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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LouisianaGuy" data-source="post: 1203430" data-attributes="member: 18835">So I dropped them off at the machine shop to have them flowed and get a cost est to repair so I could see if they were even worth fixing, I also contacted trick flow and gave them some numbers I found stamped into the heads under the rocker rail, they confirmed that these were some of their first Emissions legal bolt on heads for SBF. Great..... :/  So the machine shop calls me with the flow numbers and cost to repair....I was shocked at their flow numbers which have been VERY accurate on my previous motors and have always put me in the exact power range that I am building for.  They flowed better at alot of durations than a stock set of the new TFS heads and right on par or a bit lower at some lifts.....All i am looking at is  .550 and below for this little thing....Cost to repair includes New valve springs, the existing ones could be pushed down by hand...2 new valves, a valve job and decking the heads to remove O-Ring and a set of thicker head gaskets to make up for some of the milling and keep compression close to where it was, which after figuring it up should come in around 9.5-10-1, also repaired the stripped plug and valve cover holes ..Cost $550.00 and they went ahead and did new valve guides even tho they didn't really need it simply because they had some issues with Chevy Trick flow guide problems so they hooked me up at no extra charge because I'm a repeat customer.  So in leiu of waiting a month or more for some new TFS heads I opt to have them fixed up because the Flow numbers are on par and the heads look good, and the pistons are made for these heads so gotta go back with TFS heads....  I inspected the bores and they look really good with a nice cross hatch pattern still remaining and no scoring to the cyl walls is evident.     Ok I put on the heads and buy new Scorpion rocker and ARP bolts, and Start looking into longer push rods which everyone says you have to have....well after milling the heads and following Trick flows valve adjustment procedure for these heads I find that I can use stock push rods and the little shims that the rockers come with to get the 1-1.5 turns to lock that they recommend... woohoo...  Get it all back together and decide to go ahead and try to check the camshaft lifts....I just out a dial indicator on the valve tips and checked it that way and it came out right about in the E-cam lift range, but that doesnt tell me dick on the duration and lobe sep....oh well I know the lifts im looking at and he THOUGHT they put an E-cam in so I say ok.     Quick note It needs headers...the stock headers are TINY compared to the exhaust ports in the heads, as well as the intake and intake ports....Headers will be installed next week, and I have access to several ford explorer intakes     Get it all together and the damn thing actually runs WORSE in terms of Idle and driviability is about the same, but its got damn good power now, but still bucks and hesitates in the higher gears.     TESTING..     I dump the codes and get only freking EGR codes Duhh....No EGR valve....I have yet to do a KOER test because I cant hardly keep the damn thing running......  When the car will stay running on its own and it begins to idle down real low the mass air flow will start moaning this deep loud WOOOOOO sound, and when I disconnect it it will run better for a time and even drive better, but it all goes to pot.  I have tested the IAC motor, reset the TPS and both are working as they should...I followed the procedure for resetting the Base Hard Idle as well as the IAC and TPS, and all of that works as it should but the idle will not remain constant...Set timing to 10 degrees and tried it from 10-14 all with the spout disconnected, tested the new CTS its working correct, also checked fuel pressure again and its holding steady, installed a new MAF unit...basically got a new one and stuck it in the C&I housing, and yes I cleaned the old one with electric parts cleaner....No change....     The car is running pig rich at idle, and will idle down and die within seconds unless I idle it up to about 1500 rpm's and then when it goes high idle its up around 2k.  When you rev the car it spins to the moon and sounds great, but when you drive it under load its crap.     Then I see I have an exhaust leak, I'm in the process of fixing that....I went ahead and pulled the O2 sensor harness from the main and stripped it all down to Ohm it out and test it....here's a question .....The wires all ohm out ok, and plugs look good, but how were the wires in the harness spliced together to go from one sensor to another? there are 2 or 3 wires that have been spliced and appear to have been done correctly and have heat shrink on them, was this factory ford?  I have pics if anyone cares to look...The wire colors that I can see appear to match factory pics, but are badly faded especially after the electrical cleaner.     So I am fixing the exhaust leak, and installing new sensors for the hell of it, I had the TFI module tested and its fine, I am also going to install a new PIP in the Distributor because its nasty in there, also have new cap and rotor which are in severe need of replacement and its got new ford racing wires and blaster coil.     So in short here is an easy to follow list of repairs     1. rebuilt heads and installed RIGHT  2. All new gaskets  3. Fixed any and ALL Vac leaks  4. Made sure EGR tube into heads was sealed..I welded up the pinched off metal tube.  5. EGR block off plate in place and leak free  6. Fixed PCV grommet leak.  7. Installed and tested New CTS.  8. New CAI with New MAF ..this is the kit recomended for filter off of their tube with plastic shroud around it...tried clocking the MAF, no effect good or bad.  9. Installed New Air temp sensor and tested it  10. Installed stock temp thermostat.  11. There is no Vac running to anything except the PCV valve, the Brake Booster, and the Fuel pressure regulator No other vac operated acc running at this time.  12. Fuel pressure regulator adjusted.  13. Tested and reset IAC, TPS and Base Hard Idle, all within specs.     To be done repairs...  1. Fix exhaust leak from collector to main exhaust...Oh car has 2.5" exhaust with Slowmasters and stock cats into an X-over pipe before mufflers...Cats dont appear to be stopped up as they don't get red or smell, they may be hollowed out for all I know, I'm not removing the damn exhaust unless I have to in order to put new shortie headers on.  2. Install new O2 sensors as well as ensure that the harness is in working order  3. Go ahead and install new fuel pump...MAybe this is why it runs like a turd under load due to fuel pressure demands under load...I don't have a long enough hose to hook to guage and monitor going down the road, but pressure holds good when revving in neutral which I know means dick, but as rich as this thing runs at idle is insane but I know it could be lack of fuel pressure under load.  4. Install new PIP for shits and grins cuz it looks nasty and I want to do it for the first time....cant be any harder than anything else I have done and I have all the tools to do it.     Thats what I have lined up to do this evening and tomorrow evening....should be able to get it all done tonight if I can get help with the tank...guess I could just hook up my handy dandy Holley blue and pump it dry lol.     Any other suggestions aside from running a KOER test and seeing if I get more codes?     He plans on having the car tuned after its where I think it should be in order to get a tune, but from all of the reading I have done, the E-Cams and SN95 cars will usually just give you problems at idle and lower RPMs not the fits this thing gives me under acceleration....We can live with an idle that has to be a bit high until its ready for tune but this is NUTS.  Hell you slip it into 5th gear and it wont pull its own weight unless your doing 95...not sure of the gearing, but a stock motor would handle that.     Anyhow sorry for the long post, figured it would make for a good read....  Lets hear the suggestions.  Oh would the Explorer intake be an upgrade or down grade at this point?  I mean this manifold has got to be choking the heads BAD.     You can email me at <a href="mailto:onebad69stang@yahoo.com">onebad69stang@yahoo.com</a> if you don't wanna post and belittle me for not doing some things in order haha...I know i should have done some things different but the problems just kept coming and coming and I was fixing them as they popped up.  My god I have written a book on basic car repair maybe some of this should have a stickey on DO's and Dont's HAHA     I figured I would bust on the scene with a REAL 1st post.....  If any of yall are in Louisiana and want to swing my please feel free I have an Ac equipped shop     Thanks Guys,  Mike</blockquote>