PI Heads? how do you tell

[fastang]

I bought my car used a few weeks ago and want to know if there is any way to tell if the heads were swapped for the newer ones. Are there any distunguishing markings or size differences that I can look for? Thanks guys.

[surfbeast]

not sure about the heads but just check the intake. If the intake has a plastic crossover from the coolant water neck/thermostat area on drivers side to the passanger side it is stock. If the crossover is aluminum they may have upgraded the intake and the heads still might be stock. ALL PI heads have to have the aluminum crossover. More than likely you have stock heads. If they had switched heads your car would be much more moded than it is. The head swap is expensive and usually done by serious motor heads.

Good luck

[fastang]

Thank you, I will check the pipe. I just had a few ppl ask me if the heads were swapped because I beat an LT1 Camaro with a cat back by a few carlengths and I kept up real real close to a modded Bullit. Both cars should have butchered me and should have about 50 more hp than I do.

[fastang]

Do you have any pics of that tube? That would really help.

[surfbeast]

Look directly behind the top of the alternator. If there is a aluminum piece running from one side to the other than it is a new intake. If not and it is black plastic then you have stock heads.
You may have a set of 4:10 gears or 3:73's. That would help you off the line. Also, 50 extra Hp is nothing if you are against a poor driver that is not giving it all she has. Correct shifting and balls to the walls driving makes up for some differneces in HP. You are talking about racing on the track arn't you?

[fastang]

Thanks, I will check by the alternator. I defintiely have stock gears. Im only turning 2000 rpms at 80 mph. The Camaro was an auto with a cat back and the Bullit had full exhaust w no cats, I couldnt tell what else. The Bullit was a stick shift though.

[fastang]

I went and looked all around the alternator and didnt see any pipe at all, just the black plastic upper. The upper is definitely black. But I still didnt see any pipe Im usualy pretty good at this kinda thing too. Hell I work in a parts department and tore apart my old 5.0 so I dont see why I cant find this pipe. I suppose if it were shiny aluminum it would stand out though.

[The Deuce]

you may have a 248a. That's what mine is and its about a half second faster than it should be. Does the car have fog lights, and seats like the 95? Took me 9 mos to realized I had v6 seats.

[fastang]

The car does have fog lights, the only difference in the seats is that the headrest worked and was adjustable on my 95. The headrest on this car is tiny and usless.

[fastang]

What is a 248a motor?

[explicitone]

Originally posted by surfbeast
not sure about the heads but just check the intake. If the intake has a plastic crossover from the coolant water neck/thermostat area on drivers side to the passanger side it is stock. If the crossover is aluminum they may have upgraded the intake and the heads still might be stock. ALL PI heads have to have the aluminum crossover. More than likely you have stock heads. If they had switched heads your car would be much more moded than it is. The head swap is expensive and usually done by serious motor heads.

Good luck

that is not true not all pi motors have the al. crossover that is on the 02+ the 99-01 dont come from the factory with that

[fastang]

I think I found some more evidence that the car may have been modified before I bought it. I installed a cai kit a few days ago and when I took off the maf housing the stock screen fell off in my hand and the rubber gasket around the screen had chunks missing.

When you first take that screen off it usualy doesnt fall in your hand, you have to pry it off. It looks like someone had been messing with it before.

Also the maf housing was outside the filter housing by itself, the way a cai kit looks. On my 95 the maf was inside a huge plastic housing that had to be taken out. Maybe the 98 4.6 is different?

[Dark_5.0]

Go to a dyno. That should clear things up

[Skyman]

I thought I heard before that the oil filler was on the opposite site on the 99 up heads. You could ask Leon (46stang) he did this swap on his car and I am sure he would know how to tell.

Then again, maybe you just got a good running car and your a hell of a driver?

[fastang]

Thanks Sky, I'll check the oil filler cap to see what side its on. Maybe your right though. Still that Bullit was modified, it should have murdered me, and the LT1 wasnt even close. But then again you never know.

[GaryDawg]

Originally posted by fastang
Do you have any pics of that tube? That would really help.

Here's a picture for you...

Originally posted by Skyman
I thought I heard before that the oil filler was on the opposite site on the 99 up heads. You could ask Leon (46stang) he did this swap on his car and I am sure he would know how to tell.

I don't think that's necessarily true... I've heard you could have the P.I. heads and the oil filler could still be on the driver's side... BUT... I also heard that if it is on the passenger's side then, yes, you do have P.I. heads.... I think it depends on which year of P.I. heads you got ('99-'00 or '01 up). Or something like that...

Originally posted by Skyman

Then again, maybe you just got a good running car and your a hell of a driver?

And on '98s there was the 3.27 gear option over the stock 2.73 gears... that makes for a bit of speed.

[fastang]

Thank you very much Gary. That was very nice, and helpfull. I will look for that pipe but I didnt see anything like it before. I will check my cap to see what side its on too. I think this car has the weenie gears though. 80 mph and Im barely hitting 2000rpms

[Dark_5.0]

Do a compression test and that will solve it.

[fastang]

My oil filler is on the drivers side. Probably stock stuff.