skimming head

[s1jor]

have the heads off my volvo 4.3 v6, would it be worth skimming them anyway, or should i be looking for any signs in paticular??????????

 

[homealone]

Re: skimming head

I'm waiting on a reply so I'm looking at posts. Why are the heads off? I wouldn't shave the heads if your head gaskets weren't leaking. Normally cast iron heads don't warp, only aluminum. Of course shaving would clean them up real good...

 

[Walt T]

Re: skimming head

Take the heads to a machine shop and have them checked. They don't need milling unless they are warped.

 

[BinLurkin]

Re: skimming head

Diesel Walt, this is true. But everytime I take them in to the shops here in Californee, they always want to shave them, even if they agree they don't need it. Almost have to fist fight 'em to keep them from doing it anyway. Once a shop here in Monterey said okay, they wouldn't shave them but when I picked them up they were shaved, but no charge on the invioce. That's how bad they want to do the work. I wasn't real happy about that, but what was I going to do? This is the shop that gets all my work.

 

[Walt T]

Re: skimming head

How much are they shaving them? I doubt they're milling them or you'd have major problems getting intakes to fit and valve to piston clearance problems. Just cleaning them off is probably all they do.

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: skimming head

I think what's happening is they have those belt sander on a platform machines. An by running it across the surface lightly is how they determine need to remove more, or not.

 

[BinLurkin]

Re: skimming head

Naw, they milled 'em. They have the machine there. I helped install it. It's the place I worked my way through college at back in 02. They are good people & still in business. I always wondered about clearance problems too. In that particular incident where it didn't need to be shaved to begin with they just took one small kleen up pass, but I still wondered why I never needed a thicker gasket on some of them. That job happened to be my own vehicle & they knew it. I guess they never needed to take much off any of the work I brought in. Must be a limit to how much you can take off without having alignment problems. Yepblaze, I used to live up your direction in Discovery Bay. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[vinney]

Re: skimming head

If the engine is a vortex. The valve lash is non adjustable. You have to becareful not to take to much material off them. If you didnt roast the engine dont shave them for the sake off it. Use good marine aftermarket gaskets. Felpro Marine and you will be fine. My question is why did the heads come off the engine? Water(rusted) in the exhaust valves? We have had 4 4.3's (the heads) off this month.

 

[s1jor]

Re: skimming head

the heads were off because the boat was stuttering when run up to speed, the engine had just had a full service so everything was changed, coils etc etc etc the heads came off to see what the likely problem was,

 

[Larry S]

Re: skimming head

Nice to see you back Vinney. A lot of people use your advice.