Heads Are Off.........images And Thoughts On Piston

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Ask the cam manufacturer those question. They are going to be able to give you better advice than I will.

Kurt
just called Crane and gave him trick flow's installed height which is 110 lbs @ 1.800" and he said i need something at least 150 on the seat and 360 open as the numbers for the cam calls for 154 and 363. He told me to call trick flow and see if they have a spring thats rated for those numbers and if they didnt, that possibly Crane themselves would have something that might come close. Someone is working on seeing if he has anything in the K-motion or PAC springs that would work also

Trick flow said they have one thats with 150 on seat but 438 open
 
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He also said for what i wana do their upgraded spring set that summit carries , the 2500-200 which is 125 lbs closed and i forgot what open, he said that would be fine for me. Now for 200 bucks, I don't neccesarily have to get that kit right and can just probably go with the k motion or Pac if that guy in Texas can find that spring which he is checking on. I will probably just take the go ahead and take the heads monday and let Don check them out and let me know what else i will need also.
 
Sorry if I posted misleading info about what to use on the head bolt threads. I've always used oil on every other make of engine I've worked on and never had a problem.

So what is unique about these 5.0's that require a thread sealer rather than oil?
 
Any thread that goes into the water passage has to have thread sealer. In some engines the bolts do not go into the water passages, and do not need thread sealer.

I'm honestly not qualified to give advice on springs. With the information you have, you should be able to find a usable spring. It is not uncommon for the company that makes the cam to not make a spring for it. Especially Crane which has a very limited amount of production. I usually don't buy too many generic Summit products. It's hard to tell where they are made. A lot of their generic stuff comes from China, and a valve spring is the last thing you want to get from China. China makes almost everything out of recycled metal, and there is no guarantee that metal meets the standards required to have a flexible spring. I would call Lunati and Comp cams and see if they have a spring that will work. You can also call Trick Flow and see if they have a recommendation.

Kurt
 
Any thread that goes into the water passage has to have thread sealer. In some engines the bolts do not go into the water passages, and do not need thread sealer.

I'm honestly not qualified to give advice on springs. With the information you have, you should be able to find a usable spring. It is not uncommon for the company that makes the cam to not make a spring for it. Especially Crane which has a very limited amount of production. I usually don't buy too many generic Summit products. It's hard to tell where they are made. A lot of their generic stuff comes from China, and a valve spring is the last thing you want to get from China. China makes almost everything out of recycled metal, and there is no guarantee that metal meets the standards required to have a flexible spring. I would call Lunati and Comp cams and see if they have a spring that will work. You can also call Trick Flow and see if they have a recommendation.

Kurt
from yesterday:
just called Crane and gave him trick flow's installed height which is 110 lbs @ 1.800" and he said i need something at least 150 on the seat and 360 open as the numbers for the cam calls for 154 and 363. He told me to call trick flow and see if they have a spring thats rated for those numbers and if they didnt, that possibly Crane themselves would have something that might come close. Someone is working on seeing if he has anything in the K-motion or PAC springs that would work also

He also said for what i wana do their upgraded spring set that summit carries , the 2500-200 which is 125 lbs closed and i forgot what open, he said that would be fine for me. Now for 200 bucks, I don't neccesarily have to get that kit right and can just probably go with the k motion or Pac if that guy in Texas can find that spring which he is checking on. I will probably just take the go ahead and take the heads monday and let Don check them out and let me know what else i will need also.

Today:

Talked to Shaun from Texas and he said no way I need that much spring pressure, 150 on the seat. Trick flow's tech said 125 on the seat would definitely be fine for what i want to do. Now even the Trick flow springs thats 200 bucks in the upgraded kit, didnt summit buy TF? So who's to say i wont get a knock off cheap supposed to be TF spring , but made in China lol?

