In this chapter I am going to go through installing the heads on the block... In the last chapter I showed you how to check piston-to-valve clearance... Now it's time to install the heads...
This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 11... If you missed one of them, you can find it here...
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block Prep
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 2: Cam Bearing Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 3: Install Water Jacket and Oil Galley Plugs
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 4: Pre Flight Inspection After Machine Shop Before Assembly
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 5: Crankshaft Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 6: Installing Rings on Pistons
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7: Install Pistons in Block
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7a (Optional): CC the Engine Cylinder to Find Compression
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 8: Install the Camshaft
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9: Install Camshaft Thrust Plate
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9A (Optional): Timing Chain Options
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 10: Install Timing Chain
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 11: Check Piston-to-Valve Clearance
*************************************************************************
Hello everyone, it's Krazykuda here to show you how to rebuild a small block... This article is to help any newbies through rebuilding a small block Mopar LA engine, but may have a few tips that some of you seasoned builders may find useful... If you haven't ever built an engine, I will show you what you need to know to do it yourself...
The goal of this series is to show what you can do at home in your own garage... Go at your own pace and ability and then take it to someone knowledgeable for what you are not capable of doing yourself or don't have the proper equipment/tools for...
Keep checking back in from time to time as this is a work in progress and I plan to keep updating it as I build more engines and can show you more variations...
I am going to break this into sections that you can follow along with and make sense to do in 'stages' when you build... Plus you can then jump to the section that you are working on to help keep from sorting through one very long thread to find what part that you are working on when you are doing it....
*************************************************************************
*** Important Note *** Sometimes things may not go right and you will run into a snag/road block... Do not get in a hurry to finish and take short cuts that may compromise your build...
Step back, take a break, and think about it for a while... Or seek help from other experienced people or professionals to overcome the problem... Do it right and don't take any unnecessary chances that may compromise the integrity of your build...
If you don't fix the problem correctly, it may come back to haunt you and cost even more time and money than if you took the time to think about it and research it to fix the problem correctly...
This has been a public service announcement from krazykuda....
*************************************************************************
Now that the piston-to-valve clearance is to spec, the next thing to install are the heads...
Now we have the short block assembled with the timing chain like this...
If you didn't already tap the head bolt holes in the block in the block prep chapter, or you are working on the heads of a running engine, now is the time to chase all of the head bolt holes with a 1/2" x 13 coarse thread tap...
I like my Irwin/Hanson tap and die kit...
When you are using taps, you need to get the feel for them... If they start to bind too much back off and try again with medium force...
This is what you can clean out of the holes, it can prevent the bolts from getting proper clamp load when you torque the heads, so always chase the bolt holes with a tap' so you are working with clean threads... Plus, it will make installing the bolts much easier, you can thread them in most of the way by hand... Clean off each flute on the taps between each bolt after each hole before doing the next one...
More crud that the tap cleaned out... You don't want this interfering with the bolt while you tighten it...
Next chase the threads on the head bolts with a 1/2" x 13 die to clean the threads on the bolt... Again make sure to clean the crud off each die after each bolt...
Look at how clean the threads are now...
Don't forget to tap the spark plug holes... They can accumulate alot of crud over the years... They are 14 mm x 1.5 metric threads...
Here's the Snap-on brand one... (Sorry Toolmanmike, it's the only other one that I have...)
Here's a Balax brand one... You can see the different style flutes on it, either style will work...
Chase all of the spark plug holes in the head... Use a tap wrench or regular open end wrench to twist it...
Test thread a spark plug in to see...
Here's an engine that I was working on that was run for a while and sat for many years... You can see how dirty the cylinders and head face on the block is...
A 3" or 4" wire wheel on a drill and clean it up... Start with the piston at TDC and clean it up... Then wipe out all the debris and blow it out with compressed air...
Next put the piston down to BDC and clean out the cylinders like this and wipe out the debris and blow it out with compressed air like you see here...
Alternate cleaning up each cylinder and then clean out the debris...
Now you have a clean used engine or brand new one... Now you want to put each cylinder to BDC and wipe with a shop towel, then spray it down with brake parts cleaner and wipe it clean... After you clean each cylinder with parts cleaner, then wipe them down with a tack cloth to remove any small pieces of dirt and dust from the cylinder... Then get some STP or Motor honey and generously grease each cylinder at BDC before placing the head gasket in place...
Then when you do the other cylinders and one that you greased gets to TDC, there will be some motor honey/STP oozing out of the cylinder...
