Keep it? Throw it?

[Bighouse]

It needed to come out for a few reasons, it had a vibration which turned out to be a zero balance converter mounted to a neutral balanced flex plate. It leaks and is very dirty. The engine bay needs to be painted etc.

I’m getting ready for the same thing- I promised myself only re-sealing it and making it all pretty….

 

[Roger63]

I’m getting ready for the same thing- I promised myself only re-sealing it and making it all pretty….

Are you gonna honor that promise?

 

[Bighouse]

Are you gonna honor that promise?

Yes!!!! I “promised” myself the same thing on an Olds 455 out of my 442 ……. My main and rod bearings on still on the way….

 

[33 IMP]

It needed to come out for a few reasons, it had a vibration which turned out to be a zero balance converter mounted to a neutral balanced flex plate. It leaks and is very dirty. The engine bay needs to be painted etc.

Yep, that'll be a vibration allright.... with a cast crank. Do you still have the fillings in your teeth? Lol.

 

[Roger63]

Yep, that'll be a vibration allright.... with a cast crank. Do you still have the fillings in your teeth? Lol.

Yep only drove it about a mile.

 

[69a100]

The rods and pistons look fairly new, but truthfully the mismatched heads and a few other minor oddities got me wondering.

The other problem is that it's a low compression motor. I would like to bump it up around 9.5 to1.

Why not slap some 440 source heads on it to bump it up? At least then you'll have matching heads.

 

[Roger63]

Why not slap some 440 source heads on it to bump it up? At least then you'll have matching heads.

At this point no decision has been made. I'm pretty much looking at all ingredients trying to decide on a recipe.

 

[33 IMP]

At this point no decision has been made. I'm pretty much looking at all ingredients trying to decide on a recipe.

I like the 440 source idea, though thay aren't as inexpensive as they once were.
I would cc the heads you have to see if they are a reasonable match. You would need a clear plexiglass plate and a big (50 or 100 cc) graduated syringe. Got mine for free , from a veterinarian supply. Drill a hole in the plexiglass plate to fill the chamber, set the heads at an angle, with the hole at the top edge of the chamber, seal with a bit of grease, fill with colored liquid (I use blue glass cleaner). It also gives a small indication of the quality of the valve seat seal.
You will probably find around 90 cc's.

 

[Darter6]

Probably purchased from a head rebuilder who doesn't give a crap about casting numbers.

I have found this on a Jasper rebuilt 360 that was in a truck that I bought.1 small valve small port 318 head the other was the large port larger valve 360 head.
Mis-matched heads and minimum machine work. I have been told that you may even find only 1 or more cylinders bored, not all 8.

 

[cosgig]

If everything checks out, I would hone it and put it back together. If the mismatched heads bug you, change them. Although, all big block cast iron heads are pretty much the same, so it’s probably not an issue.