Did you check the tolerances of the oil pump gears to see what thickness gasket to use to properly set up the clearance of the pump before you packed it and put it all back together? If not your tolerances can be too big and you'll have low oil pressure issues and that can damage the rest of your engine. It's worth taking it apart to double check everything. Just my 2 cents.
Yes. Forgot to mention it but I followed the instructions that came with the booster plate, checked clearance etc.
I removed the cylinder heads and took them to a machine shop. He pressure tested and magnafluxed them for cracks. Everything A-OK on that front. He also vacuum checked the head and found one valve with small pit on the sealing surface that he repaired. Valve seats and seals were otherwise good. The heads were warped so he machined them back to specs. While he was at it he plugged the exhaust crossover ports and smog pump ports (this was originally a California car) with steel freeze plugs. I need to check the block for straightness now after I get the gasket surfaces cleaned up. How flat is flat enough on a block? I haven't looked at the service manual yet but if the block is within X thousandths of being flat, I can assume it is good to go. what is X?
Also forgot to mention; it looks like there was some galling on one of the rocker shafts. Everything is still sitting in the back of my truck so when I have time I need to figure out if they are all like this of it is just on one end of the rocker shaft. Oiling problems?
Just boxed up the rockers and shafts to send them out to get hard chrome plated, centerless ground, and the rockers bushed as needed. I also ordered an received a single adjustable pushrod from TA performance to use to figure out correct pushrod length once I put everything back together. Also got a new set of ARP head bolts and a set of steel head gaskets. Picture of one of the heads after machining:
Hey Stacey... I would NOT recommend plugging the crossover ports (2 round 1/2" freeze plugs in each head?) or the later EGR ported heads. I had my 1970 heads plugged and it takes a good 15-20 of driving to warm up the manifold so it runs right and stays off of fast idle on the divorced choke. I am gonna pull the manifold to pop those plugs out. Heat transfer on aluminum is better, but the iron unit takes a LOT of heat to get it warm. Just a thought... I think the bottom heads are '72 or '73's. ws
Thanks for the advice Bill. Unfortunately they are already plugged. I may run them as-is to experience it myself and then take them out if I don't like the results. I assumed the exhaust heat for the intake manifold was for when it was super cold and I never drive the car when it's less than 70 degrees. I guess that's not the case.
