Editing Milling cylinder heads (section)
Jump to:
navigation
,
search
==How much to mill== Generally speaking the less that's milled beyond what is needed to true the surfaces, the better. Care should be used when milling production heads because the castings are generally none too thick. Even so, builders have milled stock SBC heads all the way to where the intake seat is almost flush w/the deck surface, or to where the cooling passages around the spark plug are removed. Milling 0.125"-plus is not unusual, but this is usually only done where a race track/series has rules regarding what cylinder heads can be used. This is often "open chamber" SBC heads as was used in the smog years, the idea being the costs associated with engine building will be less using these commonly available heads. The compression ratio can also be raised by using a thinner head gasket. Only when the thinnest practical head gasket is used should milling be considered. Not only are head gaskets cheaper than milling, but the decks will be thicker with less milling. As an example, the difference between a 0.041" thick head gasket and a 0.015" head gasket is almost 0.75:1 on a 350 SBC. {{Note1}}It should be taken into consideration that when the heads are milled or a thinner head gasket used, the [http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Valve_train_geometry '''valve train geometry'''] changes, the [http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Valve_train_points_to_check piston to valve clearances] will be closer, as well as the [http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Quench '''quench measurement'''] will be reduced.
|
Editing help
(opens in new window)
Personal tools
Log in / create account
Namespaces
Page
Discussion
Variants
Views
Read
Edit
View history
Actions
Search
Navigation
Main Page
Recent changes
Random page
Help
All articles
Start a new article
Hotrodders forum
Categories
Best articles
Body and exterior
Brakes
Cooling
Electrical
Engine
Fasteners
Frame
Garage and shop
General hotrodding
Identification and decoding
Interior
Rearend
Safety
Steering
Suspension
Tires
Tools
Transmission
Troubleshooting
Wheels
Toolbox
What links here
Related changes
Special pages
Terms of Use
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Your Privacy Choices
Manage Consent