DeTomaso Mailing List: August 2000, Message #86

Well,

After Chuck Melton so graciously volunteered to help me rip my  top end off
the other nite.... I have concluded that my water problem is perhaps
twofold....  part my problem and the other part my problem....

When I rechecked the torque on the headbolts, I did not apparantly overcome
the friction of the nut-to-washer-to-threads friction and got a false
reading.  I had left one head on the car, to check this with...   On this
head, I loosened the head nut (using stud kit) about a quarter turn, hosed
it down with WD40 and then retorqued it. I had marked the socket so that I
could tell how much additional turn (if any) I got at the new value
(recommended 80lbs from ARP).  Accross all head nuts, I got an additional
1/8th to almost a 1/4 turn of the socket.....  Not too much, but
something!!!   SO, I think that this may have been a factor...

Second part...  the heads appear to have warpage in the areas between the
cylinders. This is a small area in contrast to the othe sections of flat
surfaces on the head.  I measured about .006-.007" however, this is not
scientific... in that the heads are o-ringed, and any flat edge sits on the
o-rings and not on the actual head surface.... yes I could have pulled out
the o-rings, but after what I went thru to get the wire in, I didn't want to.

So, now I'm looking at rebuilding a set of Aussie heads to fit.... and gain
some low end torque in the end....

Questions:
Is there some sort of problem related to the multigroove keeper design of
the Cleveland valves???  Something is bugging me about this design... read
it somewhere but do not recall it exactly..... If I don't need to replace
the intake valves... I won't! Just do the exhaust valves and seats.

Is the C302 aluminum Cleveland head out of production now?  And is it a
viable intake for a 302sb?  Intakes?    These were the ones that took stock
Ford parts to complete them....   

Anyone got a set they wanna lose?


Thanks,
Steve.... thinking about parts.....