Turn the engine to where none of the pistons are not at TDC and wipe the excess Motor Honey/STP off the top of the block that the head bolts to (head face)... Leave as much of the Motor honey in the cylinders as you can because that will lubricate the cylinder while you finish then engine and for first start until the oil gets up to pressure...
I like to use the Fel-Pro head gaskets... I've had great luck with them... The standard one in the Mancini racing Federal Mogul and Fel-Pro engine teardown gasket kits are about .0625 to .065" thick... I used this .040" thick one on a special project that I was working on that I was trying to increase the compression of a stock 72 318 with a set of 67 273 closed chamber casting # 920 heads... It brought the compression to a true 8.5:1, so this is an option to raise the compression about 0.4 - .05...
Here's a close up of the label showing that these gaskets are 8.9 cc when compressed to .039" thick... The rebuild kit gasket has 12.5 cc and is .055" thick when compressed...
Now set the head gaskets on the block using the alignment pins... The heads and gaskets are identical/common and interchangeable for each side... This is what it looks like, notice the Motor Honey puddle in the cylinders...
Right side...
This shows the alignment pins used to locate the heads and head gaskets...
Left side head gasket...
Here's the alignment pins...
Here's a nice fresh set of heads that my guy did for me... Ported, new valves, springs, retainers, and keepers and everything checked and ready to go...
2.02" intake valves and 1.88" exhaust valves...
Carefully place each head on the engine taking care to use the alignment pins to get them into the correct position...
This hole to the left of center on each head has the tallest bolt seat, and takes the longest bolt... All the other 4 bolt holes in the center of the head take the second longest bolts... The bottom head bolt holes outside the valve cover area take the shortest bolt...
Here is a close up of the boss that takes the longest head bolt... You can also see that the rocker arm boss next to it is the one that has the oil feed passage that comes from the camshaft to the rocker arms... You can tell by the oblong hole for the rocker arm bolt where the oil passage intersects the bolt hole... This is what feeds oil to the rocker arms...
The boss is circled in white, and the oil feed hole is the red arrow...
Here is the other middle head bolt hole to the right of the center bolt that takes the standard long bolt like the other head bolts that go under the valve cover area...
Here is a full set of head bolts... Notice there are 3 different lengths for the bolts... 5 short one, 4 longer ones, then 1 longer one for each head... I have them separated with a set for each head on the right and left... The long bolt goes into the Left of center hole that I highlighted above...
Here ae some of the markings that you will commonly see on the stock head bolts... This marking with the 6 lines indicates a grade 8 bolt, the other markings identify the supplier for the bolt, I'm not sure who this supplier is...
Here is another head bolt with a common mark that you will see on many of the stock engine bolts... This "H" is the mark for the supplier named Cold Heading... They made many different bolts for Chrysler...
Place the bolts in their proper holes like this and run then down by hand a few turns to get them started, then use a socket to run them down until they seat...
One word of caution when using a socket is if you use an impact socket, it may interfere with the valve springs, especially the center bolt hole for the row of bolts that go under the valve cover... Here is a bird's eye view showing the interference and how it won't go on the bolt head...
Here's a side view for a better look...
I use a standard socket, either a regular or deep well will get through the valve springs and be able to tighten the bolt... Here's a bird's eye view of a non-impact deep well socket...
Here's a side view showing that it will clear the valve springs and bosses...
You can see that it will go all the way on the bolt head here...
Here is the torque sequence from the 69 Plymouth service manual... You want to start with the center bolts top, then bottom center, then work your way outward on the next top left, bottom left alternating sides until you get them all...
Here's the torque spec from the 69 Plymouth service manual... In 67 & 68 they called out 85 foot pounds, then in 69 and 70 they call out 273 & 318 as 85 foot pounds and 340 as 95 foot pounds, then in 70 they call out all head bolts to 95 foot pounds... Since they all take the same bolts for all engines from 273 - 360, I would play safe and torque to 95 foot pounds... The bolts are 1/2" x 13 coarse thread and have a 3/4" bolt head, do they will take a 3/4" socket...
I like to torque the bolts in stages since they take so much torque... Always torque bolts using a slow and steady pull, do not snap the wrench as the torque will not be as accurate... I start with 45 foot pounds and go through the sequence... Then I go to 75 foot pounds through the sequence, then to 95 for the final torque... When you are done torquing to 95 foot pounds, go back over them in sequence to double check them... If you have a helper, let them check them again after you, that way you are sure the bolts are properly tightened...
Here you go, the heads are now on and torqued to spec...
