Looks like I had more wrong than just a worn out injector. After we replaced the bad #5 injector, truck still had a bad missfire that could be heard through the intake. Seems the #4 valve seat is spinning/binding and about to drop.

So a question to those who've done a full rework on a 24v head with pinned seats, fire rings, and studs. How much we loking at? Most likely I'll be hiring Jeff Garmon as the man who will do the work. Anyone deal with him when it comes to 24vCR's? I know he's a master AT 12V but unsure really of how good he is with the 3rd gen motors.

 

are o-rings or fire rings even needed on a CR??? seems like lots of guys are running BIG hp CR's with just a stock gasket and a good set of studs????
so are the rings needed on a cr???

 

I do spray a little nitrous. So I want a "go for broke" price. Anything else I know will be less than that. At minimum I'll be looking at a well built head with pinned valve seats and studs. No way am I gonna have the head off and not built it better and install studs. Hope beyond hope that the head is rebuildable and the piston, piston walls etc. are in good shape. If not, it's a cheap rebuild and strait to dealer to get traded.

 

Probably about 3K for the works. Jeff Garmon is the man!

 

Garmon a great dude but, doesn't do machine work. As you said, he's much more knowledgeable about 12v also. I think he's coming around though and seeing the light with the CR's I'm sure he probably knows a good machinist.

To do a correct porting on a CR head you really have to cut off the intake plenum. It can be ported without doing that but, you can't remove as much material. Don't know if you've heard of a ZZ intake but, that's the way to go. You'd be looking at around $3500 for a full ported built head.

Pinned isn't the trick to stop the valves from dropping. You need to go with "oversized" valve seats. That will eliminate them coming out.

Porting the head will really change the way the truck runs. It's a trick in itself just to find the correct tuning.

 

i would not run the the o rings or fire rings i have talked to a few shops like enterprise and others that are not recommending them for street driven trucks they have seen to many problems comming back and only recomend they be done on pulling rigs

 

Who would you guys recommend for a fully built CR head??

I'm getting ready to redo mine before race season starts and want to get EVERYTHING done at once...

What all should I be looking for in a fully built head??

I just don't know what all is being done to these...

Any help would be great!!

Thanx!

 

Enterprise is a very reputable company but, I have to say... there's several that I know running firerings including myself without issue. I bet some of the issues they saw were because the head wasn't torqued correctly or retorqued once the work was done. That or maybe the head wasn't machined well ????

I do have 14mm studs torqued to 155lbs though which may have something to do with mine being fine.

The Jeff Garmon does fine with stock gaskets and heads bolts. "Street" if you go to him for the work and stay with the stock stuff, ask him about his top secret head torquing method for when you reinstall it.

 

Just got off the phone with Jeff. Said best off to get a new '04.5+ head that allready come with updated/improved valve guides/seats. He'd put in 80lb valve springs. Yeah, he said the fire rings aren't entirely needed but if i went with fire rings, just stick with stock head bolts. Here's what was quoted.

$1200- new head
$150- new head bolts
$500- valve springs
$700- fire ring work
labor- ?????? (depends on condition of the piston and cylinder walls)

 

Talked to a few shops besides Garmon's. All said I would be better all around starting off with a brand new '04.5+ loaded head which has the better intake ports and improved valve guides/seats. So, looks like I'll be going this route. Anybody have one laying around they dont need?

 

I am far from an expert on this and I know Jeff likes the stock head bolts....but why even bother???? spend $300 more and get some ARP 2000's or some 625+ studs if your going "all out"......I still think it is crazy to over torque the stock head bolts that far........I heard most machine shops wont even run fire-rings on a 12mm studs.(except maybe the 12mm 625+)...like I said I am far from expert, these are just some things I have read and noticed.

 

I disagree 100 percent. The fire rings are compressed against the new gasket and promote a better seal, preventing gasket failure. I have a 96 12v, The head has been completely done, springs, retainers, you name it, its done. The head is fire ringed and the block is studded. It made about 575 horse on the dyno and has seen a couple passes down the track as well as a lot of street driving, and i have never had a problem. If anything it helps more than it could ever hurt!!! So I would recommend them for a street driven truck especially if you are using spray.

 

Does ARP make high strength head bolts? I can understand Jeff's advice that studs are unneeded in my application if fire rings are installed.

 

sounds like jeff garmon has gave you some good advice , but IMO a nice quality set of studs to go along with the pkg couldnt hurt !

 

Arp has the new age 625+ but they are somewhat pricey $1100-1200 I belive.

They do also offer the standard 12mm studs for less but do not have the clamping force as the 625's do.