My Father's Oldsmobile

[81cutlass]

Not to beat a dead horse, but from what I can see I think the valve reached some fatigue point and fractured. With 20k miles it should have failed way before if it were a float and bend failure.

If the valve did float and contact the piston I think it would have bent the stem or totally fractured the valve from the stem. Those lines look similar to crack propagating lines.

If those heads are otherwise going to go to the scrap bin I'd be interested in buying them and playing around with repairing them 🙂

 

[Northernregal]

If you had float like you saw on the cam lobe, it will eventually fatigue the valves and crack them. Ive read a fair amount about it recently.

You could salvage the heads, get them welded and CNC the chambers back in. Might save the considerable cost of new heads and could update the chamber design? Gotta be someone that has a CNC chamber program for olds heads? I know S D Performance does this for Pontiac heads up here, Butler Performance does it for Pontiac heads down State side. Might be worth looking into?

 

[64nailhead]

Do you think, or know, if your valves floated?

 

[fleming442]

Do you think, or know, if your valves floated?

I'm thinking so. Even though it's a puny cam, I think the springs are too weak.

 

[500/600]

I'm thinking so. Even though it's a puny cam, I think the springs are too weak.

Puny? I don’t think so. That wouldn’t be puny on a flat tappet. You don’t have to get very far off on springs on a roller cam and valve control goes out the window.

 

[fleming442]

Does anyone know if I can get beehives for the Edelbrock heads? I'm calling Travato tomorrow to see what he has kicking around.

 

[500/600]

Does anyone know if I can get beehives for the Edelbrock heads? I'm calling Travato tomorrow to see what he has kicking around.

On my Caddy I was able to buy the correct spring cups to locate the springs on the OD. I used 10 degree 11/32" locks and retainers with the correct dimensions for the Big Block Ford springs that I used. A hodgepodge of parts really based off of dimensions. 145lb seat and 360lb at 0.608" lift.

You got dimensions? Guide OD at the base? Max OD allowable for a spring cup? Normal installed height?

 

[500/600]

Oh, and I'd be fixing those heads.....................unless I'm missing something that is way worse than it looks.

 

[500/600]

Have you looked at the bearings yet?

 

[fleming442]

Bearings were good, but the crank needs to go 010. My drag racer buddy and Trimble both say the heads are junk because of the chamber damage. A guy on IG offered to weld them up for me if I ship them to him. I might later, but will probably get another set first.