Head experts, I NEED to know if I can make this work.

stangboy

Founding Member

Aug 31, 1999

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New Orleans, LA

Mar 19, 2004

#1

• Mar 19, 2004

• #1

Hey guys. There's a slight change in the heads I'm getting. Instead of the AFR 165s w/ 58cc chambers I'm getting the 185s w/ 61cc chambers. I know everybody says that you can't put heads with 2.02 valves on stock pistons because you'll have p/v clearance issues. But is that so if I use my stock cam or is there NO WAY possible that I can put them on my stock shortblock? The reason I'm going with the 185s is because I'm planning on building/buying a 331 in the near future and I don't want to have to sell my 165s so I can get the 185s for the 331. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell me that there is a way I can put these heads on my stock shortblock without p/v clearance issues. I wouldn't mind running my stock cam if it means I can put the 185s on the car.

Tell me something good, guys.

 

95snoozer

Active Member

Dec 14, 2002

2,572

1

48

RCR

Mar 19, 2004

#2

• Mar 19, 2004

• #2

you can do it with stock cam

3 friends have done it

he eventually bought a 347 bottom end and was going the same order you did

 

mto502

Founding Member

Sep 18, 2002

357

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0

Ancaster, Ontario

Mar 19, 2004

#3

• Mar 19, 2004

• #3

Yep, I wouldn't want to take the chance of ruining new valves without flycutting. I was there, and had to do the flycutting route as well. Flycutting isn't expensive.

 

Joes95GT

New Member

Jan 23, 2003

3,132

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0

Delaware

Mar 19, 2004

#4

• Mar 19, 2004

• #4

95snoozer said:

you can do it with stock cam

3 friends have done it

he eventually bought a 347 bottom end and was going the same order you did

Click to expand...

As Snoozer said, yes you can put 185's on the stock bottom end with the stock cam. However, from what I've heard you have less than fifty-thousandths (0.050") clearance, which is less than recommended. Just make sure to check PTV before bolting them down. A thicker head gasket would always be a help.

Joe

 

stangboy

Founding Member

Aug 31, 1999

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New Orleans, LA

Mar 19, 2004

#5

• Mar 19, 2004

• #5

Joes95GT said:

As Snoozer said, yes you can put 185's on the stock bottom end with the stock cam. However, from what I've heard you have less than fifty-thousandths (0.050") clearance, which is less than recommended. Just make sure to check PTV before bolting them down. A thicker head gasket would always be a help.

Joe

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm definately gonna get thicker head gaskets to play it safe. Where can I get thicker head gaskets and what thickness do I need?

 

mytight95

Active Member

Apr 11, 2003

2,605

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Dothan,Al

Mar 19, 2004

#6

• Mar 19, 2004

• #6

summit sells a copper gasket set, and i believe that it is availible in different compressed thicknesses

jason

p.s. plus they're reusable

 

Joes95GT

New Member

Jan 23, 2003

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Delaware

Mar 19, 2004

#7

• Mar 19, 2004

• #7

Most Ford headgaskets are somewhere in the range of .039-.043" thick. I would try to find something closer to the .043" side, if not slightly bigger.

Joe

 

9

94DreamGT

Founding Member

Jul 19, 2000

593

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Indiana

Mar 19, 2004

#8

• Mar 19, 2004

• #8

Since you're going to be getting a new 331 rotating assembly anyways...if you want to run the 185's on with the stock pistons, you might want to do a little research on notching the pistons with a special tool. I've heard they're pretty cheap, Isky makes one. This would be a temporary fix.

 

Joes95GT

New Member

Jan 23, 2003

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Delaware

Mar 19, 2004

#9

• Mar 19, 2004

• #9

94DreamGT said:

Since you're going to be getting a new 331 rotating assembly anyways...if you want to run the 185's on with the stock pistons, you might want to do a little research on notching the pistons with a special tool. I've heard they're pretty cheap, Isky makes one. This would be a temporary fix.

Click to expand...

Or you could be ghetto and use a Dremel. A guy down the race track used a Dremel to run Vic. Jr's and a .570" lift cam on the stock shortblock.

Joe

 

stangboy

Founding Member

Aug 31, 1999

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New Orleans, LA

Mar 22, 2004

#10

• Mar 22, 2004

• #10

Well, I think I'm just gonna get the thicker head gaskets because I really don't feel like flycutting the pistons or using a dremel.

mytight95, do you have any idea how much that copper gasket from Summit costs? Who makes it, FelPro?

Anybody have any idea how much hp/tq I'll be missing out on using the stock cam compared to if i was able to use a bigger/better than stock cam? Can I expect to be at or above the 300hp mark or am I getting too excited? Here's all the stuff I'm putting on the car in addition to what is already on the car:

AFR 185s
Edelbrock Performer 5.0 intake
70mm TB
Mac 1 3/4" longtubes w/ 2 1/2" x-pipe
smog pump delete pulley
EGR delete(maybe)

The rest of my mods are in my sig.

 

GTJake

Founding Member

Oct 28, 2002

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56

Ann Arbor, MI

Mar 22, 2004

#11

• Mar 22, 2004

• #11

I wouldn't expect 300 rwhp. The car is going to be pretty sluggish down low, epsecially with the 1 3/4 long tubes. If the 331 is coming up real soon I would just hold off on installing everything until you get the new motor. A guy in my area installed 185 on his 93 Cobra (lighter car probably) and said he was really disappointed in the results (real lack luster low end).

Jake

 

stangboy

Founding Member

Aug 31, 1999

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New Orleans, LA

Mar 22, 2004

#12

• Mar 22, 2004

• #12

Maybe I'll hold off on the longtubes then. Or just get some 1 5/8" shorties real cheap.....yeah right, huh?

More opinions are welcomed guys.

 

stangboy

Founding Member

Aug 31, 1999

3,932

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194

New Orleans, LA

Mar 26, 2004

#13

• Mar 26, 2004

• #13

Joes95GT said:

Most Ford headgaskets are somewhere in the range of .039-.043" thick. I would try to find something closer to the .043" side, if not slightly bigger.

Joe

Click to expand...

Mr. Gasket makes a Silicor Head gasket with a compressed thickness of .042". Do you think that will be enough? I found the copper gasketson Summit's website but I don't know what the compressed thickness is. The Silicor gaskets cost $55 at Jegs and the Copper gaskets costs like $70 at Summit. I'm thinking I might get the Silicor gaskets. What do you guys think?

 

M

MadHandle8169

Founding Member

May 5, 2002

432

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Brick, NJ

Mar 26, 2004

#14

• Mar 26, 2004

• #14

My Girlfriend does great work on my head let me ask her!






J/K



Sorry I saw the title and just had to.

 

yellow5.0cobra

Founding Member

Jul 25, 2002

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0

In the garage, On the floor.

Mar 27, 2004

#15

• Mar 27, 2004

• #15

2.02 valves are FINE...

I ran a .544/.544 lift cam, no problems. Also had ROL standard GRAPHITE head gaskets.

Dont sweat it.

 

stangboy

Founding Member

Aug 31, 1999

3,932

469

194

New Orleans, LA

Mar 29, 2004

#16

• Mar 29, 2004

• #16

yellow5.0cobra said:

2.02 valves are FINE...

I ran a .544/.544 lift cam, no problems. Also had ROL standard GRAPHITE head gaskets.

Dont sweat it.

Click to expand...

Damn, thats a lot of lift to be running 2.02 valves on stock pistons. What heads did you have, Trickflow? Its a different situation with Trickflow heads.