Do you it's possible to change heads without disconnecting gas lines. Will i have enuff room to push intake to the side and do one head at a time or should i stop bs'ing and disconnect. I'm concerned about disconnecting gas lines. I'm doing new heads and gaskets. Also I want to go back with iron heads. Do I have to get the Impala ss heads or are there iron heads for z28s.

 

Disconnecting fuel lines is easy; just need the fuel line tool and it's cheap. I guess you could flop the intake up on the windshield and not disconnect the fuel lines, but it sounds like too much trouble to me. Plus who wants to fight the fuel lines when you're trying to get the intake manifold installed without causing an intake leak at the rear RTV seal

 

Yea, i think I'm being lazy. I havent had to work on a car in awhile let alone do heads. Would I have enuff slack to set them on then windshield?

 

When I did my headgaskets I just took the fuel rail off the intake and flipped it out of the way leaving the lines connected and took the manifold off. We had plenty of room.

 

All f-body LT1s had aluminum heads so if you want iron, you'll have to go to another body style LT1. Not sure what your reasoning is for that though?

 

Iron heads are a bad idea.

 

Why do you say Iron heads are a bad idea? With z28s running at 220 and above i figured it would be extra protection. I'm not a stranger to being in traffic jams and hangout spots and my car smokin a storm. Is there any performance difference other tha weight?

 

l thought the iron heads flowed a little better, from what i have read. It does suck that they weigh more however. I think the tradeoff is not worth it.

 

Aluminum dissapates heat better, allowing hotter combustion/higher compression before detonation. So, it could be argued that aluminum offers better protection in some ways, relative to detonation. I seem to recall that iron LT1 heads have different chamber shape, too?

If you are specifically designing to be able to tolerate severe overheating, then maybe iron is better. But in a performance engine you shouldn't be anywhere near 220. IF idling hot is a problem, get bigger fans. Edit: Does not apply to stock, as noted below. Note that I specified performance engine, which assumes performance tune that lowers fan cals. That is always a good idea, wether or not you elect to include a 160* stat. Fan cal should match thermostat selection.

Overheating susceptability with aluminum heads depends alot on the head bolt length & elasticity so you don't overstretch them at high temperatures, and that is specific to a given engine design and bolt selection. Engines with longer head bolts are more tolerant due to having more allowable stretch before yeild. SB's with good head bolts aren't as sensitive to that as say a Quad 4, where overheating is a no-no as the relatively higher thermal expansion of the aluminum will easily stretch the head bolts.

 

People are subjecting almuninum LT1 and LT4 heads, plus aftermarket aluminum heads to huge shots of nitrous, and 20+ # of boost on engines making over 1,000HP...... why do you feel you need "extra protection"?

 

This guy definitely sounds like he should be paying a mechanic to do all his work....

 

I'll take you guys word for it. I just remember having iron heads on a cordoba 360 an I pushed a 78 ltd (351 cleveland) about 20 miles with no antifreeze (had a leak) and when I got all cooled down not a one problem. I just thought to my self wow, wish camaros could do that. however i'll take you guys word for it. I'm gonna get new heads anyway and with the price of aluminum these days 1 head cost $350. I just figured Iron would be cheaper and more durable. I'm not racing it and it has about 150k+ miles on it. Really i'm gettin ready for a rebuild I'm gonna try myself for the first time.

 

Gas line comes off faster than I can chug a beer. You should be more worried about the PITA it is to get that coolant tube off in the back. Those two bolts are going to be froze up and there is no room to wrench. Just pull the entire intake, it takes maybe 30 minutes.

Aluminum heads are the way to go.

 

Something is wrong with your car if it's sitting there idling at 220*.

Fix it.

 

The stock pcm doesn't turn the first fan on till 226*. If your stock car doesn't idle at 226* somethings wrong with it.