Heads+ dirt

[Brown_Muscle]

So i picked up a pair of GT-40 heads, and unfortunatly there is some dirt that has accumulated on the top of the head where the left over oil sat. there is also a little in the intake and exhaust ports.

Has anyone delt with anything like this? I was wondering what i should do to clean them out inexpensively.

I was kinda thinking some degreser and a hose...but I'm not sure if thats a good idea

Anyone have any ideas??

[p71towny]

Yeah, thats fine. Use hot water to scrub em then spray em with wd40 or the like. shouldn't hurt anything.

[351m]

Get some degreaser and head for a car wash. That will remove everything quite effectively.

[Brown_Muscle]

Get some degreaser and head for a car wash. That will remove everything quite effectively.

hmm what do you mean "and head" lol

[grandpaslincoln]

Head = go to

[Brown_Muscle]

holy shit! i feel like an idiot, lol. completly read that the wrong way!

[gadget73]

perv.


I'd be considering having these rebuilt, especially if you don't know the mileage. At a minimum, I would take them apart and replace the valve seals, do the "wiggle test" on the valves to see if it needs guides, and lap the valves after making sure they are in serviceable shape. If they're Explorer heads, they would also do well with a valve spring upgrade. Another thing, be sure they have the larger bolt holes in the heads. 302s use a 7/16" head bolt, a 351 uses a 1/2" head bolt.

[Brown_Muscle]

I plan on doing the valve seals and lapping them as well. It came off a 302 so I'll have to drill them out, which isnt a problem. I dont really plan on going full all out to make an enormous amount of power, what is the purpose of upgrading the springs? The heads should have around 75K miles on them. And what exactly and i looking for in this "wiggle test", just see if it wiggles? I was unable to find valve guides on rock auto...

[gadget73]

yeah, basically see if the valve wiggles around in the guide. It will move some, but if it flops around or the guide looks scored it needs to be replaced. There are more accurate ways of checking this with some machinist's tools, but unless you have them and know how to use them its not going to do much for you. Engines are not precision pieces of equipment, especially when its not going into a crazy performance build. Slightly loose valve guides will burn a little oil, but as long as they aren't OMFG sloppy, it probably won't be noticeable.

If you don't have a drill press and a way to accurately drill those holes out, I'd have a machine shop do that. You really don't want those holes crooked. Not a job for a hand drill. Hell, not even sure I'd trust a drill press. Those things have a lot of runout, especially under load. A milling machine would do a much better job of it.

[Brown_Muscle]

hmm, crap i was hoping not to get any shops involved...I'll have to look around and see how much they charge... thanks for the advice tho!

[Brown_Muscle]

a shop gave me the price of 125 and a week to do it...I'm not going to pay that, If I cant use a drill press and carefully align them then i will most likely end up selling the heads...

[Brown_Muscle]

So i found out the holes are actually 1/2"....idk how but they are.

When i was washing the heads, water went into the ports and leaked out the sides of the valves....will lapping them assure that this will not happen? As in seal them up tight? Or is this a major problem? I hope not..

[phayzer5]

It's not really that much to rebuild a set of heads. Any you will have someone to go back to to bitch at if something goes wrong with them later...

[Brown_Muscle]

hmm this is true, I'd rather try to do a rebuild myself though just for experience and for the fun haha. I was just wondering about the water coming out around the sides of the valves... I got some valve grinding compound i think its called. I'm going to borrow a valve spring compressor and replace the seals and do the lapping then as well

[351m]

Head = go to

Are you sure that was what i meant? LOL You can try lapping them but to know for sure if you did any good you would still have to get them tested at a shop to see how well they seal. At that point it is just better to let them try lapping them and see what happens. Worst that can happen is they need to be rebuilt.