[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by dv657172

Schurkey

I'm going with a "real" problem and not condensation (see pic)..

I needed a bigger boat

That is definitely coolant in the oil!

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by dv657172

Good afternoon Steve

I would have thought they were given the 71 and later engines were built for unleaded fuel (i.e. lower compression)? please educate me on this

Hardened exhaust seats weren’t used by the OEs until 1975/1976. It took that many years of in service experience ( and recessed exhaust valve seats) to indicate that hardened seat were needed.

[dv657172]

So the heads are off and at a shop being planed down to 2 hundredths to clean up and bump up compression a bit

I would like to keep the engine looking as original as possible. How does one know if existing head bolts are ok to use again? Engine has 95k miles on it and one previous rebuild prior to now.

Also I removed the heads with the exhaust manifolds still on them as per the Pontiac manual but have since removed them for the head work. Is it easier to install them once heads are back on the block or reinstall heads/exhaust manifold as one unit? Car is a 71 GTO with PS and AC for reference

Thanks

[Schurkey]

The bolts are not corroded? Threads in good condition? Not visibly necked-down (stretched)? Should be fine for re-use.

If you can lift the head/manifold combo off, I guess you can lift the combo back on. You're a better man than I, Gunga Din.

[Kenth]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

Hardened exhaust seats weren’t used by the OEs until 1975/1976. It took that many years of in service experience ( and recessed exhaust valve seats) to indicate that hardened seat were needed.

Pontiac started using induction hardened exhaust seats for 1972 V8 engines, making them more resistant to wear

FWIW.

[dv657172]

Thanks Kenth

Schurkey, if it makes you feel any better I had a friend helping me and it still wasnt easy, lol

[Sirrotica]

When my father was in his 80s he pulled both heads off of his 75 Catalina to have a valve job done on them, by himself. He was a mechanic most of his life, but I was amazed that he was able to pull that off by himself. When I asked him how he did it he said, "I just laid a board over the fender, wrestled the head onto the board, and slid it out from under the hood, then took it to the machine shop". Reverse procedure to assemble.......

My Dad was hard headed, and depression era growing up. He never believed in paying someone to do labor for him, if he could do it himself. He also felt he would do a better job than someone else would. While in his 70s he put a whole cedar shake roof on his house completely by himself also, he was quite a guy.

I turn 70 tomorrow, and I'm avoiding pulling the heads off of one of my diesel 6.5 trucks to check for either a blown head gasket, or a cracked head, that is pushing compression into the coolant system. Maybe I better toughen up, and quit being a slacker....LOL

[dv657172]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

When my father was in his 80s he pulled both heads off of his 75 Catalina to have a valve job done on them, by himself. He was a mechanic most of his life, but I was amazed that he was able to pull that off by himself. When I asked him how he did it he said, "I just laid a board over the fender, wrestled the head onto the board, and slid it out from under the hood, then took it to the machine shop". Reverse procedure to assemble.......

My Dad was hard headed, and depression era growing up. He never believed in paying someone to do labor for him, if he could do it himself. He also felt he would do a better job than someone else would. While in his 70s he put a whole cedar shake roof on his house completely by himself also, he was quite a guy.

I turn 70 tomorrow, and I'm avoiding pulling the heads off of one of my diesel 6.5 trucks to check for either a blown head gasket, or a cracked head, that is pushing compression into the coolant system. Maybe I better toughen up, and quit being a slacker....LOL

Or get a Ram diesel

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by dv657172

Or get a Ram diesel

Since I need only occasionally need to use this 14 ft straight body truck with a grandma's attic over the cab, and a 3000 lb lift gate, and only paid $500 for the whole truck running and driving. I already knew it was losing coolant by a slight compression leak. I can still afford to tear into it and repair the problem for less than one months payment an a dodge wrapped cummins. The truck is a 95 3500 HD with 250,000 miles on it, I knew when I bought it that it was leaking compression, so I think I can easily afford to remedy the engine problem.

BTW, if you find a dodge wrapped cummins 15,000 GVW, straight truck with a lift gate that has 6 great tires, for $500, by all means, contact me................

