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11-16-2014, 05:24 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Blanchester, Ohio
Posts: 109
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Head Problems - What's the Problem
Why is there so many problems with the cylinder head on an A. Is it an engineering/design problem that there are so many issues when dealing with the A's heads and gaskets. Seems that this should be one of the simplest item to install without problems - 2 flat surfaces bolted together. But there are constant conversations about the right gasket, tips, tricks & torquing techniques to prevent problems. As a fairly new, first time owner (4 years) I dread the day I will have to put a wrench to my stock engine. Have rebuilt several engines over the years (V8's) and never had a problem with a head or gasket. Just curious.
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11-16-2014, 05:26 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Posts: 11,508
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Re: Head Problems - What's the Problem
The biggest reason is Ford's engineers failed to use enough head studs!
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11-16-2014, 05:40 PM | #3 |
BANNED
Join Date: May 2012
Location: inside your RAM
Posts: 3,134
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Re: Head Problems - What's the Problem
Bingo. And an R1 or R2 7013 head gasket can no longer be found
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'31 180A |
11-16-2014, 05:54 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Hendersonville TN
Posts: 180
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Re: Head Problems - What's the Problem
Brent is right, if you think about it, the bore of our A's is almost 4" and 202 cu.in's while the next engine Ford designed the 221 cu.in. V8 had a bore of a little bigger than 3''s. The engineers added 50% more head bolts, up'd the compression a little and with a 50% increase in head bolts it still wasn't enough. The engineers added another 3 more head bolts before their creation stopped blowing head gaskets on a regular basis. The guys running at the lakes and Bonneville with their flathead Model A/B engines, add additional bosses to the block along with o-ringing the block and sometimes the head with steel O-rings to keep a head gasket from blowing during a pass.
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Steve - Santa Rosa |
11-16-2014, 07:43 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: NC
Posts: 2,975
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Re: Head Problems - What's the Problem
Not enough bolts for that thin of a head. If the head was a over head like modern engines the gaskets would hold better. A thicker head would not give between the bolts as much.
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11-17-2014, 11:17 AM | #6 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Western MT
Posts: 218
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Re: Head Problems - What's the Problem
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Mark in MT Always looking for another opportunity to be wrong. |
11-17-2014, 12:48 PM | #7 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 397
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Re: Head Problems - What's the Problem
Just use good shop practice and a good quality gasket such as a Best 509c or a Best 509g. Put it together with a thin film of a copper coating gasket sealer. Follow proper torquing sequence just as you when working on your other engines. Most of the problems you read about are not the norm. We don't see any posts about the all of the successful head gasket installations.
Last edited by just plain bill; 11-17-2014 at 12:55 PM. |
11-17-2014, 09:01 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Camino, CA.
Posts: 3,086
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Re: Head Problems - What's the Problem
I always use a copper gasket with a liberal coat of spray Copper coat. I warm up the engine for about 15 minutes, turn it off and retorque to 55lbs.
Works every time. |
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