help guys!
 

What a _wonderful_ day. My ghia attempted suicide. 15 miles
between jobs, and suddenly i'm trailing smoke like a stricken
fighter. Even the passenger compartment had clouds of smoke.

Pulled over, realized damage was done, continued on on 3
cylinders, with people behind me seriously irritated :)

This car was bought by my grandmother, for my son; everything is
a surprise. Engine pull revealed 92x69mm. The dual-port had not
swallowed a valve, as I had thought, but sucked a valve guide
out of the head. Unfortunately, part of the guide made it into
the cylinder, leaving the head and the piston crown, shall we
say, sparkly.

Now I'm in a huge bind. What should I do? Jeez! Has anyone
looked at the price of heads these days?

Not knowing what heads these are, can I safely get only one
(matching valve sizes, of course).

Should I just get a valve guide?

OK - I'm a licensed aircraft mechanic, and I'm not stupid (or
maybe just slightly) but, at the moment, I'm seriously limited
on cash! I'm saving every dime to get my wife and kids here.

Correct: Replace both heads, and all 4 barrel/pistons

OK: Match head, replace cylinder/piston

Desperate: Stick a new guide in a hole that has proven unable to
retain a guide, and hope that the battered metal in the
combustion chamber doesn't create pre-ignition hotspots.

All opinions are welcomed.

TIA guys.

Lemme go cry now :(

Chris

help guys!
 

If you get one head, you need to match chamber volume as well as valve size.. Also, you need to determine if it has been ported at all....you will want the flow the same intake and exhaust.

If it is a stock unported head, you should be able to match it.

You are looking at $400 for new heads...minimum.

As far as replacing just the guide, they have up to .010 oversized guides available. You need to determine what size was in there, and whether you will be able to clean it up to get a proper fit with an oversized guide....assuming you can smooth the chamber somewhat.

Really, there is no way to make any kind of accurate determination without hands on inspection.

Perhaps talk to a local cylinder head rebuilder?

You can look for used heads, but if they are in good shape people seem to overvalue them.

help guys!
 

Gary Tateosian wrote:

> If you get one head, you need to match chamber volume as well
as valve
> size. Also, you need to determine if it has been ported at
all....you will
> want the flow the same intake and exhaust.
>
> If it is a stock unported head, you should be able to match
it.
>
> You are looking at $400 for new heads...minimum.
>
> As far as replacing just the guide, they have up to .010
oversized guides
> available. You need to determine what size was in there, and
whether you
> will be able to clean it up to get a proper fit with an
oversized
> guide....assuming you can smooth the chamber somewhat.
>
> Really, there is no way to make any kind of accurate
determination without
> hands on inspection.
>
> Perhaps talk to a local cylinder head rebuilder?
>
> You can look for used heads, but if they are in good shape
people seem to
> overvalue them.

Thanks for the input Gareth. Hating life at the moment, as this
A.M. I ordered heads and cylinders/pistons from John at
aircooled.net, and this afternoon got a call from my little 3
year old's mom, that she was just admitted to the hospital, with
an (apparently) serious infection in the eye socket. Had I known
a few hours sooner, i'd have used the money for an airline
ticket.

At any rate, I decided to buy new jugs and pistons, and a pair
of new heads. Hopefully, the bottom end wasn't put together as
poorly as the top.

Thanks again for your input.

Chris

Love people, use things. Never get it backwards.

help guys!
 

On 11/12/2012 8:42 PM, ChrisKlinger wrote:
> Gary Tateosian wrote:
>
>> If you get one head, you need to match chamber volume as well
> as valve
>> size. Also, you need to determine if it has been ported at
> all....you will
>> want the flow the same intake and exhaust.
>>
>> If it is a stock unported head, you should be able to match
> it.
>>
>> You are looking at $400 for new heads...minimum.
>>
>> As far as replacing just the guide, they have up to .010
> oversized guides
>> available. You need to determine what size was in there, and
> whether you
>> will be able to clean it up to get a proper fit with an
> oversized
>> guide....assuming you can smooth the chamber somewhat.
>>
>> Really, there is no way to make any kind of accurate
> determination without
>> hands on inspection.
>>
>> Perhaps talk to a local cylinder head rebuilder?
>>
>> You can look for used heads, but if they are in good shape
> people seem to
>> overvalue them.
>
> Thanks for the input Gareth. Hating life at the moment, as this
> A.M. I ordered heads and cylinders/pistons from John at
> aircooled.net, and this afternoon got a call from my little 3
> year old's mom, that she was just admitted to the hospital, with
> an (apparently) serious infection in the eye socket. Had I known
> a few hours sooner, i'd have used the money for an airline
> ticket.
>
> At any rate, I decided to buy new jugs and pistons, and a pair
> of new heads. Hopefully, the bottom end wasn't put together as
> poorly as the top.
>
> Thanks again for your input.
>
> Chris
>
> Love people, use things. Never get it backwards.

well you went the "correct " way... now you'll know it was done right.
You still need to compare chamber volumes old head vs. new head, and
check what compression ratio you end up with... then try to see what cam
is in there (pull the oil pump out to see markings at the end of the
cam). CR needs to match the cam.

help guys!
 

I am very sorry to hear about your personal tragedy...I have spent way too much time in the hospital the last few years myself.

Suffice to say, you have my well wishes.

To get back to technicalities...as an aircraft mechanic, you should have access to decent measuring tools.

Why throw good money after bad?

Split the case and start measuring.

If it specs, roll with it..if it doesn't dump it.

Check each piece.

Do not slap a new top end on an unknown bottom end.

help guys!
 

Jan Andersson wrote:

> On 11/12/2012 8:42 PM, ChrisKlinger wrote:
>> Gary Tateosian wrote:
>>
>>> If you get one head, you need to match chamber volume as
well
>> as valve
>>> size. Also, you need to determine if it has been ported at
>> all....you will
>>> want the flow the same intake and exhaust.
>>>
>>> If it is a stock unported head, you should be able to
match
>> it.
>>>
>>> You are looking at $400 for new heads...minimum.
>>>
>>> As far as replacing just the guide, they have up to .010
>> oversized guides
>>> available. You need to determine what size was in there,
and
>> whether you
>>> will be able to clean it up to get a proper fit with an
>> oversized
>>> guide....assuming you can smooth the chamber somewhat.
>>>
>>> Really, there is no way to make any kind of accurate
>> determination without
>>> hands on inspection.
>>>
>>> Perhaps talk to a local cylinder head rebuilder?
>>>
>>> You can look for used heads, but if they are in good shape
>> people seem to
>>> overvalue them.
>>
>> Thanks for the input Gareth. Hating life at the moment, as
this
>> A.M. I ordered heads and cylinders/pistons from John at
>> aircooled.net, and this afternoon got a call from my little
3
>> year old's mom, that she was just admitted to the hospital,
with
>> an (apparently) serious infection in the eye socket. Had I
known
>> a few hours sooner, i'd have used the money for an airline
>> ticket.
>>
>> At any rate, I decided to buy new jugs and pistons, and a
pair
>> of new heads. Hopefully, the bottom end wasn't put together
as
>> poorly as the top.
>>
>> Thanks again for your input.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> Love people, use things. Never get it backwards.
>
> well you went the "correct " way... now you'll know it was
done right.
> You still need to compare chamber volumes old head vs. new
head, and
> check what compression ratio you end up with... then try to
see what cam
> is in there (pull the oil pump out to see markings at the
end of the
> cam). CR needs to match the cam.

Jan -
I see a bolt-on cam gear, but no markings on the cam :(