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Mission creep: head removal - carbon cleaning; carbon cleaning - valve lapping/grinding; valve job - new rings; new rings - hone cylinders; hone cylinders - new rod bearings; new rod bearings - new main bearings; new main bearings - new timing chain; and so it goes. This was called an engine overhaul back in the day. Not to mention new hoses, plugs, points & condenser, and oil & air filters. Gaskets, oil, coolant, and miscellaneous parts are part of it too. Don't forget to clean the distribution tube and radiator. But, when you were through, you had an engine that would serve you well for many more years and thousands of miles. As one of our parts suppliers says: "Do it the first time, do it right."

(o{}o)

Another thought;

You might try 1/2 price books, and look for old motors manuals that will cover the years your working on.

IMO one of the best, if not the very best, book on both principles and general practices on engine rebuilding (as well as all other aspects of automotive repair) is Glenn's and especially one from the early 1960s or prior. It was the standard text when I took auto shop in high school; not easy to find but well worth the search.

How do I tell if I have 9 or 5 mains with out dropping the pan??

The motor number is G406220
The number on top is 889719327

It's 5 mains.

Engine number listing

Thank you....

At a minimum I would take your head to an engine rebuild shop and have them plane the head. It makes it easier to get a good fitting of the head gasket.

Quote:
I'd do some checking before arbitrarily having the head milled. It it has already been done once or twice before another could make it thin enough the valves will hit. There are some recent threads on the forum from folks who had that issue and some ways to check the clearance.

More importantly, you can just check it with a proven straightedge to see if it needs it. Some people mill the head everytime they rebuild an engine. I always get out the metal straightedge, a flashlight and a set of feeler gauges before just giving someone $300-400.

The fast explanation of valve clearance testing is, you get some playdough, and flatten it to about 1/4" or so on top of the piston, then bolt the head back on with a headgasket, and turn the engine over. Then take it all back apart, take out the playdough, and cut it in half across where the valve impression is - the depth of the playdough at the deepest part of the valve impression is your valve clearance.

...and flatten it to about 1/4" or so on top of the piston, then bolt the head back on with a headgasket, and turn the engine over. Then take it all back apart, take out the playdough, and cut it in half across where the valve impression is - the depth of the playdough at the deepest part of the valve impression is your valve clearance..

Works for an OHV design, this is a L-head engine, is it not? Put the dough on the high (outer) edge of each valve and put the head down with a used gasket, and rotate the engine.