I wanna make something similar to this, how does she run? Is there are method behind your madness (plenum volume, runner length) or did you just wing it? Looks good!
What does the lion head require for torque specs? Stock model A heads are 50 ft lbs and generally I have been told to torque after 500 miles on a fresh head gasket. The FELPRO head gasket can be ordered at any autozone from what I was told out here in Bako. I posted it a few months back and thats all we use around here in Bako. Runs about 20$ and 3 day special order. I will look for the part number.-Weeks
Jim, I have problems with weeping head studs. The thread pockets in the A & B block are blind and so the weeping comes from a leaky head gasket. I have to re torque my head fairly often. Jay Steel told me that the Best brand graphtite gasket was the gasket to use. I have blown the graphtite gaskets. I'm using a copper sandwich Felpro now. Jay told me to torque aluminum heads to 58 ft. lbs. I like to do it when the engine is at opperating temp. I find that the weepers are the loose ones. .
For piewagen post # 40 has the info on the head gasket for you. Try variation of the number 7013c..........f7013c...........f7013 when you go to your local parts house. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=384888&highlight=felpro+model&page=2 -Weeks
I was told that 11" runners are pretty good for an intake. The other thought is that log style ones are better for mid range <3000 rpm power. I'm going to get Matt to make one up for me. I'll probably mock it up with some plastic conduit this weekend.
Most local parts houses around here will only order complete gasket sets. I would like that part number. You should keep retorqueing until you get no more movement on the nuts at whatever torque value you are using. Stock "A"'s should be 55 lbs. and most high compression heads call for 65 lbs. torque with the stronger studs. I have used stock studs with new nuts and have torqued to 60 + lbs. At one time I had 304 Stainless nuts torqued to 65 lbs. I think a lot of the talk about needing stronger studs might just be over engineering. But old studs and/or nuts could strip. That is why I say you should use new nuts. Most torque values are with clean DRY threads.
I torqued mine to 50 ft lbs. I'll try going to 55 first, then 60 if I have too. Thanks for all the input guys!!! Jim S
think about it guys is the expansion rate of aluminium the same as cast iron and is the compression [pressure ] of an aftermarket head the same as a stock cast iron head I now use a gasket with silicone seal on it[flexible heat resistant rubber seal ] with my thomas head end of problems makes sense dont it?
Yeah, but the Lion Head is cast iron. I went with the cast iron specifically because of the different rates of expansion. I was told by Charlie Yapp not to use the silicone gasket. I had the car out today and put a bunch of miles on it, I cleaned off the "weapy" spot before I left, there were no marks as witness to the weap returning.........yet.
I was taught to re torque until you don't get any further movement 58 was Jay's favorite number, he told me the same on my 2 port. Are you speaking of the plain graphite gasket or one's with fire rings?. I have a Best graphite with fire rings on my 2 port. It is the second or third one. I really doped this one up with Copper. I once used a plain graphite gasket that sold for $8.00 on a Winfield that has 100 cc chambers with .190 web between the valve pockets. The head has been prick punched. I used it because I needed to trim so much from the gasket because of overhang and it was on a 4" bore. I always run a .015 copper wire between 1 and 2 and between 3 and 4. I just lay it on top of the gasket. The gasket held for a few runs but blew finally. I found the cause was a distorted first thread on a stud hole cause by a Helicoil repair and not enough chamfer. but Best makes a gasket for oversize bores now, I think.
Has anyone ever wire cut their head for a O-ring or O-rings? I dont really know what the process would be. Is it as simple as milling a ring with a bridgeport or is that just scratching the surface. The O-ring may help alot with sealing the head.
Sorry I was away from the puter, It runs pretty good,but is real cold natured, If you let it warm it runs great, the engine is original stock with the exception of the intake and header, bought the mandrel bends and the cone from speedway and just kind of shot from the hip and went with how I thought it should look, thanks for the kind words.
here are a few more pics, I've been seeing all your posts on the banger performance stuff, thanks for the inspiration.
Hope some of you guys don't mind helping a newbie. Not really a newbie but I've been away from the store for about 40 years. Some terms I haven't heard before. What is a "diamond block". A guy has a C engine to sell and says it's a diamond block. What were those used in? Downsides? Thanks. Other dumb questions in the future I suppose.
