Building up the head
Entry posted by ACW
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So building up the head. In this case starting with a nice fresh ported SBD head.
After marking all the valves to ensure their position is kept identical then removing them to allow fitting the valve stem seals. These can be fitted with GREEN on the inlets and BROWN on the exhaust. These need to be pressed on straight. I use an oversize long reach socket to press them firmly against the seats.
Now each of the valves, spring seats and caps can be put into place. These should all be spotless, especially the springs to ensure no scratches form that will act as crack starting locations.
This is easier if the cam caps are removed. These dont need to be market as they are all already marked with I and E 1-5 on the outside face.
These can then be pressed into place using an overhead cam spring compressor and the two collets located on the each valve put in place. Unlike the VX XE the collets only have a single groove. This means that you dont get the same level of surface tension to keep them in place whilst you fit them making the job extra fiddly.
The first time I did valve collets on an engine with my dad when I was a teenager, it used to irritate me how slow he was, with what seemed like lacking eyesight and finger control. Well having past 40 I now understand the issue. Glasses on I cant get close enough, and glasses off its all to small from the distant viewing angle. Anyway working them slowly and checking each one carefully.
Once all completed and checked the head is ready to seal off the inlet, exhaust, rear waterway and spark plug area with Tank Tape to ensure no foreign objects can get in. I then fit the head to the engine to do the buckets and all the rest of the work as I find it easier to to this on the engine stand than struggle on the bench.
Next entry will be fitting the head.....
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