One Head Doesn't Fit

[magwakeenercew2jh]

As far as I understand, the ZZ4 block I have on the stand was running the 062 heads that I've had refurbished.

I'm out of dough for a while now. I'm also out of room. So, until I can get some machining done on the block and gather some
more parts, I decided to store the heads on the block.

First head slipped right on the "locating pins". The second didn't.
No head gasket right now. But I would have expected either both of them to sit right down as flat as they would on an
undecked block...or neither side to fit.

Here are some pics of the "Good" and "Bad" sides. The "passenger's side" is the one that doesn't want to "hook up".

I just slipped the head bolts into their holes finger-tight for storage. I was worried about using even a light touch on the
ratchet lest I strip something out.

And, I checked both the locating hole in the newly redone heads, and the "dowel" pin in the deck for foreign materials or
burrs (on the pins).

Is this common? When the head gasket goes on and the deck is "decked"' would this mis-fit typically "go away"?

I kinda concerned about putting it on after the machining is done, and not getting proper torque readings on install.

Thanks for any info.

[ERASER5]

That's interesting. Did you tap on the head a little to seat it? I'm not say you should need to, but pulling it into place with head bolt seems like a bad idea.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

That's interesting. Did you tap on the head a little to seat it? I'm not say you should need to, but pulling it into place with head bolt seems like a bad idea.

I hear ya.
I won't do that.

I have too much money in the heads.
And much less in the (unmachined) block.



I tried tapping on it with the handle of a wooden hammer.

One end will go in....or the other. Now, both ends seem to both be
riding on the locator pins.

I'm afraid to play with it too much more.

Still, pretty strange, huh?

[mongoose]

swap the heads around see if the other fits on..

and hit it with a hammer.. it's a big hunk of metal it's not glass... and running it in with a bolt isn't the worst.. i did it all the time when coring engines.. didn't hurt anything.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Originally Posted by mongoose

swap the heads around see if the other fits on..

and hit it with a hammer.. it's a big hunk of metal it's not glass... and running it in with a bolt isn't the worst.. i did it all the time when coring engines.. didn't hurt anything.

Will do on the swap. Thanks.

I hear ya on the hunk-o-metal thing. But I'm going for stealth until I can't any more!

I think after putting all that dough in the heads, I've got candy-a$$ disease!

[Gumby]

what dead blows are made for, or brass hammers, softer then what your hitting, so the hammer takes the abuse, not what your hitting.

I use a nice 3lb brass hammer when I fab steel, lets me beat on 1/8in thick stock and not hurt anything but the hammer.

[68gmsee]

magwak'.. I understand your concern after sinking a lot of money on the heads but if swapping around doesn't help check the locating pins to see how much it's off. The pins are just that "locaters" and to hold the heads in place while installing.

Many years ago I did an engine that didn't have locater pins. Not sure why but I never had any problem with it once the heads were torqued down. I've also had to "tap" the head down on one that was reluctant to go down. Never had problems there either.

[cdowns]

i'd run a reamer thru the heads locating holes for the dowel pins as they might have some burring causing a bad seal

[chevy_mike]

My guess is after the heads were decked, they did not chamfer the dowel hole.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Wait!!! Everyone is correct.

I switched the heads. The one (other) head *did* fit on the sour side of the block, which suggested to me that the dowels may have been mushroomed
on that side. Or there were burrs on just the dowel pin hole only in the "bad head", if there is such a thing ().

So, without touching the deck, I gently flied and burrs (even though I couldn't see any), and took a small round file to the locator hole in the
non-offending head for good measure. I was careful not to assault the new head surface.

Then, on it went. Oops! A small gap.

Finger tight on three head bolts (two "mediums on either end and one "long in the center), pretty much to only to make sure the head didn't
fall on my ankle.

Then, using the eggs you guys gave me to do this, I used these precision tools to close the final, small but visible gap between head and deck:

I owe you all. Thanks.

[mongoose]

A stiletto is a precision tool..

[bigmac73]

one tip, go get your self a nice little shop hammer, those claw hammers are good for building picket fences but not for mech work, LOL

maybe just a pet peeve of mine

[burnin oil]

Originally Posted by bigmac73

one tip, go get your self a nice little shop hammer, those claw hammers are good for building picket fences but not for mech work, LOL

maybe just a pet peeve of mine

Yep we call those a mini sledge or the baby beater.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Originally Posted by bigmac73

one tip, go get your self a nice little shop hammer, those claw hammers are good for building picket fences but not for mech work, LOL

maybe just a pet peeve of mine

Agreed. I have two ball-peens. But they just didn't have the HP (or is it torque? ).

I need a nice mini-sledge, brass or some sort of dead-fall hammer. I first used a rubber mallet on this job. It just bounced back and hit me in the forehead.
Curly, Larry and Moe style.

[Warrens69GMC]

HF dead blow hammer

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-lb-ne...mer-69004.html