Fro...that's a great looking gow-job. Makes me want to hack the back off my Touring body. I'm inspired. Jim...'diamond' blocks were mostly replacement engines, I believe, that continued production long after '34. They are stronger castings and have valve seats. Definitely worth having if you can track one down. It'll have a small 'diamond' cast just above the timing gear inspection cover on the header side of the block.
when calc'ing out runner length, start at the underside of the valve to the open of the carb (or the point where the exhaust steps out).
I can't remember for certain, but I think B & C 'diamond' engines have counter-weights. From what I've read in FAST, a factory counterweighted B crank has a stronger flywheel flange and is less likely to break off. The C flange had less material around the pilot bearing area so were a little weaker. I've got an A diamond block, which is great, but the crank wasn't counterweighted. I had it weighted and crossdrilled and ran it hard for four or five years, but the result of that is now my avatar...
If you search the banger threads over the months all the info on Diamonds is presented. They are after-production replacement engines. They were utilized for many industrial uses along with replacement engines for street driven automobiles. I along with many others have explained what I know myth and fact a few times over the banger threads these last few months. If you are new to the banger game please read all the previous months from page 1 to whatever they end at to the next month or search. On a side note whenever I start the banger thread I take and tag the posts I deem most relevent of the month so people can get direct info when SEARCHed. It pisses me off when a newbie starts the damn thread for the month and then does not even maintain or really add anything the rest of the month. Maybe we all can come to an agreement on who should start the thread every month if they want the task. I vote for CrazyDaddy-O, JustPlainBill, BCCHOPIT, RICHFOX, ARTIKI these guys imput alot of relevant info that keeps our minds learning and the wheels turning. PROPS gentlemen. I am just a "DUMBKIDtm" remember that when you see my posts.-Weeks
The Diamond B I've just pulled apart didn't have a counterweighted crank. However it has been rebuilt at least once (B sump had the rear cut off, an A engine number stamped, and then converted back to B configuration with the rear of the sump rewelded back on...) so it may have lost it along the way. The diamond B in my Fordor did have a counterweighted crank. Luck of the draw I think.
Zach, where in the hell did you find? There has to be a good story, maybe I missed it? I looked all last year for a 'Multi' set up and came up dry. Love it... Trade you anything you want???
Not too readily done with a Ford, but I run a Chev 4, with an Olds head, and cut an O ring groove around each water hole in the block deck surface-- easier than trying to keep the rings in place when installing the head. The water holes in the Chev block are all circular. With this setup, I have lapped the head into the block, and use NO head gasket. Herb Kephart
I think it works great just the way it is. No chiefs just indians. actually, some times it looks like a "newby" must be sitting at his computer and pushes the post button at exactly 12 AM. on the first day of the month. Some one has to start it. Maybe their post is not on a hot topic but it is their post. Maybe they just want to see their name up in lights. I hope I am misinterpreting what you want to do. Maybe you would like to pick a topic for the month. Say like this month we will post about cheap head gaskets, next month our topic for discussion will be stripped oil drain plugs and so on. JUST KIDDING!!!
The oldtimers prick punched the block or the head spacing the punches about 1/16" to 1/8 apart. Riley or some one has this in their handbook. This was to hold the gasket. Some ,myself included, lay a single copper electrical wire about 2" long on the gasket at the thinest portion of the block between the cylinders. C Yapp mills a slot in his head at these locations and supplies a piece of stainless wire to install. Real hard core racers lapped the head to the block and used no gasket. If you have a cad cam settup it would probably be no problem to mill for a ring around the combustion chamber with but my eyesight and coordination I wouldn't want to try to dial it off, I believe the expression is "I pushed when I should have pulled". There's a little machinist talk for you.
I am running a Diamond B block. The engine came out of a '33 commercial truck. It doesn't have a counter weighted crank either. My take on how this happens is this: Replacement blocks could be purchased bare. If your block developed a crack, you could go to Ford and get a new block. If your old engine had a non weighted crank, you now have a diamond block w/o a weighted crank. Say a complete diamond blocked engine was purchased. Years later the engine gets rebuilt and the builder only has a non weighted crank available. There are many possible scenarios. Thanks for the vote of confidence Weeks, but I like the no Chief thing too. Remember this is a hobby. Too many rules keep people away. There is no government like no government. .
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