Head milling

Old Man Rock wrote:

Tom.. You accomplishing the milling yourself or 3rd party?

If self, images please during the process would be way cool to see the milling process in action...

OMR

My mill is too small. Table travel is X = 12", Y = 6". My neighbor has a big Doall verticle mill but no cutter to do it in one pass. Another neighbor repairs Jags and Healys and volunteered to take the head up to his machine shop Monday to see if they could do it while he is there. It's about a hour trip up to Fon Du Lac.

I should take some picture of the valve grinding process for you if you like machine porn. I did it on the lathe with a tool post grinder. They came out beeeoootiful.

We're picture whores here.... :blush: Yes please... :laugh:

You might want to have caution when milling a warped ohc cylinder head. If the head is bowed end for end, you shouldn't cut it. The reason is, that the cam bores are machined parallel to the head surface. If the head gets bowed or warped on the surface, then the cam bores are also. If you precede to machine the surface flat again, the cam bores are then permanently out of alignment.

What to do? We have taken bowed heads in the press and pushed them back to within a thou or two, Good cylinder studs take care of the rest and pull it down flat and the cam bores are once again in line.

APE Jay wrote:

You might want to have caution when milling a warped ohc cylinder head. If the head is bowed end for end, you shouldn't cut it. The reason is, that the cam bores are machined parallel to the head surface. If the head gets bowed or warped on the surface, then the cam bores are also. If you precede to machine the surface flat again, the cam bores are then permanently out of alignment.

What to do? We have taken bowed heads in the press and pushed them back to within a thou or two, Good cylinder studs take care of the rest and pull it down flat and the cam bores are once again in line.

I've seen car heads like bananas Never saw a Kawasaki head like that though. Sometimes they'll be low on one corner....sometimes in between to chambers....sometimes in several random spots. It varies. If there's any problem with journals being out of alignment you'll find that quick enough by spinning the cams.

I've watched car heads be straightened. They use a plate and put them in an oven. Never saw anyone press one though.... whew, I'd be scared to press on one myself...

:woohoo:

PLUMMEN wrote:

:woohoo:

I know a shop that uses a belt sander to surface heads. They have a belt for aluminum and one for cast iron.

you should see me bore/hone cylinders with my drill press and a sanding drum! :woohoo: :woohoo:

PLUMMEN wrote:

you should see me bore/hone cylinders with my drill press and a sanding drum! :woohoo: :woohoo:

And time cams with a watch :woohoo:

Old Man Rock wrote:

Head Decking check.... No doubt....

As in my case, No name (MRE) states cylinder not decked more then .010".... Well, installed everything and as I rotated the crank by hand (Thank the the KZ gods) the valves hit the piston domes... WTF... :blink:

Disassemble and take a better look at the measurements...
Larry had it decked ~ .004" on the head, ever so slight and that measured out to specifications all the way around....

On the cylinder... whoa measured anywhere from .010" - .017" as I went around the cylinder.

Double up the cylinder base gasket and all was good...

OMR

I use a .000" feeler gauge for that :laugh:

guy cant check air in his own tires but has fancier tools than i do! :laugh:
i use a straightedge and tape measure myself! :laugh:

larrycavan wrote:

Old Man Rock wrote:

Head Decking check.... No doubt....

As in my case, No name (MRE) states cylinder not decked more then .010".... Well, installed everything and as I rotated the crank by hand (Thank the the KZ gods) the valves hit the piston domes... WTF... :blink:

Disassemble and take a better look at the measurements...
Larry had it decked ~ .004" on the head, ever so slight and that measured out to specifications all the way around....

On the cylinder... whoa measured anywhere from .010" - .017" as I went around the cylinder.

Double up the cylinder base gasket and all was good...

OMR

I use a .000" feeler gauge for that :laugh:

whats that crap in top of #4? :S :laugh:

:laugh: