I'm on vacation this week (staycation, I hate that word) so I've been putzing in the garage most of the week. I took the heads, valve covers, valley cover, oil pan, intake, and rockers to the machine shop on Monday. They told me they had to boil the parts twice to get the sludge off...I'm not surprised.
Good news - I knew at least one exhaust valve was bad, so I was prepared for a whole laundry list of crap to be wrong with the heads. He called yesterday and told me everything was pristine
with the exception of the one valve. He also said this is the nicest set of nailhead heads he's seen go through that shop. I reminded him of Hank's 401 heads that needed a boatload of work, and those were supposed to be good running heads. I called Jeff at CARS and he overnighted a valve. I wanted them done this week so I could pick them up today. Once I go back to work, it would be virtually impossible for me to get back there in good time. Hindsight says I should've just ordered the damn valve ahead of time.Next on the list is engine disassembly, (is that a word?) then another mass purchase of engine parts. I know it's going to need to be bored, so new pistons and rings, rod and main bearings, cam bearings for sure. Gaskets...I only ordered a head gasket kit from CARS, so I'll need to get a timing cover gasket, front and rear main seals...etc. I already have an oil pan gasket and freeze plugs. Oh yeah, oil pump kit...
I'll still need to have the exhaust manifolds milled flat and cleaned up. That's $85 each.
I'm glad I love this hobby.
