Head Gasket Trouble - Pull Engine

stang89bidges · Feb 24, 2015

You get pretty technical in your articles about these processes and I realize why you said to go over them more than once

However, I have read several of them now and for the most part I think I grasp the general ideas. But I may have a few specific questions regarding my specific components and definitely appreciate your help in answering them so quickly.

I certainly enjoyed your comments about your normal customers/majority not answering the correct questions and therefore not achieving the desired results. I can say that I am someone who always wants to do it right but don't know the right questions to ask in the first place. I certainly fall into that category in engine rebuilding. Guess it's all part of the learning process but man is it frustrating...

stang89bidges · Feb 26, 2015

So I need to finish my heads, and to do so I would like to hit the junkyard up this saturday morning to grab a couple of old valves to use when I go polishing up the combustion chamber. They only have 4cyl mustangs at the local u-pull but they have plenty of explorers, crown vic's, and thunderbirds the guy said. He mentioned while I was on the phone with him looking for valves that heads were $25 a piece, intakes were $20-$40 a pair(lower and upper), and valves were just a few bucks. For that friggin price, I am thinking I should look for another set of heads and intake and port those instead?

I'm thinking I have the experience with my own heads trying to port them, maybe I grab a set of explorer heads and intake for $140 and do a better job? You know, NOT hit the friggin CC with a burr!!

Here are my thoughts. I read that the 93-99 explorers had the GT40P heads and better lower and upper intakes. I'm also pretty sure I read these same years had a 65mm Throttle Body from factory as well.

I'm ok with finishing my heads and grabbing just an intake set and TB but if I find heads to boot I will probably buy them. At least I could ebay the stuff and spend the extra cash on my rebuild... Or pay myself back a little when I sell them.

Am I correct in my thinking? Years correct for the explorers? I never read about the other cars so I will have research those tonight.

RangerJoe · Feb 26, 2015

Explorers came with two different versions of the 5.0 head...the "3 bar" gt40's and the "4 bar" gt40p. The gt40p have smaller chambers, so more compression, and some think they flow a little better. The down side is that they require a specific header to clear the angled spark plugs, such as the frpp shorties.

Either will be a nice gain, and either really need new valve seals and springs before you install them. Having them cleaned and a valve job would be a good idea too, but now we are going to get into the "might as well get aluminum heads" debate.

Joe

mikestang63 · Feb 26, 2015

IMO if you spend more thatn $3-400 on a set of explorer gt40 or p heads, you are better off saving up for a set of AFR or TW heads that will outflow the Explorer heads and take 50lbs off the front of the car.

stang89bidges · Feb 26, 2015

Yeah if I have to spend $100 for a set of GT40P's and then $250 on springs and valves then never mind that idea. I may go for the TB and intake though. $40 for lower and upper intake sounds like a no brainer to me.

tmoss · Feb 26, 2015

that would be a great buy for $40-$60

stang89bidges · Feb 26, 2015

Well that's the plan then. Finish up my own heads this weekend and look for TB and Intake from explorer. Looks like I was wrong on the years too. 97-2001 I will be looking for the intakes.

89oem · Feb 27, 2015

Sounds like a solid plan!

stang89bidges · Mar 1, 2015

I'm gettin there. I have about 16 hours into these heads right now.

Before and After exhaust port

Intake an Exhaust

tmoss · Mar 2, 2015

lookin good...........

stang89bidges · Mar 2, 2015

Thank TMOSS, i'm getting there. Any ideas on how i can protect my valve seats without old valves? It wasn't worth it for me to pull the heads at junk yard.

stang89bidges · Mar 2, 2015

The money spending has begun.... :drink:

stang89bidges · Mar 2, 2015

There was a little plastic retainer on top of these:

It was around the valve stem holding it in. Do I need to replace those plastic retainers? I can't find them anywhere.....

tmoss · Mar 2, 2015

stang89bidges said:
Thank TMOSS, i'm getting there. Any ideas on how i can protect my valve seats without old valves? It wasn't worth it for me to pull the heads at junk yard.

you only need one of each, I'd find them and use them

Chuckman · Mar 3, 2015

stang89bidges said:
There was a little plastic retainer on top of these:

It was around the valve stem holding it in. Do I need to replace those plastic retainers? I can't find them anywhere.....

Those aren't retainers, they're valve stem seals. If you're upgrading springs, the tfs kit comes with new ones, or theyre available individually as well.

stang89bidges · Mar 3, 2015

Above the seals I show in my picture we're the little plastic washers that were around the valve stems. They were so brittle they all broke off during disassembly.

Those little plastic washers were what I was asking about.

stang89bidges · Mar 7, 2015

Can I grind the valve guide bosses all the way down to the roof in both exhaust and intake ports?

stang89bidges · Mar 8, 2015

Never mind, i didn't do it, read more of writeup and realized what tmoss meant about teardroping the intake valve boss. Can't be flat to teardrop

stang89bidges · Mar 10, 2015

Brown truck.

stang89bidges · Mar 11, 2015

Another brown truck.

Head Gasket Trouble - Pull Engine

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