head/cam swap questions
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From: jacksonville, fl.
head/cam swap questions Going to be installing some stock 02 LS1 heads that are hand ported, with 2.02 1.60 valves, Comp 918 springs and milled .030. Will be going with the F13 cam. Should stock push rods be ok with this? Recommended head gaskets with the milling?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Buffalo, N.Y.
MY AFR heads are milled .011, and I'm using .040 Cometic head gaskets. I'm sure there's some kind of "formula" for figuring out head gasket thickness vs amount of material milled from the heads. I think there is a point where enough material can be removed from the heads to cause misalignment between intake runners, and head ports. I've never seen anything in any of my reference books listing what that number is. It sounds like you're after a fairly high compression ratio.
There's a lot to consider when milling heads and/or block decks. Piston-to-valve clearance is just one. I would bet you'll probably need a shorter pushrod, too. Whenever you make a change to the OEM cam/heads, you're going to want to check your valvetrain geometry. Make sure you get good head bolts/studs.
You'll bend/break OEM pushrods in a stock engine. Just make a habit out of over-reving the engine, setting the rev-limiter too high, or missing the 2-to-3 shift at hi RPM, and you'll be replacing them.
There's a lot to consider when milling heads and/or block decks. Piston-to-valve clearance is just one. I would bet you'll probably need a shorter pushrod, too. Whenever you make a change to the OEM cam/heads, you're going to want to check your valvetrain geometry. Make sure you get good head bolts/studs.
You'll bend/break OEM pushrods in a stock engine. Just make a habit out of over-reving the engine, setting the rev-limiter too high, or missing the 2-to-3 shift at hi RPM, and you'll be replacing them.
I've heard of a lot of guys going from the stock 7.400 size to 7.425 to decrease the "sewing machine" tick when changine out pushrods. But yeah, I'd def. go with a set of hardened ones whatever size you go with.
