Putting on a high comp head

Vanspeed

Vanspeed

Well-known member
Just got the gaskets/studs for putting my new snyders head on and have a few questions. Am I going to have to re-time it after? I am not going to turn the motor over so nothing is going out of whack there. Can't I just put the distributor back in the same way it came out?
 
Yes you can just put the distributor back in and it will be in time as long as you don't turn the motor over. I just put a new head gasket on a few weeks ago with a Snyder's head and didn't turn the motor over. The timing was just like it was when I took the head off.
 
Vanspeed said:
Just got the gaskets/studs for putting my new snyders head on and have a few questions. Am I going to have to re-time it after? I am not going to turn the motor over so nothing is going out of whack there. Can't I just put the distributor back in the same way it came out?
Click to expand...
Sont turn engine over leave it as is
 
Yes all will be fine. You will not have to re-time the car. And, im pretty sure you wouldnt have to retime it even if you turned the engine over. The dist drive gear isnt being taken out, and neither is the middle shaft. and the dist will only go in one way, so you shouldnt have to worry about anything.
 
Logan is correct. The Model A is like a Volkswagen. Once timed the timing will stay the same as long as the drive is left alone and the distributor is only removed.
 
However, with the head off it's a perfect time to find TDC on #1. Then install head, dist etc, AND reverify your settings. Just a thought
Paul in CT
 
Vanspeed said:
Thanks guys, this will be fun! How much should I expect from this head? It is the 5.5 head.
Click to expand...

I have a Model B motor in my coupe. With that same head, downdraft intake, Stromberg 97, lightened flywheel, Mallory distributor, 39 transmission I can bury the speedometer at 75mph on a straight stretch of highway. After that I can't tell how fast I'm going, haven't checked it with gps or anything.

My next upgrade is a header with a gutted NOS BB truck muffler which should give me a more free flowing exhaust vs the stock A manifold and muffler.

Post your results after you get it installed.
 
Vanspeed said:
Thanks guys, this will be fun! How much should I expect from this head? It is the 5.5 head.
Click to expand...

Depends what else is in the motor, and drive train. If its bone stock besides the head, well your going to have more torque than before, but as for top speed its going to be around the same. Without an overdrive or high speed gears, your pretty much going to get up to speed faster, but not necessarily be able to go faster. The head is really helpfull for hills, or really anytime more power is needed to pull these old cars around. I'm not saying high comp heads are bad or not worth the money, because i think they are probably the best bang for the buck, when it comes to power upgrades. Long story short, i run the same head, and you will be satisfied. I love it, and would like to try the new 6.0 head.
 
I have a 39 trans in it already and plans are for a cam, headers and downdraft carb setup when funds allow.
 
Just for the sake of education - referring to the timing question: One of the neat things about a Model A is that you can pull the distributor and twirl it around and crank the engine over as many times as you like - drop the distributor back in the hole, rotate the rotor until the distributor drops back into the hole all the way and it will be in time just like it was when you took it out. When you pull your distributor look at the bottom where it meets the shaft. Then look at the shaft. You'll see that they are offset and can only go together one way.
When I replace a head or just a head gasket I like to clean everything up nice including the tops of the pistons which is much easier if you rotate the engine to get each piston to the top.
 
Thanks, Mike, for posting that link. Those dyno results are quite helpful. Does anyone have dyno sheets showing the results of the various cams that are available?

Bob
 
Unless I'm missing something, if you accidentally turn the shaft on the distributor, you can get it 180 degrees out when you put it back in. This would have the rotor pointing to the wrong spark plug. This would not work.
 
Tang on distributor shaft coupling is offset so cannot go back on 180 ° off.

With the HC head, you should notice that you do not need to drive with as much timing advance as a stock head. You will likely experience pre-ignition if you pull the timing lever all the way down the quadrant.
 
Thanks. I had not looked closely. The offset is only half the width of the tang, but enough to do the job.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top