Wire wheel all the caked crap off valves. You can also do same to chambers/ ports. If your valve seats don't have a clean angle, they won't seal well. Should look like this after you wire wheel them. Intake is not fresh ground like exhaust, but could be lapped in to head seat, providing they also have somewhat clean angle to seal to. Shine up your chambers if you want.
Valve stem ends should be no worse than this exhaust. Intake was ground and not run, exhaust has wear but we know what you're trying to do. You need valve stem seals because there has to be worn guides in those heads. If you don't have new seals, you'll have to reuse you're crappy old ones. They just press / push fit on the guide bosses. Too bad you're across the world, I have a couple bags of those stock seals you could have.
cool thank you!! the valve stem ends all look fine, the whole stem looks good, except for those ends I put the photo on. Tomorrow I'm heading down to the workshop and get the hone done again, I'll take the heads with me and clean them up there and possibly prime and paint as well. then I'll crack on on cleaning the valves and grinding them. once done I'll pour some petrol or parafin and see if it leaks. I've given up in my garage for today is 28F in there! and it's 9PM here now. what about that last post regarding the inner springs and the valve seals? those seals don't look right, or am I missing something? thanks!
Inner dampner pull right out if they're in the way of the new seals. For what you're doing, you can get buy without them..... If the seals fit tight on guide boss and stems are tight in seal i.d., use them.
that's the thing, they don't fit tight on the guide boss but they are tight on the stems..... this means I need some other type of seals, right?
If someone has cut the guide bosses to .500 dia., You will need the white Teflon seals then . Mic them...... OR You Might Have the Wrong seals!
If you have any old wood pallets lying around you that you need to dispose of, you could stack them up about 3 high and set the heads in the center, then stack another 3 on top of heads and toss a bit of gas on the pile and throw a lit match on it. Wait for fire to go out and wait for heads to cool. After they are cooled down the baked on oil and curd should all be burned off and you'll be able sand blast them if you have access to that tool. If not they would wire wheel clean a WHOLE LOT easier than trying to wire wheel that tar off! GL You can empty a keg while you wait staying warm standing in front of the fire.
The seal in the picture is an umbrela type seal it will work as long as it has room in the spring to move free,an does not press on the guide. The old ones on the cylinder head is a buick style seal fits snug on the valve stem an pushes on the valve guide.Good luck with your overhaul . walter
So here's some photos of the measurements on those valve seals.. I don't understand how they can stay in place on the guides though.. they fit snug on the valve stem, but float on the guides, so when the valve goes down, it pushes the seal up on its stem, and when the valve then closes (goes up) the seal will be floating above the guide? isn't that right? and had a go at cleaning the heads and the valves, it was pretty easy, the carbon wasn't very solid and came off pretty easy with a light wire wheel, didn't even have to force it. Same on the heads, heads might have helped they have been soaking in ACF50 for the last 4 weeks or so.
yes, definitely the photo made it look worse, and when I saw it I also thought was bad, prepared myself this afternoon next to the wire wheel and as soon I touched it it flew off.. that was a big relief, took me no time at all to clean them all. Also redone the hone on the block, but forgot to take photo of that, all in all a good solid 7h at the workshop. tomorrow I'll get the heads as left them to dry at workshop and then grind the valves in. Put the heater on in my garage at my house and sit there the afternoon doing that.
Got the heads cleaned up as best as I can.. But what should I do first? clean the surface or do the valve grinding? what's the best way to clean the head surface by the way?
Wire wheel everything. Are you actually grinding the valves and head seats? or just lapping them? If lapping with compound, you could chuck up with drill motor on each valve stem tip and pull while spinning/ lapping to aggressively get them to seal the best with the crude methods you have to work with. Get the valves to seal up best you can, then wash, rinse, and blow dry with compressed air or maybe a gas leaf blower,
wire wheel?? the heads surface? but... isnt the surface supposed to be scratch free? even using a razor blade is not advisable as it might score the surface? I did see the method of using the drill with a bit of rubber on the stem, but also read it wasn't very advisable and best to do it using the stick and suction cups? yes I'm using grinding compound...
A flat stone or a block with some 220 grit sand paper for head mounting surface. You're not trying to take off metal doing this, just trying to knock down the high spots and remove crud.
Hi all.. I have been looking at those guide seals again, would they be fitted like this? around the base and then once the valve spring goes on top it holds the seal in place? I have put a spring over it and it will go over the seal if pressure is applied...
Hi all. I have started grinding the valves, but I'm having problems... the suction cup keeps coming off or just spins on the valve and don't actually turn the valve enough.... it's being very difficult to get anything done. what are the views on using the drill method? I have done one like that, not very fast speed on the drill, pulling it gently and alternating the drill rotation from forwards and backwards... and I've also put oil down the valve stem Below is a photo of one valve done using the drill method and after the fine compound. Can I keep using the drill method? or not recommended? thanks!
Hey JP; how was that Harley you received? Run good or what- Am kind of wishing you had someone to run some liners in your guides to take up some of that slack or wobble that the valves have.
