Yet Another Problem...MAJOR

[earleys94gt]

The other day my worst suspicions were confirmed, one of my heads is cracked. I found this out when I got a new water pump put on my car and we did a cooling system "compression" test. This was after we also discovered that my water pump's bottom bolt was rubbing against my harmonic balancer, which was also replaced. So, not only does my head have a crack in it, but my car still seems to be pinging from every cylinder! I have done everything from check the timing to putting a new battery in the car to solve that problem, and my car still pings whenever I give it throttle; no matter how little or how much.
Anyways, I need new heads. The only problem is I am a broke college student, and my only option is to do a "ghetto" fix and do only heads, and supporting hardware, but nothing else like air, fuel etc. I know this is not the way to get better performance, but if I can get the car to a point where I can drive it reliably and not have it break on me thats good enough. At this point I am not concerned with performance, that can come later. I just don't want to have my mustang siting in the driveway during nice weather because of a cracked head. Comments/Suggestions welcome!!!

 

[Methodical]

The other day my worst suspicions were confirmed, one of my heads is cracked. I found this out when I got a new water pump put on my car and we did a cooling system "compression" test. This was after we also discovered that my water pump's bottom bolt was rubbing against my harmonic balancer, which was also replaced. So, not only does my head have a crack in it, but my car still seems to be pinging from every cylinder! I have done everything from check the timing to putting a new battery in the car to solve that problem, and my car still pings whenever I give it throttle; no matter how little or how much.
Anyways, I need new heads. The only problem is I am a broke college student, and my only option is to do a "ghetto" fix and do only heads, and supporting hardware, but nothing else like air, fuel etc. I know this is not the way to get better performance, but if I can get the car to a point where I can drive it reliably and not have it break on me thats good enough. At this point I am not concerned with performance, that can come later. I just don't want to have my mustang siting in the driveway during nice weather because of a cracked head. Comments/Suggestions welcome!!!

What is a "ghetto" fix? Can you elaborate?

Peace

 

[sage2k]

maybe find some gt40 heads in a junk yard

 

[zkillrr]

You can get some gt40s from autozone with your core off your car. They are $150 a head at autozone, I hope this helps and you will pick up more pony power with a true fix!

 

[Hoytster]

I have two GT40 Iron heads off my cobra you can make me an offer for. I can sell them to you with or without the cobra rockers. They had 62,000 miles when I pulled them off. Seem to be in excellent condition. PM me if your interested.

 

[Killercanary]

Sounds to me like your balancer is shot and it may have moved resulting in your timing not being where you think it is and that is why you are pining. Check it out and do the #1 piston TDC method to verify that the timing is accurate or somewhat close.

 

[earleys94gt]

the "ghetto" fix means put on new heads and everything else stock, like fuel, air etc. Basically, putting on a new set of heads and leaving everything else bone, 135,000 mile, stock.

As for the timing issue the shop that did the work, also where I work, put on a new balancer and set the timing at 10'. I know this because I checked the timing with my timing light at my house. Like I said, it sounds like every cylinder is pinging. I am trying to narrow down the problem. The car has a new battery, an MSD coil, FRPP cap, rotor, wires and some plugs I bought from Autozone. Maybe it's the plugs...they are supposed to be stock replacement, but maybe they gave me the wrong ones..??

 

[RIO5.0]

Did you pull the spout or put it back in when done???

 

[earleys94gt]

Yes I did pull out the spout to check the timing, and I put it back in when I was done.

I talked to my dad about this, and he thinks the pinging may be from the fact I have 9mm FRPP wires on a stock cap, rotor and distributor. He thinks that the wires are too big and may be allowing for too much resistance to occur within the wire. Could this be the problem???

My timing was at 10*, and I knocked it up to 12* and then down to 8* to see if anything helped, but none of these settings did. I still have it set at 8*.

 

[RIO5.0]

I don't know if I'd buy into the FRPP wires...I ran those for years on a fairly stock set-up as well as plenty of others and never really heard of symptoms along the lines your having related to them...

These things are notorious for pinging anyway but yours is way extreme.. Have you pulled any codes yet??? How bout the FP, might be worth getting it checked to see whats up, it could be way lean?? Have you pulled a plug for a look/see??

Good luck with it..

 

[Killercanary]

I agree with Andy about the plug wires. I too have run them for years on my car from when it was near stock until now, and I have a completely stock ignition with no pining issues.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Yeah its not the wires, FRPP 9mm wires are supposed to have less resistance than stockers as are most aftermarket wires. Also have you tried replacing your ACT sensor or yout ECT sensor?

 

[ProKiller]

how many miles are on this thing? distributor going bad possibly. that was my problem, huge problem trying solving that one.

get some gt40 heads for cheap and put them on. should not be a problem as far as supporting hardware.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Are you sure its a cracked head and not just a blown head gasket?

 

[earleys94gt]

My car has almost 135,000 miles on it. I have not checked the fuel presssure at all, I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what it's at.

The crack in my head is more like a pin-hole, but it is leaking from just underneath the header runner for my number 2 cylinder, above the head gasket.

I took off my cap and rotor yesterday to look at my distributor. I did not see any signs of arching, but that doesn't mean the thing isn't going bad.

My Haynes Repair Manual says the pinging could be 1.) Wrong fuel, I run 87.
2.) Incorrect timing, now set at 8* was at 10*, no difference. 3.) Carbon build-up in combustion chamber, I'll find that out when I put on new heads.
4.) Wrong spark plugs, might be wrong heat range b/c of headers I have.
5.) Malfunctioning fuel/engine control systems, another possibility b/c I think my EGR is making funny noises. 6.) Restricted exhaust, since it is not that old I don't think so...keep the suggestions coming!!!

 

[earleys94gt]

I also forgot to mention that I remembered the kid I bought the car off of put BP 93 in the car instead of 87; and no he did not advance the timing. After remembering that I am starting to think that the carbon build-up is a good possibility.

On a good side, I got an e-mail back from Edelbrock's Tech. Dept., and they said that all my stock componets will work on there cylinder heads. I know, I should do a cam and intake too, but I'd much rather have just the heads on the car, and be able to drive it, than have it sit there while I gather up money for parts.