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How likely to have new heads cracked?

Well, the guy at EQ says that the 95TM head castings have been discontinued. They were looking for a "straggler" for me, but no such luck. They're still trying to figure out how to handle my claim, so we'll see what happens. I did find a place that shows them having 95TMs from EQ, but I need to call to verify.

Does anyone have any other recommendations if I can't source another EQ 95TM? To be honest, I may be better off ditching EQ altogether and just getting a brand new pair of something else, haven't given that a whole lot of thought yet. Looks like I may not be able to run my good head if I can't get a matching second. I see a lot of stuff around on Odessa, and they offer a 2 year warranty on their heads. I can get a bare set for just shy of 400 bucks. I've heard Kings is pretty decent too. At any rate, I don't want a straight 95TM head, and then one of the hybrid 95/98TMs that seem to be all over the place now (at this point, I don't care about the smaller exhaust ports of the hybrid heads, I just want my truck running).

Oo crap.that's not good at all!! Hope mine are good and just the gasket is bad.I would cost me a lot to habe two heads redone:(let me know what you find out.if you do go with new 98tm go with Alabama heads.

Is this where you called?

http://www.aamidwest.com/enginequest/
 



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Yeah man, that's the place. Talked to a guy named Chris, who has at least been pleasant thus far.

I may give Alabama a call if the EQ stuff goes down the toilet. I can get a bare pair of Kings 98tm heads shipped to me for $460.
 






Yeah man, that's the place. Talked to a guy named Chris, who has at least been pleasant thus far.

I may give Alabama a call if the EQ stuff goes down the toilet. I can get a bare pair of Kings 98tm heads shipped to me for $460.

Never mind. It appears they have gone out of business. .
 






Looks like Alabama is now called ProMaxx Performance. Not too sure what that's about. I can get a pair from Odessa Cylinder heads for about $360, and they come with a 2 year warranty. They stress that the rocker shaft bolts be torqued to 30 lb*ft, haven't seen that before in any other head advertisement.
 






Good news, EQ was able to find a "straggler" lying around, so they're sending it out to me. First thing it'll get is a thorough pressure test.

I'm still a tiny bit nervous about these heads. I mean so far the one that isn't cracked has held up, what's to say either one (or both) of these don't crack in the near future? I was about to pull the trigger and buy two brand new Kings castings today, but I got word that they found one before I bought anything. Only time will tell I suppose, at least I just saved myself 460 bucks, but hopefully not at the expense of further headache later on.

JD, your EQ heads have held up find over your couple years use right? Have you found out if your latest debacle was just a head gasket, or something with the heads?
 






Good news, EQ was able to find a "straggler" lying around, so they're sending it out to me. First thing it'll get is a thorough pressure test.

I'm still a tiny bit nervous about these heads. I mean so far the one that isn't cracked has held up, what's to say either one (or both) of these don't crack in the near future? I was about to pull the trigger and buy two brand new Kings castings today, but I got word that they found one before I bought anything. Only time will tell I suppose, at least I just saved myself 460 bucks, but hopefully not at the expense of further headache later on.

JD, your EQ heads have held up find over your couple years use right? Have you found out if your latest debacle was just a head gasket, or something with the heads?

They don't seem to crack, its more so they come cracked or crack right away.pressure test will be enough to do it.he can torch the head also while the get tested and it will cause crackes to open..BUT he needs to know what he's doing, don't over heat the head!! I forgot you was in my area, I would have sent you to my guy (Magnum performance) he is about the best around and has experience with the 4.0 because he built mine and will be doing the rebuild;)

.I haven't had any problems with them and I'm about 99.9% sure its gaskets.I built the motor with stock head gasket and tty head bolts.so if I over boosted the gasket would blow not the bottom end.I was in the mountains pulling 10 lbs of boost on 10.67:1 compression climbing mountains 4 wheeling.so I was in boost for a long time plus I was stressing the hell out the motor..
 






Well that puts me at ease then, because I had talked myself into dropping the money on a new set. We'll see how these hold up in the future.

I think someone at work told me about Magnum, he said they do good work. I gave this place a shot (Felts Machine in Suffolk) since my uncle told me they are good. They seem good so far, just needed a little assistance with the pressure test. I had Apples Machine in Yorktown do everything last year, steer clear of that place. Dunkum's Machine in Newport News pressure tested the heads last December when I had the first hunch and they "passed" them as well. I guess people don't do these all that often.
 






Well that puts me at ease then, because I had talked myself into dropping the money on a new set. We'll see how these hold up in the future.

I think someone at work told me about Magnum, he said they do good work. I gave this place a shot (Felts Machine in Suffolk) since my uncle told me they are good. They seem good so far, just needed a little assistance with the pressure test. I had Apples Machine in Yorktown do everything last year, steer clear of that place. Dunkum's Machine in Newport News pressure tested the heads last December when I had the first hunch and they "passed" them as well. I guess people don't do these all that often.

Yea if you don't have a vast knowledge or worked on them before someone could miss it easily. Sounds like they got it figured out now.

.is EQ having you ship the bad one back? If not I would love to take it off your hands.I need one to see how large of valves and porting we can go.I have a very good idea on ""safe"" size for valves but really would like to know the MAX for EQ.only way to tell is to over to it and measure but calls for destroying a head
 






They didn't say they wanted the bad one, and since they're discontinued, they probably don't care if I keep it. It's just going to sit there and collect dust, so if you want it for R&D, that's no problem.

