Now my intake doesn't fit...

[furious70]

I had mocked up with an old valley pan and it looked like it was going to be ok but I didn't actually try to bolt down and now I see problems.

These heads were milled by someone else and look milled on the intake face too so I figured all would be well after mock up.

I have typical misaligned bolt holes but also I have the intake seating the whole way on the bottom/inside joint but more than a .050" gap at the top. And now paying more attention it looks like the heads were unevenly milled on the intake face.

When faced with this pile of problems do I really need to take the whole thing to someone so they can figure out what to mill on the heads? The intake is my efi converted rpm perf that I do not want to mill to mate to these heads.

 

[furious70]

One is milled flush the other isn't. Not surprising that the intake gap is worse on the flush one. Almost like it was milled at the wrong angle.
I don't remember what I paid for these years ago so it's sunk money if they are junk.

 

[pnora]

You need to pull them and have them checked. They most likely are beyond correction.

 

[furious70]

How do you check off the engine? Just check the angle?

 

[pnora]

You should fine a shop that knows these heads. There are many visual indicators that will tell if they have been machined to far. I would imagine they get them locked on a milling machine table and do their magic.

 

[WileERobby]

Did you try to mock up with different combinations using the paper gaskets with the valley pan ?

 

[furious70]

I would need some kind of wedge gaskets since I've got a gap at the top and none at the bottom. And the whole thing needs to sit lower to align.

 

[khryslerkid]

These bosses will measure 1" from the factory.

Is the valley pan installed in your very first picture? How much gap do you have, front and back at the end rails?

 

[furious70]

Yes the pan was installed. I quit measuring once I got to .050 gap on top.

 

[33 IMP]

Looking at the flange around the ports, they both look different, and they both look wrong. If you have a stock unmilled pair to compare, you will see. It looks like whoever milled the intake face didnt know what they were doing, and they may not be fixable, too much material to be removed to square them up.
As others have said, pull them off and take to a good shop for an opinion, before you put any more money in em. Step one is a protractor, to use to check angle from the head deck.
Edit: there is a quick way to check how much the deck is milled. Measure the thickness of the outside row of headbolt bosses. They are an inch, from the factory. If you measure .950, the heads were probably milled .050, etc.

 

[69Bee]

Likely one paper gasket between the valley pan and head, and one between the intake and valley pan will raise the intake up enough to correct the problem. As far as the angle, there are BHJ intake angle adapters, but not all shops could have them. First, the head deck surface is milled, then using the tool attached to the deck, the head is leveled for the correct angle to mill the intake side of the head.

 

[furious70]

So cut extra at the right angle and build back up with the paper gaskets? Today it sits too high

 

[khryslerkid]

You're already having problems with bolt hole alignment. Might be looking for a different set. What number heads do you have now?

 

[furious70]

These were 516's that someone ported and put 1.74's in. Years ago I took them to Opel here in the burbs and they blessed them as having decent work done in porting, guess we all missed the milling angle on the one when you look at the pair.

I do have a pair of stock 452's that were given a stock refurb years ago I can substitute with but will lose CR and port job with them.

 

[Kern Dog]

You want another set of 516s? I have a bare set I'll sell for a fair price...

 

[MoparLeo]

And what about the actual alignment of the ports ??. Strip the good parts that can be reused from those heads and start over with something that is still virgin in that dept. Otherwise you will spends lot$ of time and money chasing your tail and will never be able to change anything in the future without the problem coming back.
Old saying " cut bait"

 

[dvw]

Take the valley pan off. Now set the intake on. How does it fit now?
Doug

 

[68Dart470]

I went thru this on a chevy couple years back. A small digital angle finder will check the head & intake angles relative to the end rails. Then I bolted the intake to one head without a gasket and used feeler gauge to determine the gap at the other head (front/back & top/bottom) gasket surface. Then I divided the gap by two and subtracted for a "crushed" gasket. My intake needed to be angle milled. I gave them how much I wanted off the top/bottom edge. It worked out pretty well. I do have a small leak on one of the water ports so it has to come off and try to re-seal.

Wasn't a fun process and probably would have been better to drop a new intake and the motor off at a shop and letting them handle it. Didn't want to pull the motor to do that though.

 

[furious70]

You want another set of 516s? I have a bare set I'll sell for a fair price...

no thanks, these I just happened onto years ago, I wouldn't choose to start with 516's myself.

Take the valley pan off. Now set the intake on. How does it fit now?
Doug

I'm 4hrs away back at my house now, will have to try next time I'm back. I would guess the bolt holes may line up but I'm still going to have the gaps at the top of the ports. When I started bolting it up I got the 4 inside bolts started - the drivers side of the intake started sealed to that head and then once I got going on the pass side the pass side popped up creating the gap and then the bolts of course got really difficult to turn as there was a lot of pressure there. I didn't press it any further.

 

[ZR9B]

I have a set of 906 that they said they "safely " milled ....I ovaled my intake holes per there instructions and against my better judgment...still is not rite. These were done by the son of a very very reputable outfit in the northren Detroit aera . His father did another set years ago and were done great. At this point when I pull the car our from 10 years of sleep I'm starting over.