Now you want to move onto installing the lifters...
This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 11... If you missed one of them, you can find it here...
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block Prep
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 2: Cam Bearing Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 3: Install Water Jacket and Oil Galley Plugs
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 4: Pre Flight Inspection After Machine Shop Before Assembly
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 5: Crankshaft Install
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 6: Installing Rings on Pistons
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7: Install Pistons in Block
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 7a (Optional): CC the Engine Cylinder to Find Compression
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 8: Install the Camshaft
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9: Install Camshaft Thrust Plate
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 9A (Optional): Timing Chain Options
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 10: Install Timing Chain
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 11: Check Piston-to-Valve Clearance
*************************************************************************
Hello everyone, it's Krazykuda here to show you how to rebuild a small block... This article is to help any newbies through rebuilding a small block Mopar LA engine, but may have a few tips that some of you seasoned builders may find useful... If you haven't ever built an engine, I will show you what you need to know to do it yourself...
The goal of this series is to show what you can do at home in your own garage... Go at your own pace and ability and then take it to someone knowledgeable for what you are not capable of doing yourself or don't have the proper equipment/tools for...
Keep checking back in from time to time as this is a work in progress and I plan to keep updating it as I build more engines and can show you more variations...
I am going to break this into sections that you can follow along with and make sense to do in 'stages' when you build... Plus you can then jump to the section that you are working on to help keep from sorting through one very long thread to find what part that you are working on when you are doing it....
*************************************************************************
*** Important Note *** Sometimes things may not go right and you will run into a snag/road block... Do not get in a hurry to finish and take short cuts that may compromise your build...
Step back, take a break, and think about it for a while... Or seek help from other experienced people or professionals to overcome the problem... Do it right and don't take any unnecessary chances that may compromise the integrity of your build...
If you don't fix the problem correctly, it may come back to haunt you and cost even more time and money than if you took the time to think about it and research it to fix the problem correctly...
This has been a public service announcement from krazykuda....
*************************************************************************
Now that the piston-to-valve clearance is to spec, the next thing to install are the heads...
Now we have the short block assembled with the timing chain like this...
If you didn't already tap the head bolt holes in the block in the block prep chapter, or you are working on the heads of a running engine, now is the time to chase all of the head bolt holes with a 1/2" x 13 coarse thread tap...
I like my Irwin/Hanson tap and die kit...
When you are using taps, you need to get the feel for them... If they start to bind too much back off and try again with medium force...
This is what you can clean out of the holes, it can prevent the bolts from getting proper clamp load when you torque the heads, so always chase the bolt holes with a tap' so you are working with clean threads... Plus, it will make installing the bolts much easier, you can thread them in most of the way by hand... Clean off each flute on the taps between each bolt after each hole before doing the next one...
More crud that the tap cleaned out... You don't want this interfering with the bolt while you tighten it...
Next chase the threads on the head bolts with a 1/2" x 13 die to clean the threads on the bolt... Again make sure to clean the crud off each die after each bolt...
Look at how clean the threads are now...
Don't forget to tap the spark plug holes... They can accumulate alot of crud over the years... They are 14 mm x 1.5 metric threads...
Here's the Snap-on brand one... (Sorry Toolmanmike, it's the only other one that I have...)
Here's a Balax brand one... You can see the different style flutes on it, either style will work...
Chase all of the spark plug holes in the head... Use a tap wrench or regular open end wrench to twist it...
Test thread a spark plug in to see...
Here's an engine that I was working on that was run for a while and sat for many years... You can see how dirty the cylinders and head face on the block is...
A 3" or 4" wire wheel on a drill and clean it up... Start with the piston at TDC and clean it up... Then wipe out all the debris and blow it out with compressed air...
Next put the piston down to BDC and clean out the cylinders like this and wipe out the debris and blow it out with compressed air like you see here...
Alternate cleaning up each cylinder and then clean out the debris...
Now you have a clean used engine or brand new one... Now you want to put each cylinder to BDC and wipe with a shop towel, then spray it down with brake parts cleaner and wipe it clean... After you clean each cylinder with parts cleaner, then wipe them down with a tack cloth to remove any small pieces of dirt and dust from the cylinder... Then get some STP or Motor honey and generously grease each cylinder at BDC before placing the head gasket in place...
Then when you do the other cylinders and one that you greased gets to TDC, there will be some motor honey/STP oozing out of the cylinder...
