regrind the valve it is going to set further up in the head. This is okay but you have to cut the stem back down so your clearance is right. Take it back and tell him you wanted a head that you could use with your existing parts.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2003 | 09:12 AM
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cylinder heads

Yep, yer shop goofed. You should be able to lay a straight edge across the tops of all those valves and they should be within .005" of the target installed height, in my opinion.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2003 | 09:38 AM
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well
I just pulled out a few valves to see what the heck they did. Turns out that they ground down the intake seats and replaced all the exhaust seats. They also replaced all the valves with new ones and they resized the guides. the grinding of the seats apparently accounts for the installed height difference. Am i going to have any trouble if i install them as is??
thanks
Ben
 
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Old Jan 14, 2003 | 10:50 AM
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William
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cylinder heads

All true and I'd take them back. You could have a local shop correct these minor problems. The installed height of the intake valves will change spring pressure (look for shims), and the tips should have been ground to correct the valve stem height. Adjustable rockers would help but unless you want them they just add to the cost. "Take'em back"
William in Atlanta
 
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Old Jan 14, 2003 | 10:13 PM
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3/16ths ! take them back and get demand a refund ! Don't let them keep you cylinder heads, some folks find the C6 heads valuable. But it sounds as if the shop screwed up your heads big time. No, you can't run them like they are, and yes, the valvestems are all supposed to be in a line. Tell us who did this to you and we will know who to avaid ! DF
 
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Old Jan 14, 2003 | 10:31 PM
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cylinder heads

Guys
I told my dad that I wanted to take the heads back and he told me that they looked OK and to just install them. His rationale was that they are covered by a 1 yr warranty and not to worry about it. So, I put them on since I cant afford to tie this truck up anymore. So I ask, what is the worst that can possibly happen? When I removed those 2 valves, it looked as if they were re-worked. The way I see it, they have to be better than what came off of it. Besides, these heads were shipped in from N carolina from an outfit called Moores Cylinder Heads. I called all the locals around here and i was getting quotes around $400 to rebuild my existing ones IF parts could be had! Whyh is it that no one wants to bother with FE parts?
regards
Ben
 
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Old Jan 14, 2003 | 10:40 PM
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There are a lot of shops that are run by guys that are too young to even know what an FE is. The FE was last in light trucks in 76, was also in some 1 tons till 79. Some of the machinists out there weren't even born yet. Apparently some of these kids don't know where to look to get the right stuff. It is very available, ya just gotta know who to ask. Just don't ask why the dinosaur remembers all of this stuff, he doesn't like to be reminded of how old he is !!
 
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Old Jan 14, 2003 | 10:44 PM
  #9  
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How old are ya
hmm on 2nd thought, the name says it all JUST KIDDING! hey, thanks for your help.
regards
Ben
 
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Old Jan 16, 2003 | 10:04 AM
  #10  
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cylinder heads

Ben, I am glad you still have your sense of humor. I am concerned that you will lose it when you fire this engine. Intake valves that far in the head will not close after the lifters pump up and you will not have any compression. Put a straight edge across the valve stems and measure the difference between the tops of the intake and exhaust valves. Post back and let us know.
William in Atlanta

 
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Old Jan 16, 2003 | 06:09 PM
  #11  
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William I did as you suggested and these are the closest measurements that I can get--im reading 1/8 inch difference between the intakes and the exhaust. It just perplexes me why they replaced the seats on the exhaust side and just ground down the intake seats. Is this a common practice or was the machinist just smoking crack that day
thanks for helping me out!
regards
Ben
 
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Old Jan 16, 2003 | 10:12 PM
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Replacing the seats only on the exhaust is common, but the valve stems are supposed to be even in height all the way across. Yeah, I think your machinist was smoking crack. Take those heads back and demand a refund. They are done wrong. Stem height should be within .010, at the very most. DF
 
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Old Jan 17, 2003 | 03:08 AM
  #13  
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Replacing the seats is done because of the erosion with unleaded gas. That part is fine. With the intakes, even if the lifters will compensate for the increased height, the valve train geometry will be off and there will be more side pressure on the valve stems. Might run fine for a while but when the guides wear out, watch out.
Just my $.02
Greg

'77 F-250 Camper Special 400ci driver
'76 F-250 Supercab 360ci current project
'71 Mach I 429CJ in storage
'79 F-150 for parts
huct on foniks wurkt fer me
 
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Old Jan 17, 2003 | 05:49 AM
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