FE head spec

[FirstEliminator]

    Hey guys,
   
    What is the overall length of the FE head? Better yet, with machined surfaces on each end, are they all the same OAL?

     Recently I purchased a used seat and guide machine. It didn't come with much tooling and it was missing the hold down clamps to secure the cylinder head to the air float table rack. Looking at their hold down clamps, it appears the clamp is designed to go through a head bolt hole. This would work well on a small block Chevy as it has bolt holes near the center of the head. The FE head bolt holes are very close to the side of the head, not leaving very much area supported on the rack. I've decided to make a fixture to center the FE head and clamp it down to the rack without using head bolt holes. Two ends of the fixture will come down covering the ends of the head. I don't want to make the dimension too tight to where certain heads won't fit the fixture. Wondering if I should put some shims on the head ends to widen out the fixture a little bit. If so, how much?





 

[wayne]

Do you use torque plates when you do valve job if so your way will work good.

[FirstEliminator]

   Thought about making a torque plate out of mild steel.  In the Speed Talk Forum I had asked about torque plates for cylinder heads and pretty much everyone said 95% of the time they don't use them, unless it's top line work.  I've used up the mild steel that I was going to make a torque plate from. Not like I can't get more. If I were to go that way, I would have made a means of clamping the torque plate to the rack. Then bolting the head to the plate. Don't want to turn back now on the project.

[e philpott]

FE heads are pretty flimsy, might not be a bad idea