TOPIC:

pctech101 wrote: i know youre guiding me and i am thankful for your time and knowledge. trust me, i dont want to have any issues when she goes back together.
I learned a hard lesson with the rings. if she'll get me home after my "cheap" repair, i am good. im slowly replacing her stuff as i learn about her. shes my first and i dont like doing half a$$ work. i am a pefectionist.
i will post more as i progress. thanks!

Grab yourself a valve spring compressor. There's a nice one on Ebay for under $40

Patton wrote: others have successfully used a section of aluminum can, and some employ hose clamps rather than tie wraps.

Good Fortune!

I was going to try soda can with zip ties this go around, and have a helper so i can safely guide it back together

cavanaughracing wrote: Grab yourself a valve spring compressor. There's a nice one on Ebay for under $40

I went to home depot and bought a $15 8" C-Clamp.
My father had an O2 sensor socket (has window).
Between the 2 i have successful removed the valves, and tested putting valves back in, works perfect.

Instead of the metal strip, others have successfully used a section of aluminum can, and some employ hose clamps rather than tie wraps.

Big beer can ,large hose clamp and some KY (jk engine oil ) worked REALLLLY well for me... i could not even believe how easy it was !

cavanaughracing wrote: ...Grab yourself a valve spring compressor. There's a nice one on Ebay for under $40

Not to e-bay,
Can't go there;
Said he wants
a cheap repair;

Perfection wanted,
No half a$$,
On this first love,
His comely lass;

A valve compressor,
For this steed,
Sorely needed,
Yes indeed;

The answer lay,
Within here true,
Just flipped on back,
And read page two.

Good Fortune!

Am i missing something on base gasket? Last time i scraped it off, them scrubbed with scotchpad with parts cleaner. Took a while but i got it. Just looked at base and the new gasket i put on isnt stuck to engine that much, thank heavens. i think i spent probably of 6 hrs the first time scraping and scrubbing, not including cleaning carbon off pistons. very time consuming. glad you reminded me about gaskets, last time i waited until i was ready to put together, then realized i had quite a bit of scraping to do still. this time i will get it knocked out over this weekend/holiday... yippeeee

Question.
When I install valve seals, the lower ring on seal just goes down till it pops in to groove on guide, correct?


And yes, i remember all those pics of valve compressors. Why i went with c clamp. I was going to use pvc for opening but dad said hold on, and he pulled out his O2 sensor sockets. Between the two i have compressed the springs and gotten keepers out.

Youtube vids on removing keepers made figuring it out easy. Waiting on O-rings to reassemble valves. Then i can put cam.s on and measure my valve clearance so i can get shims when i order parts. Dad found me another feeler gauge that starts at .002

All valve clearances are within spec... .05 - .15mm

Happy for no expense needed for shims

There's a thing!!!!!! Tip for the future, leave the carbon on the piston crowns. Just a scrape of the loose stuff is enough. Removing it can cause excess smoke too as it burns itself back on. Thats another tip from when I was an apprentice.

ive seen and done the valve spring replacement trick on ohv v8 motors before ,but ive never seen how its possible on a motorcycle motor like a big kaw anyway.
if you dont have a spring compressor handy you can do the same thing with a drill press and a couple of deep sockets with one of them being slotted.
as far as guides being worn its really simple to check with the valve stem cleaned up stick 3/4 back into the guide and try wiggling it side to side,i you can feel it move at all its time for guides.

Valves fit snuggly in guides.

thats my simple,non scientific valve guide test!

I've participated in a couple of seal changes with the head on.Drill out and modify an old spark plug so you can hook up your air line and thread in with pressure at 100# plus. This will hold the valves open, you 'll need a spring compressor and a flat bar for leverage to depress springs and remove keepers - we used a tire spoon with a bolt running through the handle attached to one of the rocker cover holes. Not easy, not for a novice and it's really a good idea to have 2 people on it.

In reading through this I just can't keeping thinking Oh KZ God Why (W/o Pulling Head)?

In a race where time is everything I get it but first attempt, new to the process, learning curve etc... other then the $50 head gasket replacement costs WHY keeps coming to mind... Not to mention you'll get a better look at the other valve components for inspection/replacements.

Ah well, I guess I'm just getting old....