Newly prepped 8ba assembly questions

4

4tfred

Junior Member
Now that the block is ready there are a few questions that my flathead book does not cover.
This block had new hard three angle seats installed. Using chevy SS 1.5" valves with and Isky Max 1 regrind. These valves should not need any further work other than installing them, right?

Q#1. Should I lap the new valves in a bit to those new seats?

2. Nothing in my book about these new Vitron intake seals, I assume
they install at the bottom of the valve spring, right?

3. The original 8ba rods were fully reconditioned. I believe that there is no difference in the connecting rods between 8ba Ford and Merc, but the Merc 4" pistons are different, right? In other words if you installed a 4" Merc crank in an 8ba Ford block, only the pistons would need changing, right?


Now on the last item, The machine shop redrilled the back of this block as per the Red's Headers instructions for the (sort of) full flow oil filtering setup.

At this point I do NOT intend to use this filter, so can the horizontal tapped 3/8" NTP left opening be plugged along with the right most opening that was also drilled and tapped out to 3/8" NTP. If so, I also assume that the small threaded plug inserted a bit deep into the left most hole will stay inserted.

Suggestions & comments on the above appreciated, dont want any mistakes at this point!!

Thanks, Fred
 
It sounds like you need to have someone close by who has worked on flatheads before.
Don't know how well your vavles fit the seats, that is up to you to check.

The valve seals go in the groove in the guide, the stock exhaust guides don't have the groove for the seal. Some use all intake guides to use seals on all of them.

All Ford and Merc rods were the same length, when using a merc crank, the wrist pin hole in the piston is higher in the piston to keep the piston from going up too high.

If the machine shop set the block up for an oil filter you MUST hook one up or NO oil will get to the crank. I repeat, HOOK UP THE FULL FLOW FILTER if the block has the plug in the hole, this is CRITICAL.

Fred, you certainly don't want any mistakes so go over all this with someone locally.
 
welcome to the 'Barn....got pics??...lol....we love pics...or i do....do NOT plug the horizontal tapped opening in the rear of the block....if you plug it and you don't run the filter setup or at least a hose from the new hole to one of the old holes, you won't have any oil circulating thru your engine...pretty sure that is correct and if i'm wrong, others will correct me....and will answer your other questions.....have fun....Mike
 
While I like to see people trying to learn and do their own thing the level of involvement needs to be more in line with the acquired skills. Some of these questions beg for more questions.

What is meant by 3 angle seat rings installed? Does this mean the seats were machined to 3 angles AFTER the rings were pressed into the block? If not, then you must regrind or machine those seat rings concentric to the valve guide before they are usable.

If the seats have been properly machined the sealing area can be checked with blue dye or with a VERY THIN application of lapping compound. I stress VERY THIN because a globbed on accumulation can give a false indication when the thickness of the compound exceeds the run-out or the variance between valve and seat. For that reason I use a final quality check with bluing.

As already noted the usual seal location is in the valve guide groove where it fits into the bore in the block. Unless, of course, you have stem seals where the valve guide has been machined to accept them?? Or, do you have the small ring seal that fits on the valve stem?

As previously stated the rods are the same sizes. About the only thing to be aware of is whether or not they are of the "squirt-hole" design and have a location specific scenario.

My recollection of the "Red's Headers" oil filtering instruction was that additional drilling is done through the rear of the block behind the flywheel. Is that what you have??

As noted by others, an on-site inspection and discussion with a competent authority might be a good idea.
 
4tfred said:
Now that the block is ready there are a few questions that my flathead book does not cover.
This block had new hard three angle seats installed. Using chevy SS 1.5" valves with and Isky Max 1 regrind. These valves should not need any further work other than installing them, right?

Q#1. Should I lap the new valves in a bit to those new seats?

2. Nothing in my book about these new Vitron intake seals, I assume
they install at the bottom of the valve spring, right?

3. The original 8ba rods were fully reconditioned. I believe that there is no difference in the connecting rods between 8ba Ford and Merc, but the Merc 4" pistons are different, right? In other words if you installed a 4" Merc crank in an 8ba Ford block, only the pistons would need changing, right?


Now on the last item, The machine shop redrilled the back of this block as per the Red's Headers instructions for the (sort of) full flow oil filtering setup.

At this point I do NOT intend to use this filter, so can the horizontal tapped 3/8" NTP left opening be plugged along with the right most opening that was also drilled and tapped out to 3/8" NTP. If so, I also assume that the small threaded plug inserted a bit deep into the left most hole will stay inserted.

Suggestions & comments on the above appreciated, dont want any mistakes at this point!!

Thanks, Fred
Click to expand...

Really, i would think the machine shop doing the work should be capable of answering these questions...:eek: If not "oh well"...
 
Check to be sure the "squirt holes" in the connecting rods are properly aligned when you install the connecting rods. Not all the connecting rods were made with squirt holes.
 
4tfred said:
Now that the block is ready there are a few questions that my flathead book does not cover.
This block had new hard three angle seats installed. Using chevy SS 1.5" valves with and Isky Max 1 regrind. These valves should not need any further work other than installing them, right?

Q#1. Should I lap the new valves in a bit to those new seats



2. Nothing in my book about these new Vitron intake seals, I assume
they install at the bottom of the valve spring, right? 3. The original 8ba rods were fully reconditioned. I believe that there is no difference in the connecting rods between 8ba Ford and Merc, but the Merc 4" pistons are different, right? In other words if you installed a 4" Merc crank in an 8ba Ford block, only the pistons would need changing, right?



Now on the last item, The machine shop redrilled the back of this block as per the Red's Headers instructions for the (sort of) full flow oil filtering setup.

At this point I do NOT intend to use this filter, so can the horizontal tapped 3/8" NTP left opening be plugged along with the right most opening that was also drilled and tapped out to 3/8" NTP. If so, I also assume that the small threaded plug inserted a bit deep into the left most hole will stay inserted.


Suggestions & comments on the above appreciated, dont want any mistakes at this point!!

Thanks, Fred
Click to expand...


No, a properly ground valve seat should not need to be lapped, but it depends on what exactly the installer did. Maybe a little lap would be OK, but you're running the risk of dulling the sharp edges of the grind.

Aren't Chevy valves 1.6" ?

The intake seals do not go under the valve springs, they go in the groove on the intake valve guide. They really aren't valve stem seals, they are valve guide seals. Flatheads don't have valve stem seals because the valve stems are not in an oil bath.

Yes, the Ford and Merc pistons are different.

If you drilled for full flow, you must not plug the holes. If you plug the holes you will have NO oil flow and you will cook your engine within minutes.
 
4tfred, PLEASE DO USE THE OIL FILTRATION SYSTEM.
Oil is the life giving blood of your engine.

Plus, if possible, set up you engine so you can run it out of your car so you can check out every potential problem. Then, install it in your car. This will give you tremendous peace of mind.
 
19Fordy said:
4tfred, PLEASE DO USE THE OIL FILTRATION SYSTEM.
Oil is the life giving blood of your engine.

Plus, if possible, set up you engine so you can run it out of your car so you can check out every potential problem. Then, install it in your car. This will give you tremendous peace of mind.
Click to expand...

If the shop already did it, there's no turning back (that I know of).
 
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