I have a 71 350 engine that I am putting in my 54 Ford Truck.The 71 engine is good ,but I broke two exhaust manifold bolts off in the heads when removing the exhaust manifolds.I have a 79 block with a rod knocking.I want to put the 79 heads on the 71 block. Will the 79 heads bolt on 71 block without any problems?
As far as I know those heads should work just fine.They even have the bigger valves in them.68-80 heads should be the same otherwise.
Thanks Jeff,I thought from what I have read lurking around on this site they would be fine.I am just going to take the valves out and clean them up and install new valve seals and put a new timing chain in the engine and run it(new gasket kit).Later on I might build the 79 block.
There is no set rule on what year the changes where made to the valvetrain oiling system but there are two types. Read the details here, and just make sure you use one setup or another not a mix: http://www.taperformance.com/newpage1.htm
I fianlly got them on today.It looks like the 79,s have a coolant passage that the 71,s don,t.But the gasket covers them up so I went ahead and put them on.:TU: http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/Buick350Heads005.jpg http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/Buick350Heads004.jpg http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/Buick350Heads002.jpg http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/Buick350Heads009.jpg http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/Buick350Heads008.jpg
you really need to plug those ports the gasket really wont hold unless you have the right block if you see milky oil you will need to change heads back to the 71 or earlyer i am surprised no one mentioned this yet take your 71 heads to a machine shop they should be able to remove broken bolts if you see the oil get mily stop running engine right away and fix heads/drain/flush oil as this will cuase another spun bearing
Alec296, Thanks for your reply.I went ahead after I took a look at the 79 block.It does not have those passages either. Also my gasket kit is for 68-80 Buick 350.I don,t have the old gaskets off the 79,I threw them away months ago. This is the 79 block the heads came off of. http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/79BuickBlock003.jpg http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/79BuickBlock002.jpg http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/79BuickBlock001.jpg
see the raised section in the middle of the valley that matches the holes in the heads thats to support the head gasket at the head holes or commonly refered to as scallops if you still have your intake off look to see if you have this on the 71 block . that section crushes the gasket to seal the scallops
I just went and pulled one of the heads off to take a better look.(I just had the bolts snugged up.I left my torque wrench at work and was going to finish it tommorow night.) The only difference I can see is the two coolant passages in between the cylinders in the middle. What should I use to seal them up with.Do you just JB Weld them?Thanks for your help.
Here is the detailed info you need: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=14191&highlight=year+scallops
Tonight I fired the engine up.So far so good.I used some liquid steel(I think that was it). If I get the milk shake oil,I will go ahead and put the plugs in heads. I wound up putting it in my 56 ford car.I had it sitting in my 54 truck.I bought a 350 sbc for the 56 car.But I was having problems with the drag link hitting the oil pan. I looked at the buick oil pan and it had more clearance so I put it in the 56.I still had to heat and bent the pitman arm some. I have just driven it around the shop.I just have a hot wire going to the hei and am just powering up the starter solenoid. After throttle linkage and wiring,fuel line,etc.I am going to take it down the road for a drive to make sure everything thing is ok. Then I plan on pulling it back out and painting the firewall.:grin: http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/DSCF0306.jpg http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/1954ford/DSCF0305.jpg
You can use the later heads on a earlier block, but not vice versa. The oil passage in the 68-69 blocks is used to oil the rocker arms since they have solid pushrods. The oil hole for the valve train is not there on the later blocks so the valve train would not receive any lubrication. Your combo is fine.
It is fine for the oiling but not for the water passages, if he does not plug the passages in the head with something secure then it is just a matter of time bofore the gasket gives out.
