Head gasket party?

[Rzeppa]

I have a 2F from a 60 in my garage I got from a fellow Rising Sun member, who got it from another Rising Sun member. If you need it you can have it (or just the head if that's all you need) for free. I was planning on building this 2F but you probably need it sooner than I do, you are welcome to it.

 

[Air Randy]

You can have the head milled a little to raise the compression, but if you go too high you will have to burn premium gas. You can add a header which will help it breath a little bit better at this altitude but not a big HP increase..

You might want to look closely at your cam while it's tore down this far to see what kind of shape it's in, some of them pit out and wear down pretty bad. If it needs replaced you can put a performance cam in it, which usually requires stronger valve springs so you need to decide while you're rebuilding the head.

You can also install an HEI distributor and send your carb out for a performance rebuild. Same basics as building a small block Chevy, just throw lots of dollars at it and it will go a little faster.

 

[jettaglxdriver]

Cool. To look at the cam (trying to remember from work here). Can I see it from the side covers or should I just pull the timing cover/chain and pull the cam out? Hmm with the money saved from possibly getting the head from Jeff I might be able to do the cam and springs at the same time.

Jeff I am sending you a PM for phone contact if you don't mind. Keep in mind I am not a "member" yet but hope to become one soon enough.

Thanks

 

[jettaglxdriver]

Still eager to hear back from Rzeppa about that head/engine.

 

[subzali]

timing on these trucks is by gear, not chain.

I don't know how to access the cam, but I'm guessing since you don't have any garage space (I don't know where you're working on this), I would say you probably want to get this back together ASAP. I would say the performance gains you get from messing with the cam (who knows how much extra time and $$) aren't going to really feel like much. Some say the best thing you could do for a 2F is to get it balanced. Either way, you're trying to move a 4000+# truck with a 155 hp or so engine, derated because of the altitude.

Just MHO

 

[60wag]

The easiest way to see the cam is from below. Pull the oil pan and you can see all of the lobes.

 

[Air Randy]

You can look at the cam by pulling the side cover off, or if you have the oil pan off for other reasons you can see it by looking up from underneath.

You can buy a complete RV cam kit that has the cam, re-ground lifters and valve springs for $235 from Man-a-fre. If you replace the cam you need to replace the lifters or have your's resurfaced and reground.

To be clear, I was suggesting to replace the cam only if yours shows sign of serious wear, and if it does do it now since you have to replace the valve springs if you go with a performance or RV cam. You can certainly replace the cam anyways if you are looking at just a performance upgrade.

Any performance upgrade you do whether it is a cam or headers will only result in incremental increases in HP. Headers & high flow exhaust alone may result in a 5% HP increase. A cam alone may result in a 3% HP increase. Doing them together may result in something more like a 10% - 12% increase since the longer duration cam takes advantage of the higher flowing exhaust.

You also have to keep in mind that if a stock engine was rated at 155 HP new, at sea level, you're probably down to 100 HP because of the elevation here and loss of performance due to wear. So in my opinion, even if you are only getting a 10% to 12% improvement, it will still be noticeable. You wont be out smoking the tires or anything but it should respond crisper and you may see a slight improvement in fuel mileage.

 

[jettaglxdriver]

Yeah my plan was to just get it fixed and running because I need to be driving this. I will check the cam from below and maybe from the side because I am trying to stop oil drips. I will also pull the timing cover to redo that seal. Time to order some gaskets. Still needing to source a good head.

If I want more power then I will just save up for a motor swap. I just want to get this bad boy to last a couple years then when we move and get a real garage I will look into a Tundra motor swap so I can do a V8 and keep it in the family.

I am off work Mon, Tues, and Wed next week and I am going to cry if I sit without the parts I need able to not do much.

 

[Rzeppa]

Still eager to hear back from Rzeppa about that head/engine.

PM sent

 

[jettaglxdriver]

Well I met Jeff yesterday and I must say he is an exceptionally nice guy and is super helpful. The drive to and from his place was great also.

I got the head he had on that old engine and cleaned it up more with some brake cleaner and a brass wire wheel and I can find no cracks at all. YAY

Tomorrow morning I will be waiting on Gun Automotive to open their doors to see if they can get through the head as quickly as possible.

Thanks again Jeff. (Nice cruisers)

 

[Rzeppa]

Mike and Barb were exceptionally nice folks as well, and I am so happy to see cruiser parts going to a good home. I really enjoyed our visit together and look forward to wrenching and wheeling together!

 

[jettaglxdriver]

Heck yeah.

 

[jettaglxdriver]

Well I picked my head up today from Gun Autotmotive.

They used some of the valves from my cracked head, the rocker assembly from the cracked head, and my new valve seals from the head gasket kit and got it rebuilt. The thing looks brand new and checked out fine.

Now to determine which of the next few days will be the nicest to take off work and re-assemble it. Don't worry I get a paid day off for being on call the last week 24/7 so I will be in good with my boss yet.

Here is my cruiser and where it is sitting for this work that is being done to it.

 

[MDH33]

Nice looking rig, looks a lot like my 60.

But Holy cow! Those are some long shackles! Next mod - OME lift??

 

[jettaglxdriver]

LOL you get the prize for being the first to notice my ghetto shackles that one of the PO's had put on it to help with the sag.

I don't what lift I am going to go with yet but I plan on new springs, shocks, and greasable shackles. I will be doing much more research and searching to find out what is the best way to go. I have read some on the parabolic springs and wonder if they are really better. Does anyone on here know about them?

 

[wesintl]

Nice... it'll feel good to get it on.. just be careful. trying to get that thing on without damaging the HG can be a chore by yourself. heavy

 

[Rzeppa]

LOL! First thing I noticed was the shackles too! Glad that head worked out for you. Happy cruisin'!

 

[jettaglxdriver]

The scary thing on those pieces of metal serving as shackles is the lack of cross supports between the bolts.

 

[MDH33]

LOL you get the prize for being the first to notice my ghetto shackles that one of the PO's had put on it to help with the sag.

I don't what lift I am going to go with yet but I plan on new springs, shocks, and greasable shackles. I will be doing much more research and searching to find out what is the best way to go. I have read some on the parabolic springs and wonder if they are really better. Does anyone on here know about them?

They don't call them "draggin' wagons" for nothing.

I need some new springs too. I've been researching it and am going to go with the OME with the heavies in the rear since I usually have camping gear in back and my tent on the roof. it's only a 2.5" lift, so nothing severe.

 

[Air Randy]

I have an engine hoist you are welcome to borrow or I could possibly swing by to give you a hand when you are ready to set the head in place. Where in El Paso county are you located? I'm in Franktown.

Are you coming to the Rising Sun meeting tomorrow night? You should meet up with the group and get to know everyone.