So Shaun has a set of K Motion K-800 which summit also has for 99 bucks, he said his would be a litte cheaper so not sure if i will get them from summit or him. He also said he has a set of PAC that would run 80 bucks plus shipping so i will decide between those 2 i guess. The K motion springs has an inner spring he said i can put aside and use them on a later build
 
Talking to Shaun, he also told me I can ship my cam to him and he can re-grind it and make it more appropriate for my setup for $120 plus shipping and that he has tested the cam on the dyno vs the E and F and the cam killed both. He said with my setup I can expect at least 40 more HP and 40 more TQ. I'm probably going to get the K motion or the PAC springs from him also. The only thing that has me not sure if i want to do it is because I have never took out a cam or installed one so I will have to watch some videos and see how comfortable I feel. Almost the same way I felt before never doing heads but after taking them off it doesnt seem bad at all. I have changed the timing chain before and put in a mellings i believe double roller. Helping me more down low and up top and up top as well as drivability is tempting but I would have to see how comfy I am with doing it.

I'm almost tempted to just pull the block out and put on a stand and just do everything on the stand though I would have to borrow a stand and a lift though that's provided i even decide to change the cam. Is it just a matter of pulling the old cam out and inserting the new one? I'm sure its more in depth but how much more :)
 
You can get the cam out and back in with the engine still in the car. You have to move the condensor out of the way and pull it all the way up to the bumper though.

Kurt
 
You can get the cam out and back in with the engine still in the car. You have to move the condensor out of the way and pull it all the way up to the bumper though.

Kurt
pretty much nuts and bolts to loosen/remove or are there any lines attached to the condensor that will need to be removed
 
You can usually raise it up high enough to pull the cam without disconnecting any hoses. The connections swivel, and the hoses are flexible.

Kurt
well that would require someone holding it up though right lol? or not? If I could move to the side i guess that would be better but i will know later on when i start messing with it. I'm bout to go out in bout an hr and start cleaning the block and stuff up.

Now I'm thinking hell since I'm at it I might as well go ahead and change the oil pan gasket and rear main seal provided that's something that doesnt require a whole lot of maneuvering and junk and space to get up under there comfortable up on jack stands .

so is that something that's not bad for a novice to that level? I mean i am a novice to the heads also being first time messing with the heads. Or will I be better letting my engine swap mechanic coming and pull the motor and take to his shop and change those things or if he can do at my house he can do it here but i'm asking if you think its too extensive that it would be night and day pulling the motor and changing outside the car?

I wont be able to pull it myself with no hoist or stand and would have to borrow that stuff plus would need help with knowing what all has to come loose from the tranny, ect so really dont wana pull the motor myself but would watch him do it so i would know for next time
 
I remember pulling it when I was a novice. You could hold up the condensor up with a bungee chord.

Kurt
gotcha.

must the lifters be removed before removing the cam and do they just pull up out of there? Use a magnet? Placing back in does it only go in one way? Though i will look at how it sets in there
 
I used to have a tool that I got from Anderson ford Motorsports that had a magnet on the end with a wingnut. Slide it down till the magnet latched onto the lifter and then used the nut to pull it out. This was 20 years ago and can't remember all the details but I'm sure it's still available or equivalent
 
You really need a chilton or Haynes manual. That's how I learned before I knew what forums were aside from trial and error
I actually have a chilton but sometimes would rather hear it from the horses mouth on experiences with certain things. Sure i could google as well or look in the book but sometimes just ask any ole question on a forum. Sometimes i discover the answer on my own before folks get back to ya but its all good

damn manual sometimes explains things weird also lol
 
I used to have a tool that I got from Anderson ford Motorsports that had a magnet on the end with a wingnut. Slide it down till the magnet latched onto the lifter and then used the nut to pull it out. This was 20 years ago and can't remember all the details but I'm sure it's still available or equivalent
i have a regular magnet, long one
 
Yes, the lifters have to come out first. Be careful pulling the cam out. go slow as to not scrape the bearings with the cam lobes.,

Kurt
so will they pull right out with a magnet. Regular long magnet?


i think im going to go get an angle air grinder with the soft bristel wheels to clean up the block but will try elbow grease first. Do you guys turn the crank over to get to the pistons to clean them easier?
 
i see those cosmetic gaskets at summit are 93 bucks dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm lol

do guys generally prefer them and is it necessary for a non race/track car ? do the regular ones last pretty long?