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Topic: GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons... (Read 2885 times) previous topic - next topic

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Will the Gt40 iron heads from an Explorer work with flat top pistons in my T-Bird?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #1 –
Depends on the cam your gonna run.  What do you have in store?
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #2 –
I wasn't planning on changing cams right now.The engine in my '88 'Bird is an H.O. from an '87 Lincoln LSC.I'm using the Explorer intake on it already.Factory headers,H-Pipe with hollowed cats,dual exhaust.What do you think?My pistons wouldn't hit the valves would they?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #3 –
if it's a true Ho you should be good with the stock cam. people do it all the time. and the motor should have the valve relifes in it. only the good HO's got them.
trick flow street heat intake , 24lbs injetors, ported GT-40's (Chip) long tube headers. and a Performance Automatic C4, with a hurst shifter!

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #4 –
I don't want to change my cam,I just want to know if I can use GT40 iron heads on my H.O. with flat tops.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #5 –
Yes you can.
2005 Subaru WRX STi|daily driver

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #6 –
That's great.I keep hearing conflicting stories,and don't really know what to do.I can get the very low mileage heads for $150.00,ready to go.1/2 the people say no,the other half yes.I haven't found any print that says either way.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #7 –
an 87 HO should have valve reliefs, not the flat tops you think of in a standard output engine, or an 86 GT engine
It's Gumby's fault.

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #8 –
Well,actually,I say it's an '87 engine because it came from an '87 car,but,it does have flat top pistons.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #9 –
Make sure you get the GT-40P specific headers.  I believe Mac makes a set of full-lengths that are compatible as well as BBK(if you have a stick).  Ford racing also offers shorties for those heads but they are rediculously expensive.
Project 3G: Grandpa Grocery Getter-'85 Crown Vic LTD 2-door, 351W with heavily ported/polished GT40 heads, heavily ported/polished Typhoon Power Plus upper & lower intake, Comp Cams 265DEH retarded 1*, FAST EZ-EFI, HD T5, 8.8" 3.73 trac lock with extra clutches, 3G alt. swap, '99 CVPI front brakes, '09 CVPI rear disc brakes, '00 CVPI booster&m/c + wilwood adj prop valve.

Parted & Gone-'88 T-bird Sport, 351W swap, ported GT40 heads

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #10 –
These are not the "P" heads.Just the cast iron GT40 heads.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #11 –
No need to worry about headers then...if ya find anyone with the "P" specific headers let me know...lol.
Project 3G: Grandpa Grocery Getter-'85 Crown Vic LTD 2-door, 351W with heavily ported/polished GT40 heads, heavily ported/polished Typhoon Power Plus upper & lower intake, Comp Cams 265DEH retarded 1*, FAST EZ-EFI, HD T5, 8.8" 3.73 trac lock with extra clutches, 3G alt. swap, '99 CVPI front brakes, '09 CVPI rear disc brakes, '00 CVPI booster&m/c + wilwood adj prop valve.

Parted & Gone-'88 T-bird Sport, 351W swap, ported GT40 heads

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Sick88Tbird
No need to worry about headers then...if ya find anyone with the "P" specific headers let me know...lol.


BBK shortys fit the P heads just fine.:D
95 Ranger Splash 2.3
88 Tbird Sport :ies::ies:
5.0 SO, stainless shorty headers, w/ Magnaflow lers. KYB struts, KYB shocks. 5lug conversion from sn95 Mustang, subframe connectors, drilled and slotted rotors, 03 Mach 1 wheels. sequential taillights.140 speedo

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #13 –
i just pic-ed up GT-40 heads to off an explorer i notetied the rockers on them have a 5 on them does that mean ther 1.5 rocker ratio. cause i wannted to put on 1.7's rollers. i know the cobra came like that but are the heads exacly the same.am i going to have piston problems and do i have to machine the heads (push rods ect.) to make the 1.7's work.havent decided want kind of cam yet.

GT40 iron heads and flat top pistons...

Reply #14 –
For the price I'd grab 'em, but you are taking a risk of using them on the flattops. Only way to know for sure, would be to clay the pistons with a head installed and very gently turn the engine by hand. Then you remove the head and measure the thickness of the clay where the valves made the indentions, anything .100 or more and you're OK.

BTW. The '87 LSC 5.0 is the flat top piston 200hp engine, same as the '86 Stang and LSC. The Mark VII DID NOT get the 225hp HO till '88....