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Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
#982214
04/28/11 08:38 PM
04/28/11 08:38 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
Western US
Furious440
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
Western US
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Hello anybody. I plan to have a set of "346" heads with less than a 100K miles rebuilt for my 1971 440 engine. What should I have the machine shop do for a "stock" rebuild? I have planned for magnaflux, resurface if needed, new springs, retainers, locks, seals, hardened valve seats and rocker shaft assemblies. Should I replace the valves? Or just have a valve job done? I can't afford stainless valves. Should I replace the exhaust studs and/or freeze plugs? I heard the studs can be a nightmare. What about gasket matching? Bowl blending? I heard the head can be modified for better valve cover gasket sealing? Thanks in advance to any and all who reply 
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Re: Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
[Re: Furious440]
#982217
04/28/11 10:04 PM
04/28/11 10:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 859
VA
AtomicDog
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 859
VA
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Re: Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
[Re: Furious440]
#982219
04/29/11 12:01 AM
04/29/11 12:01 AM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
Western US
Furious440
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
Western US
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Wow  Thanks for all the replies! I am on a tight budget. I want to keep this stock and numbers matching. If the original valves are not bad, should I just have them ground or should I replace them? If I do replace the valves I will be using Elgin Industries steel replacement valves. Will it make a difference because I'm having hardened exhaust seats installed? And just what is "bowl blending"???
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Re: Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
[Re: DaytonaTurbo]
#982223
04/29/11 08:31 AM
04/29/11 08:31 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
Not enough dumb comments...yet
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Not enough dumb comments...yet
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
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Quote:
You can have a cyl head guy give you an estimate on doing your heads before you commit. If he takes a look at them he will be able to tell you what all needs replacing. Really depends on what kind of shape the valve guides and stems are in. Usually they need replacing because the valve guides and stems both wear.
what he said, also look on here for somebodys old iron heads. I got a killer deal on some a few years ago w/ good flow numbers, never even bolted on. I'd use a steel shim gasket. It will give you better compression. The stock replacement pistons will net you about 9:1 on a good day. Will you be doing all the work?
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Re: Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
[Re: Furious440]
#982224
04/29/11 10:07 AM
04/29/11 10:07 AM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,746
Ontario, Canada
Dodgem
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,746
Ontario, Canada
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Quote:
Wow Thanks for all the replies! I am on a tight budget. I want to keep this stock and numbers matching. If the original valves are not bad, should I just have them ground or should I replace them? If I do replace the valves I will be using Elgin Industries steel replacement valves. Will it make a difference because I'm having hardened exhaust seats installed?
And just what is "bowl blending"???
Well if you break the head off a 40 year old exhaust valve that has been heat cycled a 100,000 times and is weakened, stressed and plum worn out you will see what a few dollars saved you!!!!
I have and it ain't pretty. Course I got to build a brand new motor heads and all!
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Re: Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
[Re: Furious440]
#982225
04/29/11 01:06 PM
04/29/11 01:06 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
Western US
Furious440
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
Western US
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OK! Heads have been checked by the machine shop and they are in good shape. They have 70K original miles on them but the car sat for 20 years. I am going to have the valves replaced with steel replacements. New bronze guides installed. New springs, retainers and locks. Heads surfaced only as needed and gasket matched. Hardened valve seats installed. Am I missing anything? Is there something else I should do for a stock rebuild of the heads? Are Fel-Pro's valve stem seals any good? What about the valve cover gasket surface modification? Thanks everyone for your help!
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Re: Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
[Re: Furious440]
#982226
04/29/11 01:10 PM
04/29/11 01:10 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
Not enough dumb comments...yet
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Not enough dumb comments...yet
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
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Quote:
OK! Heads have been checked by the machine shop and they are in good shape. They have 70K original miles on them but the car sat for 20 years. I am going to have the valves replaced with steel replacements. New bronze guides installed. New springs, retainers and locks. Heads surfaced only as needed and gasket matched. Hardened valve seats installed.
Am I missing anything? Is there something else I should do for a stock rebuild of the heads? Are Fel-Pro's valve stem seals any good? What about the valve cover gasket surface modification?
Thanks everyone for your help!
Did you order the Fel-Pro gasket kit? Summit has one too for much less. Don't forget MOST kits DO NOT include the valley pan. As for the v-cover area...I wouldn't worry about that much.
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Re: Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
[Re: Kern Dog]
#982230
04/29/11 03:29 PM
04/29/11 03:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,948
U.S.S.A.
JohnRR
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,948
U.S.S.A.
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Quote:
My machinst has always recommended installing hardened seats. He says that the induction hardening only goes a few thousandths into the metal, and the valve job often cuts PAST the hardened part.
The above heads I mentioned were done by member fast68plymouth , I told him to put in hard seats and he called me and said he didn't feel they were necessary because the heads were still hard in the seat area when he touched up the VJ that was done originally by Paul Rossi when I first bought the heads back in 1989 ....
FWIW
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Re: Advise please on stock 440 head rebuild
[Re: Furious440]
#982232
04/29/11 07:31 PM
04/29/11 07:31 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
Western US
Furious440
OP
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
Western US
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The heads have never been off before. This is a one owner car that was parked 20 years ago. The machine shop does not think that replacing the valves is necessary. But will do whatever I want. I did not think that "346" heads from 1971 would have hardened exhaust valve seats? 
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