Heck if this replacement comes back cracked, you might even have two!!! OK, OK, let's think positive here, it WON'T be cracked.
 






They didn't say they wanted the bad one, and since they're discontinued, they probably don't care if I keep it. It's just going to sit there and collect dust, so if you want it for R&D, that's no problem.

Heck if this replacement comes back cracked, you might even have two!!! OK, OK, let's think positive here, it WON'T be cracked.

Yea hope its not and hope mine are still good.sweet!!! I give you scrap value for it if you want:D
 






I've been looking deeper into my issue and it is looking more and more like a head gasket now. I am suspecting operator error here now. I don't recall chasing threads and making critically sure the head bolts were torqued to spec without dirt in the thread holes. My oil leak is mostly coming from the heads. The loose LIM was an issue, but now that I've taken care of that issue, the next week link is revealed.

I hope as you both do in your respective cases that the remedy relatively easy to implement and kind to the wallet.

Sometimes having an older truck can be so much trouble. But when we get the issues licked, I surely enjoy my truck...too much sometimes.
 






After changing these head gaskets about 5 times in the past year, I've become meticulous when I do this job. An hour or two of cleaning with a daggon razor blade and brake clean soaked towel, and the surfaces are clean enough to keep a white towel virtually clean when ran across the block or heads.

I didn't put oil under the heads of the bolt the first time I did it, then I did the second time (and third, fourth...you get the point). Anyway, it's amazing what a little lubrication does as far as clamping/torque goes. I could feel the difference when tightening them down, much stiffer without the lubrication. You're right though, spend the time in prep, chase the threads, blow them out and let them dry, put a light coat of oil on the bolt threads and under the head, then go to spec and you should be gold.


Sometimes having an older truck can be so much trouble. But when we get the issues licked, I surely enjoy my truck...too much sometimes.

This is my problem, I love driving my Ranger. I'm about 6'4", and get several comments about needing a bigger truck, but it's very comfortable and I love driving it. The Ranger is my first vehicle, had it since 2001, and I just can't seem to part with it. So instead of letting it go and getting something newer, I keep dumping money into it to keep it on the road. It really is a labor of love.
 






Well, I got the replacement head from EQ and it passed the pressure test, so the machine shop is doing their thing. They're hoping to have the block finished on friday, but they're having a time getting the dual springs installed. Without any aftermarket retainers available, they're trying to figure out how to make it work with my exhaust valves. The intake valves are OK (they're SI valves), but the exhaust valves are giving them a fit (OEM style).

I know I'm not the first to run dual valve springs with OEM style valves and retainers. I know Crane discontinued the retainers that would work. I'm hoping between now and friday they can come up with something (just got off the phone with them, they're working on getting them to fit right). Anyway, just an update. I hope to at least get the block back this weekend, as I have saturday reserved for the install.
 






Well, I got the replacement head from EQ and it passed the pressure test, so the machine shop is doing their thing. They're hoping to have the block finished on friday, but they're having a time getting the dual springs installed. Without any aftermarket retainers available, they're trying to figure out how to make it work with my exhaust valves. The intake valves are OK (they're SI valves), but the exhaust valves are giving them a fit (OEM style).

I know I'm not the first to run dual valve springs with OEM style valves and retainers. I know Crane discontinued the retainers that would work. I'm hoping between now and friday they can come up with something (just got off the phone with them, they're working on getting them to fit right). Anyway, just an update. I hope to at least get the block back this weekend, as I have saturday reserved for the install.

Oem locks will work just fine.I run them and there is no difference in the top half of the valves.good to hear that the head checked out ok.what are they doing to the block?.bet your ready to have this thing back on the road!!:D
 






Oooo one thing.if you are running the 422 cam make sure they check for clearance between the lock and the valve seal.depending on the seal and seal seat it may have to be milled also or the lock can come down and hit the seal.most over look this;)
 






Thanks for the tip on the seal JD, and yeah man I'm really anxious to get her back on the road. I tore it apart on 7/22/13, so I've been a while without it, driving my gas hog toys that get about 12-14 mpg as daily drivers...not cool.

I'm gonna swing by regardless on friday and talk to them (and hopefully pick up my block), so I'll double check all the stuff they did with the springs then. They seem competant here, they are taking their time to make sure they get it right (especially after the overlooked pressure test the first time). They are looking at the cam and spring specs, and checking everything over with a fine tooth comb.

I didn't forget about the junk head for you either, I just haven't been back up there to pick it up. I'll get it friday as long as they've taken it all apart, which I imagine they have already, but who knows.
 






Thanks for the tip on the seal JD, and yeah man I'm really anxious to get her back on the road. I tore it apart on 7/22/13, so I've been a while without it, driving my gas hog toys that get about 12-14 mpg as daily drivers...not cool.

I'm gonna swing by regardless on friday and talk to them (and hopefully pick up my block), so I'll double check all the stuff they did with the springs then. They seem competant here, they are taking their time to make sure they get it right (especially after the overlooked pressure test the first time). They are looking at the cam and spring specs, and checking everything over with a fine tooth comb.

I didn't forget about the junk head for you either, I just haven't been back up there to pick it up. I'll get it friday as long as they've taken it all apart, which I imagine they have already, but who knows.

Cool hopefully they will be done and we can see this thing up and running soon!;)
I'm in no rush for the head, still going to be awile before I get to motor again:(
 






She alive??
 






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Nope, still nothing. The shop had a couple of minor setbacks with getting parts and all, but I'm hoping to have the stuff by Friday. Then paint this weekend, and install next week and/or weekend.
 






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