cracking C460 heads

just wondered if anyone has run into this but me, here's my story:
new castings, cnc combustion chambers, hand port clean up mild,
ram motor on alcohol for 7 runs, No Water, broke rod replaced short block
went to gasoline, added water, have not started engine yet, found water coming from the top center stud and found a crak down the valley side of the head from the center top stud,BOTH HEADS!!!one worse than the other!! this is with just the water pump running with no pressure on it!! I don't see a fix for this other than a new set of castings??

do the heads have the metal inserts in the stud holes?

I have CNC ported about 40 sets of C-460 heads and have never had that problem with any of them cracking in that area. I have had one pair be leakers & pissers on the short side radius of the intakes, but again,,, have not had the problem you descibed.

So,,,I suspect that when your broke the rod and short block, that the piston hit the head so hard, that it may have cracked the head then. Did the other piston hit the head also, and/or do you see any marks or signs of the pistons hitting the heads? What does your engine builder say about the problem?

Next question, did you use a conventional 10 bolt Fel-Pro gasket and then use the inner studs and torque them? If so, that's your problem.

Dave, on the C-460 head, there are no inserts or heli-coils on the head, for those four studs that are accessible in the valley under the intake ports.

Charlie

Charlie I was refering to the press in washers. I've heard the if the are not installed, repeated torqung will caused them to crack around the bolt holes.

Dvae,

My mistake, I misunderstood you. Yes, in the four pages of directions that come with the heads, Ford recommends that you use the the B&B step shouldered washers.

Charlie

Actually the piston got hung in the bottom of the cylinder when the rod broke, the head was untouched I think!!
But both heads are cracked in the same place,
I did use the B&B step washers and bolts on the valley(inboard) side and studs on the outside to make 18 bolt deal with Cometics, I did torque in three steps and used a center out sequence,
I'll post some pics soon as a take a few, Makes me sick as we just replaced the entire short block minus the cam and crank!!! I was ready to put fire in the hole!

repair the head