Are these EAB heads OK?
 

I just had these EAB heads blasted and plan to have them milled for ~0.050" clearance after measuring with my block (in progress). A few of the chambers show some moderate pitting though. Is this OK or should I seek out a nicer set? The combustion chambers range from 68-71cc. Thanks!! Ken


Click the images for higher resolution


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5f7b0bd4_b.jpgBF8E9D00-A127-48E4-A35C-CCA328BAB033 by kenhenry_06268, on Flickr


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...cca38c6a_b.jpgE633D7A2-85F2-47D8-AED2-DF3131844C7C by kenhenry_06268, on Flickr


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e33c5505_b.jpgB774E442-88BE-4F57-8291-852A87BEC30F by kenhenry_06268, on Flickr


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b02ba178_b.jpgE0D9CCE5-B763-4A46-8030-2502560FBB11 by kenhenry_06268, on Flickr



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...dfda0c62_b.jpg73F1519B-0EB7-4067-8443-97382B7C3173 by kenhenry_06268, on Flickr

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

The area where the gasket fire ring is a little iffy to say the least , I wouldn't use them unless by some miracle they will surface out and not be too shallow in the dome area. Just my opinion .

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

the right head may be worth cutting, left head i would say not to waste any more time or money on it

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Toss 'em. Heads are too easy to get, to put up with what's there.

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

boat anchors

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Sounds unanimous! Not the first $180 I've flushed away and likely not the last. I am planning on a deep cut but won't know how much until I get my block... Please PM me if anyone has a good set.

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

I would not even consider using these.

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Measure the diameter of the dome to start- originally similar to bore 3 3/16th" Next choice are 8Ba heads. Newc

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

If they were mine I'd angle mill thwm.060" and re dome them Taking .060 off the valve side of the head will possably need some valve eye brows near the top. But this is another way to get another point in CR. don't dump them they can be made to preform very wrll. Too bad I just did that to a nice set, I's a swapped them.
Gramps

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Ol Ron is right ,,,,these can be made to work just fine .
Angle mill .
Besides,,,,,,,they haven’t been touched at all yet,,,,,,other than the blasting and cleaning.
And if the next set is perfect,,,,,,you still have to do the mill and machine work .
But,,,,,you are the man building the engine,,,,,if you don’t feel good with them,,,,,,start with a better set .
Tommy

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

As far as using EAB heads, they are an excellent choice for 8BA family of engines. When looking, avoid any with more than surface corrosion. Also look at the bottom side of the thermostat pockets to make sure they have not been cut down into that bottom surface. There should be a good gap between the deck surface and the bottom cast surface of those pockets. I've seen quite few cut all the way down into that surface and that may be a bit to far to use depending on application and desired clearance in the chambers. Re-doming the chamber can be done but I'd prefer the transition areas to be uniform. Those, or at least the one, are not very uniform.

There should be plenty of good ones still out there.

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Hi there question please. When you say transition area do you mean from plug area to dome area? Reason I ask is I purchased a pair also and the small indentation on mine is slightly irregular on one cylinder.
Also sounds like my 8BA heads will almost be just as good as these on my 51 ford flathead.In other words no gain to change?

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

The EAB head has the smallest combustion chamber of all the factory heads and therefore gives the highest compression ratio. I measured 68-71cc on these but have no idea if they've been milled before. My understanding is that the 8BAs are ~5cc larger chambers but I have not measured any. Ken

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Thanks everyone for sharing your opinions. I'll hold onto these and keep my eyes open for another set. Al Clarke is doing my short block and I won't know how much can be milled until that's done in a few months. I have an NOS EAB camshaft I had planned to use, so not a lot of lift (0.328"), but I may switch that to something with a little more duration and lift since this will go on a fuel injected 265 or 276ci engine with dual throttle bodies. Opinions on the cam would also be welcome. I want to keep the smooth low idle but don't like the way the stock cam drops off above ~3500rpm.



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...71d9381a_b.jpgE82769B9-561A-450B-B7BB-3CBD326CAB3F by kenhenry_06268, on Flickr

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

I have several 8BA and some RT kicking around, some must be good. I can look around see what there is when I get back up to Pa. next month

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Thanks Rodrelic, but I’m looking specifically for the small-chamber EAB heads

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

The EAB heads were developed at a time when the country was starting to use better fuels so Ford started deleting the hardened seats in the valve pockets of car engines for plane cast finish. This and rotator type valves started showing up in early 1951. By somewhere in 1952, only the trucks had hardened seats in the exhaust valve pockets.

The Canadian aluminum heads and ones called cheater aftermarket heads were close copies of OEM Ford heads and they show up now and then. Aluminum has more corrosion problems so finding a good set may not be worth the trouble since other acceptable aftermarket heads are available.

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Something like these?

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

Rodrelic, those are indeed the desirable high compression 52-53 Ford head. I already found a replacement EAB for the worse, left side head and am hoping to salvage the right one. Thanks though!! Ken

Re: Are these EAB heads OK?
 

I found a decent left side EAB head and the combustion chambers are a little larger - more volume when measured with fluid and deeper in the areas over the valves (measure near where the center would be; there is more clearance where the edge of the valve would strike) and the deepest part of the transfer area. It looks like taking an extra ~20 thousandths off of the left side head would even the combustion chamber volumes up but then they will likely need re-doming for somewhat uniform clearance to the piston tops.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6c7ef2c6_b.jpguntitled by kenhenry_06268, on Flickr