Eric's 1960 T-Bird

[jopizz]

It's hard to tell by looking. I suggest you put a straightedge across the ports starting at the top. Then take a thin feeler gauge and see if there's a gap between the straightedge and all the head surfaces. Slide the straightedge down and continue checking it. If there's any gaps even thin enough for a piece of paper to fit behind it will leak.

John

[Eric S]

If it leaks then it'll mean machining, gasket or paste then?

[jopizz]

In my experience if it leaks machining both surfaces flat is the only fix. Gaskets or paste is only a temporary option and you will have to take everything apart again.

John

[Eric S]

I checked the flatness of the head and it is not. I had .005" on one side but noticed that almost all ports allow a gauge to slide in. I am going to have the manifold re-installed and see how it goes. After all, I had only a leak on one side so far and this may have been caused by the paste I used making a thickness somewhere.

We may be able to make our next week-end trip then but I fear the heads will have to be eventually removed and machined.
Previous owner used gaskets. I dig them out of my old parts bin and they look like they failed.

Something different now, I missed to install correctly a suspension spring, forward. The end of the spring is 1-2" from the pocket but past it. Is there any chance it comes back in the pocket when driving or is there a trick to rotate it. I tried to lift the car to extend the spring but it remains impossible to rotate and there is 3-4 coils only so I can not use a spring compressor.

Eric

[Eric S]

Well, once tight I have a .017" gap on #4 and .005" on #2 and 3.
Makes a little bit of noise, not too much. Can I drive 5 hrs next wek end is now the question.

The other question is, how long does it takes to remove the heads to be machined. I assume the inlet manifold must go out, Do I have to remove the valves too?

Eric

[Eric S]

On my car I currently have Champion AF11YC spark plugs. Ifs it OK to replace them with the same model?

[jopizz]

That's the standard plug. That's what I like to use. I never saw the need to spend more money on specialty plugs.

John

[Eric S]

Something different now, I missed to install correctly a suspension spring, forward. The end of the spring is 1-2" from the pocket but past it. Is there any chance it comes back in the pocket when driving or is there a trick to rotate it. I tried to lift the car to extend the spring but it remains impossible to rotate and there is 3-4 coils only so I can not use a spring compressor.

Eric

[Ratboy]

Could you unbolt the shock with a jack underneath? That should allow the spring more travel

[Eric S]

I am not sure as as far as I can tell the upper arm comes in contact and movement is limited here.

[Ratboy]

When you lower the jack, the lower arm should follow, hopefully giving you room to adjust the spring

[Tbird1044]

I think the only way you will get enough tension off the spring to rotate it and get it properly oriented is to disconnect the lower ball joint completely and then lower the bottom A arm using the jack. You will also need to have the shock and front sway bar disconnected prior to doing this.

[Eric S]

Ratboy
I assume this is with the lower ball joint disconnected as Tbird suggest. Something I would like to avoid.
I know that sometimes the springs can take their place on the road but I am afraid it turns on the wrong direction then...

[frank58]

I am afraid it turns on the wrong direction then...

Exactly..... don't take that chance

[Ratboy]

I don't quite understand what you mean what you mean in your last post. The ball joint is pretty easy to remove. I haven't attempted to remove the lower