Owned. Heads lifted. Pics inside. :)

[Stanger007]

Went to the dragstrip again today looking for some better times but didn't quite get what I expected.

First pass was an anemic 12.6, felt like the car laid down up top. I was beside a LOUD drag car so I didn't hear much of mine. Temp gauge was on the "OR" where it is usually "NO". Looked at the datalog after but all was good. Attributed the temp gauge to the 80deg weather.

After that I ran another 12.6 then a 12.49. After the third run I popped the hood and saw my overflow bottle was not at the level I left it at.

My wideband took a crap on me so I didn't know what I was running in the datalogs (all else looks good). Timing was 21 working down to 19 up in the RPMs. Commanded AFR was 11.7. Previous runs showed the AFR floating between 11.6 and 11.8 throughout the runs.

Sam and I busted it down to the block in a little under three hours. (Thanks Sam!)

Tomorrow I'll put on the heads, intake and longtubes I've had sitting around waiting on this day. I had already bought the head gaskets etc etc in preparation.

It looks like these are the original head gaskets and valve cover gasket. I highly doubt the valvecover gaskets were ever off the car in all 137,600 miles of its life.

Here is a pic of the front and back of the head gaskets: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wesratcliff/sets/72157603360816671/

Wes

 

[final5-0]

Sorry to see that kind of thing happen to ya my friend

Then again

Peeps who move over to a pa ............

They gotta expect to get the opportunity to change hg's a time or two

Hope it all goes back together with no issues what so ever

Grady

 

[sage2k]

It was fun taking it apart Im glad I could be helpful

 

[Stanger007]

I kept pushing the envelope to see how far I could take it -- guess I found the limit. It was just a matter of time before the stock stuff said "no way". :-D

Looking for some mid 11s after it's all back together.

Wes

 

[The Green GT]

Thats just Gods way of telling you "Dont let go fast parts sit and collect dust."



Wish I could have made it, but finals are crucial.

 

[HISSIN50]

Wes, I'm sorry to hear about this buddy. Like Eric said (and you and I discussed some time ago), this gives you an excuse to put those nice parts on.

You put down some impressive times and performance without ever having had that motor apart.

That nice big TB was the cause.

Best of luck with getting it all square. Knowing you, it'll take a day at the most.

 

[Pokageek]

Sorry to hear that but at least they weren't stolen! By te title I thought someone stole yer heads at first.

 

[Stanger007]

I'm looking forward to having the heads and ported intake on. I also need to put on my external fuel pump to keep up with the extra fuel needed.

The longtubes look like they are going to be a pain (again). Even with the heads off. I messed around with them a bit and they are getting hung up somewhere. I may just pull out the engine hoist and pick the engine up a bit to make them a drop in affair. Dang automatic.

Wes

 

[Guero]

Man That sucks!!! I remember when I blew my head gasket....A week later I ordered TWS Heads lol!!!

 

[go-stang5.0]

Maybe its time to get some new heads Wes...11's for sure. Sorry to hear about it, but it sounds like you were expecting it. I guess its better than not expecting it.

I'm glad my kinda racing doesnt involve getting every last bit of hp out of the car.

 

[dartvader]

The longtubes look like they are going to be a pain (again). Even with the heads off. I messed around with them a bit and they are getting hung up somewhere. I may just pull out the engine hoist and pick the engine up a bit to make them a drop in affair. Dang automatic.

Wes

that is exactly what I did, I have the mac longtubes

time to get faster parts

good luck........

 

[Mustangless]

hmmm, Innovate wideband not working

Was this still with 13ish psi?

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Repeat after me, ARP studs.

You know you cursed yourself when you told me you had a feeling you were going to break something. Of course you were worried about an axle...

 

[final5-0]

Repeat after me, ARP studs.

You know you cursed yourself when you told me you had a feeling you were going to break something. Of course you were worried about an axle...

You know Matt

I've always heard you can obtain more clamping force with the studs

Another thing I've seen the power adder boys say about OEM iron heads
is they have thin decks compared to aftermarket heads like Wes is fixin
to go to. They say the thicker decks help with the flexing and lifting.

Seems like a move to studs and thicker decks could make a substantial
improvement.

I was wondering
Since I have no experience with stud fasteners

Any draw backs or compromises to using them ???

Grady

 

[divit250r]

I was wondering
Since I have no experience with stud fasteners

Any draw backs or compromises to using them ???

Grady

I think the biggest thing would be that I doubt you could swap the heads in the car, since the studs are so long on the upper holes. Anybody else think so, or am I full of ?

Scott

 

[final5-0]

I think the biggest thing would be that I doubt you could swap the heads in the car, since the studs are so long on the upper holes. Anybody else think so, or am I full of ?

Scott

Good point here Scott and I have thought the same as well

I have always thought you could just take the stud out if you could not
lift the heads over the studs

Grady

 

[94gsl5.0]

You can change heads in the car with studs on a 5.0 block. The driver side head is a bit harder than the passenger due to the power brake booster but it is doable. Helps to have a friend to lift the head over the studs.

 

[cbarr300]

I couldn't take my heads off with the studs on...if I had kept trying I prolly could have got it...but I wouldn't scored the surface of the heads prolly

it really isn't much taking them out though.

The studs give you more clamping force and more consistent torque loading ...and you can re-use them. It could save some money if you have to re-do heads.

 

[Stanger007]

Repeat after me, ARP studs.

You know you cursed yourself when you told me you had a feeling you were going to break something. Of course you were worried about an axle...

Ha yeah I had the feeling. My wideband being on the fritz did me in.

Here's some head gasket carnage for ya'll:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wesratcliff/2082486734/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wesratcliff/2081701859/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wesratcliff/2082486260/

I've got the heads on now. Spent most of the day messing with the longtubes, they are a new (to me) set that I am putting on and they are slightly tweaked on both sides so it is a pain in the butt.

Pushrods should be in today -- needed 6.500 for the Track Heat heads, stock lifters and stock cam.

I'm going back with ARP head bolts, I would rather blow the gasket than change out pistons, block etc. If I am getting enough cylinder pressure to stretch bolts, I want the gasket to be the first to go.

Also using the FelPro 8548-PT2 gasket for the same reason. You can't beat the price on these gaskets either.

Properly (safely) tuned the ARPs and PT2s will hold a good deal more power than I am putting down with the car. I was pushing the spark on the combo and also have a feeling I could have went lean but have no way to prove it w/ the broken wideband. It was in the 80s at the track as well with little cool down between runs.

Wes

 

[Stanger007]

Video Time!

Hey whadda ya know, the car is back together. I'm waiting on an intake spacer to arrive from Summit then I will fire the car up with the new heads/intake/longtubes.

I found that my fuel pressure regulator vacuum line had a hole busted in it. This may be the culprit, but my wideband was out so I'll never know.

In the meantime here are some videos for your laughing pleasure:

Run 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdQGmZkWOmI
This is where I lost the headgasket. The other car ran a 11.8 off a red light.

Run 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSPBDS1V8B4
This one is just plain sad. That other car was WICKED and I got spanked something fierce.

Run 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B44ZlybJ2tk
After this one I knew three runs in a row with the car laying down at the topend was too much of a coincidence... popped the hood and saw the overflow bottle full.

Wes