So my running rich issue has turned into a "might as well while I'm in there" kind of thing and I am in the process of replacing the head with my ported, big valve, BoPort 1.5 cam, new springs set up. Got the original head off yesterday and started cleaning all of the parts to reinstall. While doing the lower intake I looked in the coolant passage and was shocked at how much crud was in there, at least 2" of solid crud! Back 4 years ago when I first got the car I disconnected the coolant hose off the lower and ran a scribe up it to clean it out. I thought I did as some water flowed out, but never really knew how clean it was. Well, it wasn't as it took some serious scraping and chipping to get it cleaned out. I also removed the hose nipple to clean that out with a drill bit as it was corroded down to about half the original diameter. Going to put it in the blast cabinet and give it a final cleaning to put it back together. I know this is way overboard for troubleshooting, but the head swap was on my to do list for the year, so might as well if I was going to drain the coolant and pull the throttle body to change the ECT. I also ordered a new ECT and ACT to go in the intake. I tell you what though, that heavy head with the intake attached and the cam still in it is a bear to remove from the engine bay! It's going to be a challenge to place the new head on the block nice and gentile with the new headgasket. So, those that think they have a clean coolant passage in the intake, I doubt you do.
Those heads have more weight on them then what you would expect but still aren't as bad as pulling cast iron big block manifolds. Thankfully most of the stuff I work on now is aluminum but once in a while we get something with a cast iron manifold still on it and I just go get the engine hoist.
Your set up sounds a lot like what I want to put on mine so I'll be following along to see how you like it. I'm leaning towards a 2.1 or 2.5 cam, haven't decided yet. I've got a spare motor I'm going to build and then just swap the whole thing, at least that's my plan anyway. I'm going to have to build a flow bench too.
For sure, I pulled one FE cast iron 4bbl off a 65 Galaxie one time, not an enjoyable job. I looked at the 2.1 but I didn't want to do the extra machining on my head, but from what I have read over on turboford, the 2.1 is an excellent street cam. I still have to do the Pimp install with the 60lb injectors, but I at least wanted to get the head on a running car first, then make the swap later.
The last time I had to pull a head I left the intake and exhaust and turbo on it and just used a cherry picker to lift the whole thing.
steve
Ugh, I don't envy you picking that head up. I had a friend helping me both taking it off and on.
I did find it easier to put the head on using ARP studs as a guide. Also, I removed the head with the exhaust and turbo connected but not the intake too.
I got the head back on today. I attached the lower intake first to make it easier. It went on fine, but it is heavy. Made all of the final hookups tonight, but waiting on my new ECT and ACT to install before I give it a test run. Hope to have them here tomorrow. I also set the Boport 1.5 cam at 2 degrees advanced on my Motorsports cam gear to get a little more bottom end and I also went through my full runner upper and lower with some sanding rolls and a cutter to smooth out the air flow path. One thing that I probably should have changed is the two water hoses that connect to the oil cooler, it was easy to see and get to while the head was off, watch, they will probably start leaking now that it is all together again.
(09-18-2021, 12:51 AM)Kuch Wrote: [ -> ]I got the head back on today. I attached the lower intake first to make it easier. It went on fine, but it is heavy. Made all of the final hookups tonight, but waiting on my new ECT and ACT to install before I give it a test run. Hope to have them here tomorrow. I also set the Boport 1.5 cam at 2 degrees advanced on my Motorsports cam gear to get a little more bottom end and I also went through my full runner upper and lower with some sanding rolls and a cutter to smooth out the air flow path. One thing that I probably should have changed is the two water hoses that connect to the oil cooler, it was easy to see and get to while the head was off, watch, they will probably start leaking now that it is all together again.
Yeah when I replaced my head gasket almost 10 years ago I changed out all those hidden hoses. Next to impossible to get at those otherwise, as I learned the next time I did it, about 5 years ago.