W2 Rocker Question

[wildbill]

Long story short, I bought a set of vintage "ready to run" W2 heads with all the best parts including Crane rockers. After a few 1/4 mile runs I noticed that it was using a lot of water. After taking everything apart I found a hole or crack between the water jacket and one intake port that had been brazed - it did not hold. I now really want to replace both head castings but reuse all of the valves/springs/retainers/rocker arms.

My problem is that the only new W2 castings available use a rocker set up that oils through the pushrods and it is over $1000. Can new W2 heads be drilled to oil through the shafts? Or is there a source for new W2 castings that oil through the shafts?

At this point I am thinking about cutting my losses and selling all the usable W2 gear so I can buy a set of IMM Indy heads.

 

[skrews]

Best luck would be Ebay or the for sale sections of Mopar sites. Good luck in finding a pair that haven't been butchered.

 

[davescuda]

Long story short, I bought a set of vintage "ready to run" W2 heads with all the best parts including Crane rockers. After a few 1/4 mile runs I noticed that it was using a lot of water. After taking everything apart I found a hole or crack between the water jacket and one intake port that had been brazed - it did not hold. I now really want to replace both head castings but reuse all of the valves/springs/retainers/rocker arms.

My problem is that the only new W2 castings available makes a rocker set up that oils through the pushrods for this combo and it is over $1000. Can new W2 heads be drilled to oil through the shafts? Or is there a source for new W2 castings that oil through the shafts?

At this point I am thinking about cutting my losses and selling all the usable W2 gear so I can buy a set of IMM Indy heads.

yes you can drill the new heads for the oiling. its no big deal.

 

[davescuda]

Best luck would be Ebay or the for sale sections of Mopar sites. Good luck in finding a pair that haven't been butchered.

most likely first gen. you can not port them a lot. they crack.

 

[70aarcuda]

Are you currently use the Race head or Econo Head?..

There are some new Econo heads for sale over at Moparts.com on page 7 of the Race parts for sale..

As far as your question about drilling for oil...do not know ...but I guess anything is possible, but one thing you might want to check before investing any money is whether the rocker stand mounts are the same as your existing race heads...

I remember Mopar ran off some more Classic W2 heads a few years ago..but they are no longer listed in the catalog...there got to be a some new sets floating around somewhere....

 

[rumblefish360]

Another blunder by MoPar! A classic and known excellent head that is now in the state of FUBAR. Always a bit expensive hence the great success of the Edelbrock head out selling the W2 50-1 on a bad day.

 

[davescuda]

Are you currently use the Race head or Econo Head?..

There are some new Econo heads for sale over at Moparts.com on page 7 of the Race parts for sale..

As far as your question about drilling for oil...do not know ...but I guess anything is possible, but one thing you might want to check before investing any money is whether the rocker stand mounts are the same as your existing race heads...

I remember Mopar ran off some more Classic W2 heads a few years ago..but they are no longer listed in the catalog...there got to be a some new sets floating around somewhere....

race head is what i have with and with out oiling.

I take W2 heads all day long over Edelbrocks
This can go on and on. Its just what you like to run.

 

[70aarcuda]

the question about race or econo was to the OP....since most of the heads i saw for sale over at moparts were econo....

 

[wildbill]

They are the race version. Thanks for the replies.

 

[wildbill]

I'm thinking that I may be better off to sell what I can of the W2 setup. It is going to cost less to just start over with a standard head configuration.