Turn the engine to where none of the pistons are not at TDC and wipe the excess Motor Honey/STP off the top of the block that the head bolts to (head face)... Leave as much of the Motor honey in the cylinders as you can because that will lubricate the cylinder while you finish then engine and for first start until the oil gets up to pressure...
I like to use the Fel-Pro head gaskets... I've had great luck with them... The standard one in the Mancini racing Federal Mogul and Fel-Pro engine teardown gasket kits are about .0625 to .065" thick... I used this .040" thick one on a special project that I was working on that I was trying to increase the compression of a stock 72 318 with a set of 67 273 closed chamber casting # 920 heads... It brought the compression to a true 8.5:1, so this is an option to raise the compression about 0.4 - .05...
Here's a close up of the label showing that these gaskets are 8.9 cc when compressed to .039" thick... The rebuild kit gasket has 12.5 cc and is .055" thick when compressed...
Now set the head gaskets on the block using the alignment pins... The heads and gaskets are identical/common and interchangeable for each side... This is what it looks like, notice the Motor Honey puddle in the cylinders...
Right side...
This shows the alignment pins used to locate the heads and head gaskets...
Left side head gasket...
Here's the alignment pins...
Here's a nice fresh set of heads that my guy did for me... Ported, new valves, springs, retainers, and keepers and everything checked and ready to go...
2.02" intake valves and 1.88" exhaust valves...
Carefully place each head on the engine taking care to use the alignment pins to get them into the correct position...
This hole to the left of center on each head has the tallest bolt seat, and takes the longest bolt... All the other 4 bolt holes in the center of the head take the second longest bolts... The bottom head bolt holes outside the valve cover area take the shortest bolt...
Here is a close up of the boss that takes the longest head bolt... You can also see that the rocker arm boss next to it is the one that has the oil feed passage that comes from the camshaft to the rocker arms... You can tell by the oblong hole for the rocker arm bolt where the oil passage intersects the bolt hole... This is what feeds oil to the rocker arms...
The boss is circled in white, and the oil feed hole is the red arrow...
Here is the other middle head bolt hole to the right of the center bolt that takes the standard long bolt like the other head bolts that go under the valve cover area...
Here is a full set of head bolts... Notice there are 3 different lengths for the bolts... 5 short one, 4 longer ones, then 1 longer one for each head... I have them separated with a set for each head on the right and left... The long bolt goes into the Left of center hole that I highlighted above...
Here ae some of the markings that you will commonly see on the stock head bolts... This marking with the 6 lines indicates a grade 8 bolt, the other markings identify the supplier for the bolt, I'm not sure who this supplier is...
Here is another head bolt with a common mark that you will see on many of the stock engine bolts... This "H" is the mark for the supplier named Cold Heading... They made many different bolts for Chrysler...
Place the bolts in their proper holes like this and run then down by hand a few turns to get them started, then use a socket to run them down until they seat...
One word of caution when using a socket is if you use an impact socket, it may interfere with the valve springs, especially the center bolt hole for the row of bolts that go under the valve cover... Here is a bird's eye view showing the interference and how it won't go on the bolt head...
Here's a side view for a better look...
I use a standard socket, either a regular or deep well will get through the valve springs and be able to tighten the bolt... Here's a bird's eye view of a non-impact deep well socket...
Here's a side view showing that it will clear the valve springs and bosses...
You can see that it will go all the way on the bolt head here...
Here is the torque sequence from the 69 Plymouth service manual... You want to start with the center bolts top, then bottom center, then work your way outward on the next top left, bottom left alternating sides until you get them all...
Here's the torque spec from the 69 Plymouth service manual... In 67 & 68 they called out 85 foot pounds, then in 69 and 70 they call out 273 & 318 as 85 foot pounds and 340 as 95 foot pounds, then in 70 they call out all head bolts to 95 foot pounds... Since they all take the same bolts for all engines from 273 - 360, I would play safe and torque to 95 foot pounds... The bolts are 1/2" x 13 coarse thread and have a 3/4" bolt head, do they will take a 3/4" socket...
I like to torque the bolts in stages since they take so much torque... Always torque bolts using a slow and steady pull, do not snap the wrench as the torque will not be as accurate... I start with 45 foot pounds and go through the sequence... Then I go to 75 foot pounds through the sequence, then to 95 for the final torque... When you are done torquing to 95 foot pounds, go back over them in sequence to double check them... If you have a helper, let them check them again after you, that way you are sure the bolts are properly tightened...
Here you go, the heads are now on and torqued to spec...
Now you want to move onto installing the lifters...
