The 16 new valves have been backcut to remove their ‘ski-jump’-ridge, which hinders flow, and all were polished to a shine.
Now the heads were mostly done, I could focus my attention on prepping the 360 engine-block.
In the block I removed any sharp castingflash and enlarged, smoothed the oilpump and the internal oilpassages in the block for less resistance.
Decided to cut and reweld the oil-pickup-tube, as the one I had was ment for a rearsump oilpan but I’m using a center sump-pan.
After lightly polishing the counterweights of the crankshaft, a thorough cleaning was done with brushes and brakecleaner through all the oilpassages.
Because of the hypereutectic KeithBlack pistons that are being used, all the top piston-rings were checked and regapped wider from 0.020 to 0.025″.
The sides of the rods were polished as well at the crank-journal end, to remove the sharp machined edges that could possibly cut or scrape into the adjacent material.
New .010″ main- and rodbearings were cleaned, prelubed and installed in the engine block and rods.
After the crank and piston-assemblies were installed everything was torqued down to specs.
Unfortunatly it was only then that I noticed there was a 0.025″ difference in the engine block’s deckheights.
On one side of the engine, the pistons are 0.010″ below deck, and the other side has the pistons 0.015″ above deck.
But I think I can compensate that difference by using regular and thinner headgaskets on either side of the engine, and maybe a light cut on one head.
Regular FelPro headgaskets are 0.039″ compressed, and I’ve ordered a pair of gaskets that are 0.028″ compressed.
The heads cc’d at 60-61cc.
Quick calculation netted a 10.82cr or 11.21cr, depending on which headgaskets are used on which side.
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