Rebuilding Heads & the Tools Required

[danielroth]

So I finally received my Sep issue of ON.
It was weird that the "keep 'em flying" section by Parkhouse had fully illustrated what I've been gearing up to do this winter; head work.

At +$400 to have the heads professionally done it makes sense to send them out; if I had just one pair of heads. I have 5 pair of heads for my four 1970-1980 airheads that are in need of just such a procedure (R60/5, 2 R75/5, R100).
I've tried poking around the interweb for the tools necessary but havent really found what I'm looking for.

Parkhouse mentioned 'Neway' for cutting the valve faces but I couldn't find the model that was Airhead specific.

Here's what I've found from A&S which has an awesome tools inventory (at least on the web, I have the feeling that most of these tools would be a 3 year backorder).

111 780 - Valve Guide Removal Drift (only $28!?, things are looking good).
***Can't find the tool for inserting the guides
111 750 - Valve Spr. Compres ($373, no way will I pay that much for something that can be made for less than $50)
004 600 - Set Reamers (OK, at $630 this is getting out of hand for some stupid tools that do very little and have no moving parts).
***Neway cutter system (can't find a BMW equivalent but at the price for those damn reamers I doubt I want to. I did Google one for a H-D at $272 but the description was vague and didn't imply I could get the 3 angle cut we're after).

Well, it was a cute article, very inspiring, at least until I starting looking for the tools. It appears that a ham fisted chimp with a little patience and light touch could do a good top end rebuild, IF he had access to the tools.

If there is anyone out there that has the gear and is willing to "rent" or otherwise barter away this stuff, I would be greatly appreciative.
Maybe someone could throw out a list of the stuff they have used (with part numbers and suppliers).

Thanks all,
-dan in michigan

[20774]

The thing that would worry me about doing a head job on my own would be seat replacement. I think that something like this needs a machinist and especially one that had worked on BMW heads before. If done wrong, you can ruin a set of heads pretty quickly, IMO. There was just such a thread on the Airheads forum about someone who had heads done by a so-called Airhead expert in Israel. It sounded like the seats were installed improperly rendering the heads useless. Then there are issues with determining if the springs need to be replaced by taking the appropriate measurements. I would use and time-tested expert, but I understand the issue with having to do multiple sets of heads...

My 0.02...

[Isamemon]

as far as the spring compressor, my standard automotive "snap on" compressor did just fine, just a few months ago
of course I bought the "snap on" years ago, but I know I spent less then $50 for it
of course , if your doing the valves yourself, after you have the keepers on, bang em a few times with a dead blow hammer and make sure that the keepers are "keeping"

[danielroth]

Its not at all the procedure or the tricks or Israel that I was getting at in my long winded thread.
Just the tools to do the standard head refreshment, I'm quite proficient with careful machine work and I'm not some guy worth millions that has someone wipe his butt for him.
I'm not worried about replacing the seats, just recutting them.
All that I'm after is the list of tools people are using and possibly the sorce.
Thanks gang,
-dan

[20774]

Dan -

I realize you were asking about tools, but experience also counts. It wasn't clear in your first post that you were comfortable in that area. I was only just saying...

Since I can't add to the tools part, I'll go back to just readin'...

[skiteach]

Dan, I worked on aircooled VW's, for years. We drove the guides out and installed with same SnapOn driver. Used to have a valve guide reamer, seems all I have now is the kingpin reamer-wonder who borrowed it? I would think a local auto machine shop would grind the seats for reasonable $. VW used the Nuway sets as essential dealer kits. Maybe you can find a VW or Porsche tech that is interested in helping or has some personal tools- (they're gonna be the older guys like me). Always wanted a Nuway set back then, they were a lot less money then!

[AntonLargiader]

First of all, not all of the BMW tools listed are actually available. I have bought both the guide removal and installation tools within the last few years (I think) but AFAIK the reamers are generally not available.

The big deal is cutting the guides and seats.

Matt's treatment of guide bore sizing in the ON article was very superficial, which is appropriate for an article that's more of a "Here's how I" article than a "Here's how you" one. You will get different opinions from different people but IMO guide reamers are yesteryear's technology. Yes they were "the way" to do it back in the day, but there are better tools out there which give better surface finishes and more consistent and controllable results. If you are sizing the guides to existing valves, the final bore will be different than if you are sizing them to new valves. If you want real control over what you get, you need a hone such as the ones made by Sunnen. You will need to talk to a Sunnen sales rep to get any useful information.

Similar situation with valve seats. You have the cutters (Neway) and the grinders (stone-based systems like Sunnen, Serdi, etc). Cutting is often accepted as a final process but some rebuilders always finish with a stone. Again, you will have to talk to sales reps to get any useful information.

[danielroth]

This is totally the type of info I was hoping to get.
I might try to contact the Sunnen folks this week and also try and find those drifts. Thats just one 8mm drift for the guides then (in and out)?
I'll keep you posted on my success finding these tools.
Keep the info coming.
-dan