http://www.indyheads.com/images/maxl...roductlinK.pdf
https://www.hughesengines.com/TechAr...blockheads.php

 

I have never had a problem with fel-pro head gaskets..... and I've used them for years. Of course, I haven't done any major engine work in quite some time either.... I haven't heard that they are suffering any quality issues.

May not hurt to have your head checked at the machine shop, (if you can find one?) just to make sure they don't have any issues. Cheaper than buying new heads......

 

I can't find anyone still selling the Indy heads. Hughes doesn't list them on their site anymore all they have is the Edelbrock or Trick Flow.

 

I'd never had a issue with Fel Pro before either which was why I'd gone with them for my gaskets. The heads were checked prior to assembly but I can have them checked again.

 

To my knowledge, Indy mostly sells their heads direct since they had a change of ownership a couple of years ago..

 

Ok, Good News is that so far I haven't found any damage to the heads or block. I've got the drivers side head off and it was an assembly fault or something I'd done wrong during assembly. The combustion chambers all look good on the drivers head but now my problem is that the passenger side head is STUCK on the block & I can't get it off. I've tried using a pry bar and had no luck so then I smacked it a few times with a dead blow hammer and it's still stuck on the block. I'll try some other things in the morning but looking for any suggestions on good ways to get a stuck head off. I'll post some pictures once they finish downloading.

 

Might try to carefully wedge a flat head screwdriver in between the head and the block around the head gasket. This of course, after double and triple checking that all of the head bolts have been removed.. You did use head bolts and not head studs, correct? If head studs, they should all be removed, too.

 

I used head studs and they have been removed. I've tried to use a pry bar with the head under the edge of the head prying against the block.



You can see where the head gasket had blown between #3 and #5 cylinders.



Head looks OK






All 5 upper studs are removed



All 4 lower studs are removed




But that head is stuck on there, Will work on it again tomorrow and try to get it removed.

 

I did go back and double check the ARP instructions and this is how I'd installed both heads. Maybe I didn't get a good torque on the drivers side but really not sure how.

 

Stick a pry bar of some sort (I use the round tube jack handles for my bottle jack) carefully into an intake and an exhaust port, then 'wiggle' the head. Likely its stuck on the alignment dowel pins.