Thread: Need My Head(s) Examined

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Since these are the big boy "gofaster" heads, I'd bet a nickel they have heavy springs installed. What you want for initial break-in is stock single springs less dampers. I used to keep a worn out set on the shelf just for break-in. Do you have shop air for holding the valves in place while you remove the springs and replace them with stocker units?

Your valve adjustment procedure will result in the valves being too tight. With your socket on the crank bolt at the harmonic damper, turn the crank until the intake valve on #1 cylinder is fully depressed (valve fully open). Turn the crank one full turn to put the lifter directly on the heel of the cam lobe and loosen the nut on the intake rocker until the rocker is loose. Grasp the pushrod with your thumb and forefinger and wiggle it up and down against the lifter cup and rocker arm socket while you tighten the nut. DO THIS VERY LIGHTLY SO AS NOT TO COMPRESS THE SPRING INSIDE THE LIFTER. All you want to do is adjust the nut until the play is out of the pushrod. Now tighten the nut another 1/2 turn. Turn the crank 1/4 turn and do #8 intake, then another 1/4 turn and do #4 and so on through the firing order of 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. Then go back to #1 cylinder and do the exhaust valve, then 1/4 turn and do #8, etc., etc. There are other methods to do this but this is my way and it's bulletproof. It takes a little longer, but you can be sure that it is right when you're through.

For the initial break-in, you should have everything ready to run. Ignition timing set close, carb full of fuel, full battery charge, temp gauge and oil pressure gauge hooked up, valves adjusted. If you have to grind more than 2 seconds on the starter....STOP.....and find out why it isn't cranking. Add a bottle of GM Engine Oil Supplement to the oil before fire-up. You can find it at any GM dealer. After the 20-30 minute run, drop the oil and filter and replace with fresh oil and filter and another bottle of EOS. Use a brand name racing oil instead of what you're used to using. The oil companies have begun to delete zinc and other high pressure lubes from engine oils due to pressure being brought to bear by OEM car makers. They say the zinc clogs up their catalytic converters and costs them warranty replacements. So, now it is up to us hot rodders to make sure we have the proper chemicals in our oils to protect our expensive investments.