8 replies to this topic

[Danny-T]

As per my other post, have been taking off the cylinder head from my 92 spi cooper. After much of the usual scrapped knuckles and lots of foul language it's finally off.

I've a new gasket kit which we will fit but wondered if there is anything else we should be looking for/doing whilst the head is off.

Below are some pics of the current state of things in case there is something severely wrong anyone can highlight for us, otherwise what's the best approach, tools, grease and cleaner to use for giving everything a good clean up?

Also a couple of the head stud bolts were seized to the studs and the whole stud came out instead of just the bolts, how can I get these back in?

Edited by Danny-T, 27 October 2007 - 08:07 PM.

[Sprocket]

OOH nasty gasket!!

It looks like there are two cylinders running optimum , one cylinder running rich and the other running lean which is odd. Cant tell which cylinder is which though.

Up to you, but if it were me, while the head is off, i would be having the valves and seats recut. Dont waste your time with grinding paste. leaky valves may be causing this uneven fueling, it will also upset the MAP readings taken by the ECU.

Did you do a compression test before pulling the head?

[Danny-T]

nope didn't do compression test :S - guess I should have?

What's involved in getting the vavles and seats recut? How would I go about getting this done and how much should I expect to pay? Is it something that I could tackle or best left to the pros? Sorry total noob at all this!

[Ethel]

You'd have to strip the head down and get a machine shop to do the cutting.

Personally, I'd try lapping them first: unless there are signs of valve stem wear.

If you did have 'em cut get triple angle seats cut and gain a real benefit for your efforts.

[Sprocket]

I had my head overhauled, it cost less than £100,i just took the head to them, they dissassembled it, cut the valve seats, fitted one new valve, re assembled it, fitted a new brass gallery plug.

If you strip the head and just take the parts along it would be less than this. Personaly, for £100 without the hassle of diss assembling and re assembling i think its worth it, you know its right then. all depends how your budget is looking, but on an engine of that age, while the head is off, i think it would be in your best interests to have it done.

As for lapping in, those days are gone when it comes to hardened unleaded seats, besides its better to have a sharp edge on the valve contacting the flat seat, this is where the angle of the cut comes in.

Its up to you

[Danny-T]

Okay thanks for the tips guys, I'm going to give Slark a call and get a quote. Just out of interest, what will getting this done achieve? I'm assuming it's something that would probably need to be done sooner or later anyways which is why getting it done now is worthwhile.

Thanks again!

[biggav]

i paid £20 at oselli and they gave my stage 3 head the once over... it turned out to be bu66ered so i went and got a stage 4.

[Bevan]

I am in the process of cleaning my head, I just riped mine out on sunday. Gonna send it off to get skimmed and buy new valves, guides ect..
I got some grinding paste, grinding stick, emerey paper and some grinding drill bits for all under a tenner. Gonna do the lapping my self.

[Danny-T]

I got a quote for £65 from Slark which seems reasonable. From what I've read and as Sprocket mentions, lapping isn't really viable with hardend unleaded heads is it not?