Head Gasket Trouble - Pull Engine

Spent the weekend cleaning parts, getting ready for reassembly.

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I got these to clean the block with but they also proved helpful on other parts as well. The timing cover was the most time consuming.

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And what are these for and are they stock?

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Do they simply prevent the oil pan from being damaged by the bolts?

Yes, they are stock. You can probably get away without them, but if you have them, use them. My understanding is that they help distribute the clamping evenly over the oil pan.

Joe
 
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basically what joe said, they keep the pan from distorting around the bolt heads and distribute the clamp force. also im not sure the holes in the block are tapped deep enough to use the stock bolts without the rails.

looking good so far, hopefully you'll run into less bs problems when you get it put back together than i have.
 
Thanks guys, I knew it had to be more than what I was thinking. Makes total sense. I will be reusing them.

How about that black coating inside the oil pan, do I need to make sure I re-coat that with something? I wore it down pretty thin cleaning it up with brake cleaner..


looking good so far, hopefully you'll run into less bs problems when you get it put back together than i have.

Like what kinda bs? Do tell maybe I can plan ahead with that knowledge... :pop:
 
Im just having problems with new parts being pos's. it seems every time I fix one issue another pops up for no seemingly good reason. I also did a lot more than just a top end upgrade though.
 
BAM! Stock Cam Card for 89 GT. :cool:

This information gives me what I need to degree my cam when I re-assemble the engine.

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Yeah but it should be done so you know how it was ground from factory right? Whether or not it was ground retarded or advanced from factory. I want to know so when I go to set my crank sprocket I can make a decision on whether or not to advance or retard the crank to cam timing/synchronization. Especially with my SC. If I understand this correctly I could gain some HP/Torque doing this correctly.

Plus, when I install a hotter cam later on, I will have experience under my belt using my degree wheel. :nice:
 
I think the experience part is probably the most useful part of post, lol.

I may have missed it, but is there a big reason for not going with an aftermarket cam? A used letter cam (b or e) would be a good cheap upgrade, I'm sure plenty have been run on a stock motor.
 
Yeah it was budget and time. Then I got delayed so time schedule changed. But I'm keeping stock cam cuz my future plans include a nice cam upgrade with new heads, rockers, springs, etc. So I see it as a waste to buy a temp cam upgrade.
 
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What is my intake and exhaust centerline based on this cam cards specs? I am having trouble crossing the terminology from this card over to the formula's i'm using.

I calculated my cam overlap is 39deg and lobe separation is 116deg. But most cam cards come with the intake centerline and I don't see it here.

EDIT: It almost looks like my LSA=115.5 so I would have a cam retard from factory of -0.5??
 
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Update:

Shop will be done with my engine by Friday. I will start assembly this weekend. I hope to be done by Sunday if all goes as planned.

The only thing I have any concern about are my heads.
1. I touched the seats a little while porting so I am going to use some valve grinding compound and try and lap them. Hopefully I didn't hurt them.
2. CC's. I may have dug out too much during porting. I'm pretty sure on the one head I went back too far and the gasket will be at the edge of the cut. Not overlapping into the chamber just flush with it. I hope this doesn't cause any issues like detonation...
 
Update: Got the block back from machine shop Friday after work.

Spent Friday night cleaning the garage. Took the whole night to get it prepped for a clean engine assembly.

Spent all morning today pressure washing the block and heads. Bought those Moroso engine cleaning brushes and used tons of purple power. Those brushes were amazing couldn't have done it without them.

Finished up by drying everything up with a compressor making sure to dry every crease cranny and bolt hole. Then I went over everything with brake cleaner.

Now I'm getting everything masked of and painting block and heads. Probably paint the oil pan too. Not sure if I'm going to match the oil pan with the block and heads or if I'm going to go black.

When I finish paint I'm hoping to get the crank installed to end the day.

Stay tuned tonight I will be posting all my pics from today. Sunday if all goes as planned I am hoping to have everything done. We shall see.... :shrug:
 
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Well, didn't get as far as I wanted. Started cleaning up my valves and it looks like they need to be resurfaced. The intake valves are fine, they cleaned up great. It's the exhaust valves that are in such bad shape.

I used some valve grinding compound and tested one of my intake valves against its seat and I have a real nice line on the seat peering through the dye. I didn't even try the exhaust valve.

Intake
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Exhaust
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I guess I will take them all in to machine shop on monday and see what they say. Might just have them all refaced just because.

Here are a few pics from earlier today.

All cleaned up and blown dry
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New cam bearings and oil galleys
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Freeze plugs too
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Getting her painted up, ford blue
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After I got the heads painted I went to town and grabbed more freeze plugs, didn't really think about it until after but it's gonna look funny if I don't paint them too. ..

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wow, did that block come back from the machine shop like that? that's a TON of surface rust on that thing, those bores and decks should be almost shiny. hopefully it cleans up well for you.