I own 2 chevy trucks with the 6.5 TD, 250,000 on one (bought in 2019), and 272,000 (bought in 2010), on the other, The total purchase price for both of the trucks was $2300. I'm looking at dollars per mile ROI, I think I'm doing just fine......

[Brentco]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

When my father was in his 80s he pulled both heads off of his 75 Catalina to have a valve job done on them, by himself. He was a mechanic most of his life, but I was amazed that he was able to pull that off by himself. When I asked him how he did it he said, "I just laid a board over the fender, wrestled the head onto the board, and slid it out from under the hood, then took it to the machine shop". Reverse procedure to assemble.......

My Dad was hard headed, and depression era growing up. He never believed in paying someone to do labor for him, if he could do it himself. He also felt he would do a better job than someone else would. While in his 70s he put a whole cedar shake roof on his house completely by himself also, he was quite a guy.

I turn 70 tomorrow, and I'm avoiding pulling the heads off of one of my diesel 6.5 trucks to check for either a blown head gasket, or a cracked head, that is pushing compression into the coolant system. Maybe I better toughen up, and quit being a slacker....LOL

Happy Birthday!

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by Brentco

Happy Birthday!

[mgarblik]

Happy birthday as well. Don't be a slacker! But don't pull those heavy heads by yourself without help. I closed my fleet maintenance business June, 30, after 35 years total. Two stints with about a 10 year break in the middle. The trucks just kept getting bigger and heavier and I was getting older and weaker. Having a helper available when needed got me through the last 5 years without any injuries. Have a great day.

[PunchT37]

Originally Posted by Kenth

Pontiac started using induction hardened exhaust seats for 1972 V8 engines, making them more resistant to wear

FWIW.

My take is, one can tell hardened seats on ponchos by the plugs. Old school 13/16 socket with gasket = non hardened seats, and 5/8 socket tapered "peanut plug" = hardened seats.

So, yeah. Peanut plug poncho heads started in `72 apps.

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Happy birthday as well. Don't be a slacker! But don't pull those heavy heads by yourself without help. I closed my fleet maintenance business June, 30, after 35 years total. Two stints with about a 10 year break in the middle. The trucks just kept getting bigger and heavier and I was getting older and weaker. Having a helper available when needed got me through the last 5 years without any injuries. Have a great day.

Thank You Mike, yes at 70 everything does get heavier than it was even 10 years ago. I have to work like my Dad did, "smarter, not harder". That wrenching sure takes a toll. I know that from seeing what it did to my dad's body even after he retired, the years of abuse keep working, even after he retired. After wrenching full time, things like doing woodworking are fairly easy comparatively, my dad loved to do woodworking after he retired, probably because wood is much lighter, than steel, and iron is....

[lust4speed]

Originally Posted by Kenth

Pontiac started using induction hardened exhaust seats for 1972 V8 engines, making them more resistant to wear
FWIW.

Either way, a moot point since 96 heads were 1971 vintage.

But a question - how deep was the induction hardening? One valve job okay and through it on the second, or was the hardening deeper? Maybe unnecessary, but at the relatively cheap price of seats and labor I always have them done anyway.

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by Kenth

Pontiac started using induction hardened exhaust seats for 1972 V8 engines, making them more resistant to wear

FWIW.

More prone to cracking also.

[Kenth]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

More prone to cracking also.

I think cracking seats is more an issue from leaner mixtures used 1972 making the engines run hotter is the real reason, not the hardening of the seats.
1972 Pontiac also introduced the blind channel above the crossover channel for excessive heat to escape to prevent cracking heads.

FWIW

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

how deep was the induction hardening? One valve job okay and through it on the second, or was the hardening deeper? Maybe unnecessary, but at the relatively cheap price of seats and labor I always have them done anyway.

"I" won't guarantee that the hardened layer will allow even one process of seat re-grinding; although "usually" one valve-job comes out OK provided the seats aren't unusually worn.

I bet two seat-jobs is pushing it.

God bless hardened inserts.