windsor heads on 289
- Thread starter 289coupe66
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Yes, your intake will bolt right on considering the Windsor heads and the later 289/302 heads were pretty much identical except for the head bolt sizes.
As far as push rod length, you won't really know unless you go in and check it with an adjustable push rod to make sure the geometry is correct. This will vary depending on what valve train you are using.
As soon as you deck the block, surface the heads, change a cam or lifters, swap out rockers or anything that can alter the valve train, you should always check your geometry.
You have leeway if you are using stock rocker arms because they have a long, flat surface area to ride along the tip of the valve, but as soon as you go with roller rockers, that contact point becomes very small and you want to MAKE SURE the rocker arm is centered over that valve tip.
If your push rods are too long, it'll push the rocker off the outer edge of the valve tip. If they are too short, it'll do the same thing on the inside edge of the valve tip. Of course you have a little leeway, but not too much, so you want to be sure before you go buying any push rods. Better to find out now while you are doing it than later-on the hard way and have to go back and re-do it again
As far as push rod length, you won't really know unless you go in and check it with an adjustable push rod to make sure the geometry is correct. This will vary depending on what valve train you are using.
As soon as you deck the block, surface the heads, change a cam or lifters, swap out rockers or anything that can alter the valve train, you should always check your geometry.
You have leeway if you are using stock rocker arms because they have a long, flat surface area to ride along the tip of the valve, but as soon as you go with roller rockers, that contact point becomes very small and you want to MAKE SURE the rocker arm is centered over that valve tip.
If your push rods are too long, it'll push the rocker off the outer edge of the valve tip. If they are too short, it'll do the same thing on the inside edge of the valve tip. Of course you have a little leeway, but not too much, so you want to be sure before you go buying any push rods. Better to find out now while you are doing it than later-on the hard way and have to go back and re-do it again
brianj5600
Active Member
If you can take the valves out and clean up the ports a little it be worth your time. Tapering the hump in the exhaust to cut down on turbulence would be good too. Back before aftermarket heads this was the only choice. Maybe blkfrd can give some pointers.
as stated you can use the heads, but remember a couple of things;
1: the heads are drilled for 1/2" head bolts, where are the 289 used 7/16" bolts. you will need a set of head bolts or washers with a large shoulder on them to compensate for the difference. arp makes a set of head bolts for the conversion.
2: again as stated you can use the intake you have. the 351w at the time used an extra bolt to hold the intake on, and you will see it on the head in the L shaped coolant passage. most people use the 351w intake gasket to prevent leaks. also put a thin coat of sealer on both sides of the gasket around the coolant passage to prevent leaks.
1: the heads are drilled for 1/2" head bolts, where are the 289 used 7/16" bolts. you will need a set of head bolts or washers with a large shoulder on them to compensate for the difference. arp makes a set of head bolts for the conversion.
2: again as stated you can use the intake you have. the 351w at the time used an extra bolt to hold the intake on, and you will see it on the head in the L shaped coolant passage. most people use the 351w intake gasket to prevent leaks. also put a thin coat of sealer on both sides of the gasket around the coolant passage to prevent leaks.
i will say this, you might be better off getting a set of windsor jr heads from world products, since you are going to have work done on your heads. the windsor jr heads were designed to bolt right in place of the stock 289 heads, you dont lose as much compression, 58cc chambers vs the stock 54cc chambers vs 64cc(?) chambers on the 351w heads. as for cost, you can get a set of assembled jr heads for around $900, and when you bolt them on, you can pick up 40hp. that is the head i am going to use on my 289 when it gets built.
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