[Vwdiesel] swapping a good head - DIY head prep??

Mon Nov 9 16:30:09 PST 2009

Two layers of plate glass on a flat surface about 3ft by 1ft. Glue on some 
coarse grit paper [later use slightly finer] What looks like a high spot is 
not , but actually where end of head comes after each abrade, and needs 
brushing clean regularly.
http://img99.imageshack.us/i/4layersofplateglassandnmj8.jpg/

Leave manifolds on as it adds weight to the 'hand milling' ; and more 
mportantly keeps head rigid AND in final shape that manifolds may distort it 
to... Add a counter weight opposite manifolds.
http://img397.imageshack.us/i/imgp6287ry0.jpg/
Pull head along surface. Go to other end of table and pull back. Every 4 or 
6 pulls lift and inspect and blow filings away.Don't take off any more than 
neccessary. Add single sheets of newspaper under plate glass to get down to 
better than 2 thou variation.
 http://img372.imageshack.us/i/firstabradevh0.jpg/
http://img380.imageshack.us/i/fourthabradevf4.jpg/
http://img257.imageshack.us/i/ninethabradefs6.jpg/
http://img67.imageshack.us/i/wilburinhammock1ox8.jpg/
Oops! I did 9 sets of 6 pulls. 20,000 miles later no leaks on minimally 
stretched stretch bolts [12mm mech head]

Mark

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Erik Lane" <eriklane at gmail.com>
To: "Will Taygan" <william at taygan.com>
Cc: "vwdiesel" <vwdiesel at audifans.com>
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 11:58 PM
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] swapping a good head - DIY head prep??

I only take heads into a shop to get them repaired, not just to clean
a surface. I use a gasket scraper, and sometimes some of that nasty
chemical gasket remover. It's pretty caustic, but if you let it sit
for a couple minutes it seems to take care of almost anything.

I've never had any problems with heads I work on. (Knock on wood...)
If a head is warped or needs other work then of course I'll have a pro
take care of it, but for just general clean up I can handle it myself.

Erik

On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 3:37 PM, Will Taygan <william at taygan.com> wrote:
> okay, okay.. I realize with the Jetta I'll need to pull the valve cover
> and look at the bolts, etc. :)
>
> With a quick look it's 068 103 373M, with a 3ME after it. Hmmm.. ME?
> Hydraulic? The Jetta engine looks like it's got a vanagon intake and
> pulley setup, and I only saw the single large return port between #2 and
> #3 injectors (Wife's got the hydraulic 1.6eco at work, but I think there
> should be another little bump between #1 and #2?)
>
> ANYWAY, The basic question I have is can I pull a good head and put it
> back on, with DIY prep - and what is the recommended procedure.
>
> Or is this a bad idea, and I should always have a shop resurface it,
> even if it's a good head?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Will.
>
> On Mon, 2009-11-09 at 14:41 -0800, Bryan Belman wrote:
>>
>> no way to say without doing some research on what heads you have and
>> specing things out with the proper measuring tools.
>>
>> sounds like you are not sure of what you have and you can get
>> back to us when you have both heads on the work bench.
>> this is going to take some time.
>>
>>
>> Bryan Belman, Pt. Pleasant, NJ
>> 04 Jetta Wagon TDI PD, 100hp, 5sp -- running :)
>> 92 Jetta 1.6 Eco-Turbo Diesel -- running :)
>> 82 Diesel Westy 1.9NA -- running :}
>> 70 Type 1 stock Beetle -- Not running :(
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________________
>> From: Will Taygan <william at taygan.com>
>> To: vwdiesel <vwdiesel at audifans.com>
>> Sent: Mon, November 9, 2009 3:16:54 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] swapping a good head - DIY head prep??
>>
>> '82 Westy rebuilt head shaved so much I've got a valve tap?? all the
>> time - would like to pull it and put on the junker Jetta (assuming
>> it's
>> mechanical - it's not the original engine). Of course it could be a
>> loose prechamber - either way I want it off my new rebuild :)
>>
>> Question is can I just swap the head, or do I really need a shop to
>> shave/clean it up (which isn't really an option).
>>
>> I would then put a different rebuilt head (From the '90 Jetta) onto
>> the
>> '82 Westy, since that's the vehicle I need to run well.
>>
>> Maybe I'm doing too much.
>>
>> Real problem is constant valve tap on '82 Westy, I think it's shaved
>> so
>> much that I haven't been able to really adjust it out. Maybe I could
>> pull the head and put in a 3 notch gasket? (have a 2 notch now)
>>
>> ** But it's the same issue: Can I pull a "good" head and prep it at
>> home, or do I need to get it shaved at the shop - which won't work for
>> this head (that's the only way they do it up here...)
>>
>> I didn't want to toss the Westy head, but re-use it for the '90 Jetta
>> (needs rings and gasket, so I've got to pull that head and have it
>> rebuilt anyway - just thought I'd keep the better (Jetta) head for the
>> good Westy and put the tappy one in the junker Jetta).
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Will.
>>
>> (On Mon, 2009-11-09 at 15:03 -0500, LBaird119 at aol.com wrote:
>> > Maybe it's the flu but I'm not getting why you need to rebuild
>> > the rebuilt head? Valves can "tap" and not bend, most of us have
>> > had the cam timing off that far at least once and got away with it.
>> > (or at least seen it happen).
>> > If it's not crashed then all you really need, maybe, is a valve or
>> two
>> > or so. It shouldn't be warped should it?
>> > In actuality you can surface those heads a lot more than most
>> shops
>> > are willing to go. I had one that hit the valves when he was
>> surfacing
>> > it. No charge, it was "junk" at that point. We put it on the car
>> and
>> > it ran great! The only thing you really have to watch is when you
>> > grind the valves and/or seats, the valves drop into the head more
>> > so you really need to shorten the ends of the stems or you end up
>> > using really thin shims to get them in spec. With hydraulic valves
>> it
>> > all the more important to end up in range.
>> > Loren
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Vwdiesel mailing list
>> > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
>> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
>> >
>>
>>
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>
>
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