Just bought new AFR 185 heads what a night mare!!

rd · Sep 4, 2004

I would be very happy to take a set of unwanted AFR 185 or 205's off of someone's hands if they are unhappy with them. You would have to ask me extra nice if the bolt holes were different sizes, but I probably would still do it. I would probably at least split the shipping cost!

Better yet, lets continue bashing them, and the price will go down on ebay!

Still at the top of my list!

04sleeper · Sep 4, 2004

5.0 HOtrain said:
The only thing I was dissapointed about the the AFR was the amount of material left for the vavle cover area. I couldnt run the good ford steel/rubber gaskets, had to run some cork ones.

Really? Has anyone else had this problem with these heads? I was planning on buying some 165's in the near future and I don't like running anything but the Ford steel/rubber gaskets. I hope this is not true. I have used the 185's in the past and never had any problems?

eighty8 · Sep 4, 2004

Sorry kinda long again...

Boy did I start a mess. Wanted everyone to know that I called Jason at AFR and worked out the problem. Everyone should call him and not the other guy (not going to say names). Jason explained that AFR will take back the heads that I have just because the the head stud holes are two different sizes. I opted to keep them and use the ARP reducer spacers that I bought.

The two different part numbers that are on the heads were expalined in a prior post from Jason.

I wasn't aware of the header bolt problem. I thought that the 1" ARP header bolt would work on the AFR heads. I had problems with the 3/4 in header bolts that came with my BBK headers. The flange is 3/16 thick and the bolts were always loose after a road trip. Always had to tighten, just would not stay in. I found that they were only going in a few turns. So I bought the 1" ARP bolts from Summit. Now, I will be taking them out and grinding them down a bit so I don't have to use the washers.

I still am unsatisfied with the rocker studs that come with AFR heads. The length is not right at all. The rocker nut only tightens about 3 turns until it won't tighten anymore. Its just not long enough! Jason gave me the part number for the ARP studs, that I will get soon. I still don't understand why AFR doesn't include a quality ARP fastenter with their quality head. Who knows keep price down? The chevy guys get the ARP rocker studs with their purchase of the AFR heads, Jason's co-worker at AFR told me that.

The summery for this post is call Jason at AFR he will take care of you... If you get another person hang up and call back later or take your chances. I bought my heads from a good retailer that gave me free shipping and are super good to work with. D&D Motorspots out of CA. I re-read the article in MM&FF last night about the camparison on the 185 heads I am excited to get this project done and get back on the road. Getting a dyno tune next month maybe I will be back with a new post.

Ozrunner · Aug 23, 2007

04sleeper said:
Really? Has anyone else had this problem with these heads? I was planning on buying some 165's in the near future and I don't like running anything but the Ford steel/rubber gaskets. I hope this is not true. I have used the 185's in the past and never had any problems?

I am in Australia and purchased a set of 185's and yep this is a problem. There is not enough surface area where the gasket sits to be able to use the Ford steel/rubber gasket.

Initially, I thought I had screwed the crank seal install as oil was leaking from that area. I was kicking myself but luckily before removing the trans (4WD) I found that oil was getting past this gasket as the rubber section overlapped the head lip etc and it was running down the rear of the engine.

Peeded me off a bit as these gaskets are awesome and it maybe something AFR can address in the future with a tad more casting in this area, however I have since found some excellent neoprene type gaskets that are also reuseable and fully seal so it's no longer an issue.

It would be nice if the exhaust ports were drilled for wider spaced header bolts as well

But I am more than happy with these heads as they make great power.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~ozrunner/graphics/M103.JPG

http://members.iinet.net.au/~ozrunner/graphics/M98.JPG

Smokedawg · Aug 23, 2007

Holy thread revival

fastford91 · Aug 23, 2007

5spd GT · Aug 23, 2007

Old thread

I could count all the bad things about these heads I have read over the years I have known about them, on one hand...

Edelbrock are very nice as well.

In other words, that is great news for AFR guys

A few of the issues he said he had problems with was his own fault - 1.) Getting the incorrect header bolt length. 2.) Not understanding the shallowness of the locks.

The heads were in great shape, just a head of each got throw in together by mistake. I've seen worse...

eighty8 · Aug 23, 2007

Smokedawg said:
Holy thread revival

Yeah thats what i thought when I stumbled across it. Wow

JDS95GT · Apr 20, 2014

Okay, many years have passed. I want AFR heads. Am I gonna have these problems and does Jason still work for AFR?

MikeH686 · Apr 20, 2014

Dafuq????

madspeed · Apr 20, 2014

holy thread bump.... again

2000xp8 · Apr 20, 2014

No win situation here, you do a search and revive and old topic, people mock you or get sarcastic, you don't search and make your own post, people mach you and get sarcastic.

It's not like in his post he didn't alert us to this being an old post.

As for the heads, AFR's for ford engines have come a long way since the early 2000's, so i wouldn't worry.

Just bought new AFR 185 heads what a night mare!!

rd

04sleeper

eighty8

Member

Ozrunner

Member

Smokedawg

fastford91

New Member

5spd GT

"the 5.0 owns all"

eighty8

Member

JDS95GT

MikeH686

Mine is only two inches though.

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

2000xp8

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Just bought new AFR 185 heads what a night mare!!

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"the 5.0 owns all"

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Mine is only two inches though.

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