The Ford Barn

cadillacoffin · 08-30-2014, 04:17 PM

Just picked up a set of Navarro 8Ba heads that are from the 50s 60s and are in pretty good shape. The water passages have some corrosion, but the gasket surface is a little pitted around a couple passages.

Any trips, tricks, things to look for in fixing these up?

Walt Dupont--Me. · 08-30-2014, 05:43 PM

I picked up a set of aluminum heads years ago, they were pitted pretty bad around the water holes, but the gasket surface was good. I glass beaded the heads and smeared J-B weld around the pitted places, the next day I filed the surface installed the heads. Worked fine for years. Walt

cmbrucew · 08-30-2014, 05:52 PM

If the gasket will not seal the water ports can be heliarc welded then milled.
Bruce

oldford2 · 08-30-2014, 06:16 PM

Don't want to hi-jack this thread but I just put heads on an 8BA and measuring with a precision Starret straight edge showed a .014 feeler gauge belly (low area) across the length of the head surfaces. I figured "close enough" the torque will pull them flat. Am I OK Walt?
John

Ronnie · 08-30-2014, 06:31 PM

014" is way above warped limits.

R

Russ/40 · 08-30-2014, 06:59 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by oldford2

Don't want to hi-jack this thread but I just put heads on an 8BA and measuring with a precision Starret straight edge showed a .014 feeler gauge belly (low area) across the length of the head surfaces. I figured "close enough" the torque will pull them flat. Am I OK Walt?
John

Way too much. Are you feeling lucky?

Ol' Ron · 08-30-2014, 08:58 PM

Yes, alittle too much. However, If you were to use a copper head gasket, coated with Hi tec. and torqued to 45 ft lbs for three heat cycles. I'll bet you a nickel it will work. Been there , done that.

Walt Dupont--Me. · 08-31-2014, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldford2

Don't want to hi-jack this thread but I just put heads on an 8BA and measuring with a precision Starret straight edge showed a .014 feeler gauge belly (low area) across the length of the head surfaces. I figured "close enough" the torque will pull them flat. Am I OK Walt?
John

I wouldn't use them with out milling, are they aluminum or original 8BA heads ? Walt

Ol' Ron · 08-31-2014, 08:22 AM

I ass u med they were alum, if cast iron, definitely have them milled.

oldford2 · 08-31-2014, 01:06 PM

Original cast iron 8ba. Guess I will pull them off. Oh well, just another $50 for gaskets and milling ($?)
John
Walt , Why didn't you tell me this when I was at your shop last week?

08-30-2014, 04:17 PM	#1
cadillacoffin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 158	Repairing heads Just picked up a set of Navarro 8Ba heads that are from the 50s 60s and are in pretty good shape. The water passages have some corrosion, but the gasket surface is a little pitted around a couple passages. Any trips, tricks, things to look for in fixing these up?

08-30-2014, 05:43 PM	#2
Walt Dupont--Me. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gardiner Me. Posts: 4,200	Re: Repairing heads I picked up a set of aluminum heads years ago, they were pitted pretty bad around the water holes, but the gasket surface was good. I glass beaded the heads and smeared J-B weld around the pitted places, the next day I filed the surface installed the heads. Worked fine for years. Walt

08-30-2014, 05:52 PM	#3
cmbrucew Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: North of sandy ago, CA. Posts: 2,064	Re: Repairing heads If the gasket will not seal the water ports can be heliarc welded then milled. Bruce __________________ Works good Lasts long time

08-30-2014, 06:16 PM	#4
oldford2 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: pittsfield, MA Posts: 2,086	Re: Repairing heads Don't want to hi-jack this thread but I just put heads on an 8BA and measuring with a precision Starret straight edge showed a .014 feeler gauge belly (low area) across the length of the head surfaces. I figured "close enough" the torque will pull them flat. Am I OK Walt? John

08-30-2014, 06:31 PM	#5
Ronnie Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada Where it snows Posts: 2,058	Re: Repairing heads 014" is way above warped limits. R

08-30-2014, 08:58 PM	#7
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,862	Re: Repairing heads Yes, alittle too much. However, If you were to use a copper head gasket, coated with Hi tec. and torqued to 45 ft lbs for three heat cycles. I'll bet you a nickel it will work. Been there , done that.

08-31-2014, 08:22 AM	#9
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,862	Re: Repairing heads I ass u med they were alum, if cast iron, definitely have them milled.

08-31-2014, 01:06 PM	#10
oldford2 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: pittsfield, MA Posts: 2,086	Re: Repairing heads Original cast iron 8ba. Guess I will pull them off. Oh well, just another $50 for gaskets and milling ($?) John Walt , Why didn't you tell me this when I was at your shop last week?