RolandT3Speed

Rebuild the original heads, have the rebuilder polish the intake and exhaust ports and install hardened valve seats. Keep it stock!

palerider

Good news - I'm changing my seals this weekend - hope that that cares of smoking - mine ssuppose to have 70K original.

6mustang6

oh, i thought over time the pistons/rings wore down the cylinder where they up and down. There is always a ridge where the top of the piston doesnt go all the way to the top of the cylinder. At least that is my experience with engines, mainly chevy. lol.

htwheelz67

for what it cost to rebuild and install hardend seats on your stock heads you can take that money and put it toward more modern heads, and you never want to polish an intake port (maybe for efi) you want it rough so to keep fuel atomized better, polishing the exhaust is ok and the combustion chamber as it keeps carbon from sticking but thats not as much of a problem with unleaded gas.

RolandT3Speed

I respectfully disagree with modern heads, but that's just my opinion. I know all the very valid reasons for getting "modern" heads.
I'm not a purist by any means, I have installed Granada disks and electronic ignition.
I spent about $350 getting my heads rebuilt, this included new valves, springs, and valve seats.

And you are absolutely correct sir, I was in error calling for polishing the intakes.

JMD

Welcome Roland!!

JMD

It is really an awsome feeling to take an old engine apard and find little if any cylinder wear. A person can save a little money that way, (like 1/2 or more on a stock style rebuild) + the block can be good for another rebuild...

RolandT3Speed

Heh, thank you. I'm jumping in with both feet!

6mustang6

but am I correct about the cylinder wear vs. miles? Those generally go hand in hand. I want to get the explorer heads, cause they flow better then the stock heads, and wont cost you an arm and a leg.

JMD

There is a definite and undeniableconnection between mileage and cylinder wear, but there are other things that can play a part as well.

If an engine has been flooding or running rich for a period of time, the raw gas will wash the oil film from the cylinders and cause increased wear.

Regular oil changes and high quality oil will help deter cylinder wearas well.

Certain changes in the metallurgy of the casting can vastly change wear characteristics, sometimes this is planned, sometimes it is just the luck of the draw concerning the composition of the iron at the moment the block was cast.

The cylinders can wear more if the rod/main bearings have tight tolerances,,, looser bearings = more oil on cylinders = less cylinder wear

Ring tension, composition,and seating can play a role, as can how the car has been driven, When an engine is run hard, the rings are forced against the cylinder with greater force this will equate to more wear.