Replacing heads and head gaskets on a Ford 390

[Giants Fan 85]

Be my first time getting this deep into an engine. I've never even replaced an intake manifold before. So, I am gonna remove the rockers, and do my best to clean them up. Then pull the heads, and I have a set of new, rebuilt heads with hardened seats out of 71 truck. So, the idea is, pull the original heads, and then get all the coolant/oil out of it, put on the new heads, and try and start her up. With fresh oil, obvi.

 

Any tips?

[Giants Fan 85]

Oh yeah just picked up, BTW off Craigslist

 

71 390 heads, with less than 1k miles on them since rebuilt

 

71 C6 transmission, 10k since rebuild

 

$350

 

Tell me what 2000+ German car you can find rebuilt heads and a tranny for $350?

 

The heads were $100, and I figured having a spare tranny for $250 was an easy decision.

[Giants Fan 85]

SUX, I need your magic machine that hooks up to the car and tells my exactly what is wrong before I tear down the top end.

 

In order of worseness:

 

1. Blown head gasket

2. Cracked heads

3. Cracked block

 

Milky oil has coolant mixed in it.

[Giants Fan 85]

Yeah .. on cars this old, your magic machine aint shiat.

[Giants Fan 85]

And yeah, I can fix up old cars, I can draw, I can do digital video editing and I can create websites. I'm also good at poker and fantasy football, and I purchased AAPL in 1997 for $17 a share.

 

You didn't know?

 

 

I'm famous.

[Giants Fan 85]

But I could use your help, Sux.

[MTSkiBum 1,626]

I have replaced a head gasket on an old Pontiac sunfire. Mark the timing belt exactly where you want it to go back on before taking it off unless you want to mess with the timing.