MickeySpiers
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- July 31, 2001
- Messages
- 140
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Littleton, Colorado
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1991 XLT
After 270k miles of faithful service, my head gaskets have given up the ghost. The oil pan gasket is shot, and the clutch (original) needs replaced, so I'm going to pull the engine to clean up the gaskets and address the heads. I've run Mobil 1 for the past 19 years and the motor, other than overheating, still runs great. I have zero interest in doing anything to the bottom end other than replace the gaskets/seals, unless I discover an issue. The heads tho, I'm considering some work. Seems I can buy a set of 95TM heads from Odessa for $400 shipped with new valves & springs. This is more attractive to me than doing ANY machine work on my current set, which would certainly need new valves, seats, etc. My lifters, miraculously, are quiet (or get that way after a few minutes when cold). I am also looking at the 410 Comp Cam. I've followed most of the threads I can find from JD and others on their trials and tribulations with engine work and think I have an idea of what I want. This is a daily driver, HAS to pass emissions and need it to stay reliable and extremely drive-able for when the wife unit needs it, so I'm not going to the 422 (plus I don't want to deal with the 988 springs and machining the new heads). I've owned this for 26 years and haven't needed forced induction yet so I'll not be adding that. Altho I drive the thing every day, it's all short distances and I put about 4,000 miles on it a year, so the bump to premium won't kill me if the payback is worth it in power. I've got a doubler so grunt when wheeling isn't a concern, but I'd like to be able to get up the mountain highways around here in something other than second gear... I've already got a set of JBA headers installed, feeding into a custom bent 2.5" exhaust, and don't want to change that. 4.10 gears spin my 32's pretty well already at flat highway speeds, and again my doubler ensures there is no such thing as too little power offroad. So, my questions:
I've seen others order the heads and then different (SI) valves. Obviously this adds cost, and I don't see much reason to go that route instead of the loaded Odessa head as I'm not supercharging; opinions please?
My original 1991 block, 95TM heads (not EQ apparently), Felpro SuperDuty gaskets, 410 cam, Smith Brothers pushrods (will measure but ballpark is 5.550"). New clutch, flywheel and master/slave cylinders while I'm in there. Anything I'm missing?
-Mickey
I've seen others order the heads and then different (SI) valves. Obviously this adds cost, and I don't see much reason to go that route instead of the loaded Odessa head as I'm not supercharging; opinions please?
My original 1991 block, 95TM heads (not EQ apparently), Felpro SuperDuty gaskets, 410 cam, Smith Brothers pushrods (will measure but ballpark is 5.550"). New clutch, flywheel and master/slave cylinders while I'm in there. Anything I'm missing?
-Mickey