Part of the ping problem is likely the fact that there is zip quench on the old open chamber heads. No turbulence on the outer areas so things get hotter. Though as near as I can tell even the newer heads on the 4.0s don't lend well to not pinging when they get above 9-1. I'd be curious to know if that old open chamber head area is larger than the bore? Oilpan leak? Get the new one piece seal/gasket. Only needs a dab at the junctions of the t-cover and the rear main cap. Seal nice and is reuseable. Save that for a bigger leak than seepage though! I'm happy with mine after using the right stuff on the rear cover. It's drip free! yeah! I want to get into the T5 and rear axle swaps this fall/winter and finish that area up. Maybe A/C if time allows. If I can ever get to the point of taking a new project it will be a small, 64-65 American with a 4.0L and manual trans. skinny tires. A true daily driver for summer use. That 28 mpg would be sweet in something I didn't mind leaving in a parking lot! Would love to use a chrysler O/D from a 70's car hooked to the column shifter. Way cool. 4 dr or a wagon. Got to get the Amboat gone... -- Mark Price Morgantown, WV 1969 AMC Rambler, 4.0L, EFI, T-5 2004 Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4.7L, Quadratrc II " Chronic Pain Hurts" -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx> > So my 232 has flat-top pistons, no valve reliefs, and the combustion > chamber is a simple wedge. I thought it had a flat shelf for squish, but > it just tapers down to flush on the side away from the plug. > > I've never been able to run much ignition advance on this motor. The > compression is high (9.5:1) so maybe that's it. Maybe some predetonation > from the crud in the head? It wasn't too sharp though. Plugs were the > right color, no detonation damage. Though this thing has pinged very > lightly under heavy loads in hot weather, there's no sputtery crap > anywhere, so I guess I kept it OK. > > LP and synth oil sure runs clean! 20 years and I just wiped the top of > the piston with a clean rag to read ".030" on the piston top. If there's > cylinder top ridge it's pretty damn small. No black crud under the valve > cover at all, just clean oil. I assume the bottom end is the same. No > way I'm touching that. I'll put up with the slight pan leaks. > > When I put the head back on, I'm gonna take Widdiker's advice and run a > bead of JB Weld around the head to block seam! > _______________________________________________ > Amc-list mailing list > Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx > http://splatter.wps.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/amc-list _______________________________________________ Amc-list mailing list Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://splatter.wps.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/amc-list