milling heads

[NightTrain66]

like others mentioned, the engine is built in a V shape so as you mill heads, deck block, use thinner head gaskets, etc you keep making the tops on each side of the V closer together so the bolt holes and ports are not in the same location as they once were. All very minimal changes and everything lines up OK when milling .010-.020" and going with the Victor Reinz 5898 head gaskets. If anything, just dremel the bolt holes of the intake manifold inward so the bolts do not dig into the ID of the bolt hole.

I stick with milling .020" and suggesting the .026" Victor Reinz 5898 head gaskets on stock 350s since it all slaps together pretty easy and is more 'idiot proof". Some of the people doing head/cam swaps really should not even be changing oil in their own car and you want things to go together as easy as possible. This gives a compression boost with the least problems when assembling.

Once you cross this point and mill .030" or more, start angle milling heads, deck the block, etc, you can start getting more in left field and it takes a lil more work for things to line up. Band aid fixes would be to slot the bolt holes farther, etc. This kinda work is not suggested for someone doing a "weekend head swap" and wanting things easily assembled with engine in the car.

Someone milling this much should be focussed on "making HP and getting the compression where we want it, then we will MAKE the intake fit once the long block is mocked up". This customer goes in knowing that he might be spending a cpl hundred $$$ to mill intake manifold on all sides, understands he might need some .030-.060" offset dowel pins for heads to scoot heads up on block, should have the engine on a stand at machine shop so they cam measure what needs to be milled of each side of intake (or has the knowledge to measure and tell machine shop how much to mill so it doesn't have to be milled twice and charged for twice), etc,

This is how most shops build an engine (get the compression where you want and then MAKE the intake fit) but for most people reading this forum or doing a head/cam swap on any car while engine is in the car its best to not get too crazy on milling unless you have experience doing so.

They "can be" milled more than .010" with no serious problems but if the shop is unsure of how much heads have been previously milled or at what point things start "not fitting well" its better to be safe and mill a minimal amount so you are not pissed off when installing the parts. You could mill another .040" or so and gain another 15 HP or so but then HAVE TO do some of these things mentioned above to make the intake fit.

Most people would rather parts go together easily instead of having the extra 15 HP and having to do all work in making intake fit, check PTV, etc, etc.


Lloyd

[englundjd]

Thank you guys for all your input! I think i'll just stick with what I have now get some head gaskets and put it all back together. And I'll make sure and clean my heads good before I put them on