Having trouble getting heads to line up with locating pins. Does anybody have advice, tips, tricks? I have brand new castings as old heads were cracked beyond repair. I have tried cutting heads off old bolts and using these as guides no dice but I only did 4. I am open to any suggestions as this is my only vehicle and it is down.

 

Have the tops of the dowel pins been curled over or mushroomed? Are the pins the right size, check block to heads. No tricks to this if they don't line up then there is most likely a problem with the block or heads.

 

No mushrooming or curling. Machine shop I got them from said to check gasket to head since the gasket fits perfectly to the block, if it matches, their advice is to seat one and rap the other side with a mallet. Sounds to me like that might cause problems, but that machine shop has been in business for a long time and has an outstanding reputation around here. I can get one pin at a time to align with cut off bolts in, just not the other.

 

If it is a tight fit on dowels it is not a problem. Check that they are the correct size.....

If they are the correct heads, tapping it on dowels is OK. What heads did you get and where did you get them?

 

I don't know the manufacturer of the heads, the only information I got from the only machine shop in town was that they were a beefed up casting of the oem version. Got them from Greeley Auto Machine. That shop has been in business for over 20 years with a good reputation. Found the receipt the heads are in fact MOPAR 360 heads.

 

 

They should just drop on no tapping with a hammer at all, the fact alone Ma Mopar stresses about over tq the intake bolts and cracking the heads would make me leery about a tight fit then add in the fact of thin castings of these heads does not bode well. I have tapped on SBC heads but have never had to tap on a Mopar head to get it to fit.

 

I am going to check head to gasket, gasket fits block perfectly. I am also going to convert the rest of the old head bolts to studs to ensure the head is perfectly aligned to drop on the block. Because of the last post and finding out these are MOPAR heads I am afraid to do much tapping. When I get one pin to slip in it does it with no resistance. If something doesn't line up, I'll go back to the machine shop and make them fix it. The gasket lines up perfectly, but there is no wiggle room, I hope the extra studs will help it drop perfectly. There is only room for one to work in there at a time. Thanks for the help guys. The heads went on without a hitch, though I did have to smack one with the heel of my hand. Thanks again for all the help.