Pulling the Head

[Green67Alpine]

Finally decided to go a "head" and have the head rebuilt on my Series V, I've got a W S M are those the best directions ? OR have you engine guys got your own method? And as stated before any shop familiar with Aluminum heads can do the work, correct ?

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Tom J

Ever Challenging Series V

I'll get this car back on the the road if it's the next to the last thing I ever do !

 

[serIIalpine]

Pulling and replacing the head is pretty straightforward but I would recommend port matching the head to the manifold gasket and cleaning up the flow path inside the ports. I would also recommend doing the vizzard mod to the combustion chamber. It's easier than it sounds, just take your time.

Have all your valves and guides replaced and do a three way grind on the valve seats.

Isky still stocks racing valve springs but you have to call them as they are no longer on their stock lists.

Good luck and enjoy.

Eric

'62 SerII

 

[gordonra]

Not intending to hijack the post, but I've heard about the "vizzard mod" for the head, but where would one find the information on it?

Rich

 

[jumpinjan]

And as stated before any shop familiar with Aluminum heads can do the work, correct ?

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Tom J

Tom,
Shops who have specialized in repair aluminum heads are vanishing. I know. Just about every head that I have worked on need welding repair in the steam holes & water passages. Yes, guides get worn, but I don't have them replaced anymore. My proceedure on guides is to leave them in the head and have the shop install bronze liners. In that way, when they wear out, just install another set without too much bother.
Jan

 

[Bill Blue]

Rich, its in a book, "Theory and Practice of Cylinder Head Modification" by David Vizard.

If you can't find one, I have one I'll sell.

Bill

 

[Jim E]

You also want to look very close between the valve seats where they are closest together for cracks. Many of the heads have cracks in this spot.

 

[RootesRooter]

........Isky still stocks racing valve springs but you have to call them as they are no longer on their stock lists.

Good luck and enjoy.
Eric
'62 SerII

Do the Isky springs require different keepers? What kind of spring rate are we talking about compared to stock?

 

[serIIalpine]

You'd have to contact Isky directly for the particulars but
I know I got the springs and keepers from them for 50 or 60 US$

I've been happy with them so far.

Eric

'62 SerII

 

[64beam]

Rich, its in a book, "Theory and Practice of Cylinder Head Modification" by David Vizard.

If you can't find one, I have one I'll sell.

Bill

This book is very rare going by the search I did. I have only found one book which was priced at US$250 plus shipping .

Regards, Robin.

 

[gordonra]

Thanks Bill, but my question was really more of curiosity, and I'm not really interested in purchasing a book, or performing this modification myself at the moment, but here are other sources if anyone wants...

http://www.directtextbook.com/prices/0851130666

Rich

 

[Bill Blue]

Robin, are you kidding me? I bought mine maybe 5 years ago for something like twenty bucks, new. Maybe I should have an auction, right here.

Bill
(edit) Just saw Rich's post. It's back to the poor farm for me.

 

[Alpine 1789]

I bought one on eBay a few months ago and only paid about $25 for it.

 

[Bill Blue]

I bought one on eBay a few months ago and only paid about $25 for it.

Now you tell me. I just sold mine for $15 including shipping.

Bill

 

[Bill Tubbs]

Success?

Tom, how did the head pulling go? I may attempt mine this weekend, also via the Workshop Manual instructions. They look pretty straight-forward but I've been know to screw up simple things before...

Bill

 

[Green67Alpine]

Bill, Just follow the the natural progression of things(and the WSM) take plenty of notes(don't assume you'll remember anything)and plenty of pictures(make sure to make copies of them).Removing the head(even with frozen/rusted bolts)is not too bad ,I'm hoping that after tomorrow I'll be able to say putting it back is not too bad either.
Make lots of notes on your carb linkage set up...unless your used to doing that kind of work..
I don't think you can really go too wrong, but if you do there is lots of folks here that can set you straight

Good luck,

Tom j

 

[Bill Tubbs]

Okay, maybe THIS weekend...

Lots of honeydo's prevented me from tackling the head last weekend but maybe I can get to it this time. The old board had a ton of messages about what happened to the car, but essentially... after running fine for the couple of years I had it, and after repairing all sorts of ancillary issues, I fired up the engine one fine day and suddenly had a garage full of white smoke, a coughing engine (although still seeming to run strongly). and some oily fluid dripping out of the header and tailpipe.

I never got a consensus of what the issue is, but the least problematic would be a blown head gasket, which is how I'm tackling it first. Of course the next and most serious issue would be rings/pistons, etc., which is going to take a lot more than I'm currently prepared to deal with.

So, I'm hoping to see something obvious when I pull the head so that I can replace the gasket and get it fired back up again.

Bill

 

[Green67Alpine]

Bill, As I found out once you get the head off........ all bets off. I'm putting mine back on as I type.(very tricky) just needed to find out if the torque setting have been changed to 45lbs from 48lbs I've a notice but me thinks it's for 1968 and up.
Tom j

 

[Wombat]

I have several manuals for the Rootes range of vehicles. Most for the pre Arrow range give the torque for the head bolts as 48 ftlb. The Chrysler Aust. factory manuals for the Hunter specify:

1967/68 (iron head only) 48 ft lb - retorque hot
1968/70 (iron and alloy heads) 45 ft lb retorque iron hot and alloy cold
1970/72 (iron and alloy heads) 45 ft lb retorque iron cold and alloy cold

Maybe there was a change in head gasket at the time. Still it seems they couldn't make up their mind.

 

[Bill Tubbs]

Tricky?

I'm putting mine back on as I type.(very tricky)

Tom, aside from the whole operation being 'interesting', what's the 'tricky' part you're referring to? I can take just about ANYTHING apart... but getting it back together.....

 

[lemansvk]

Last year I had similar symptoms on my Vogue (same motor as Alpine IV), 'twas the head gasket, aided by some head corrosion, notably around those crescent shaped water passages near the valves. Easily welded up by my local engine shop (use the head gasket as a template to see what size and shape the passages should be)

Cheers, Vic

Lots of honeydo's prevented me from tackling the head last weekend but maybe I can get to it this time. The old board had a ton of messages about what happened to the car, but essentially... after running fine for the couple of years I had it, and after repairing all sorts of ancillary issues, I fired up the engine one fine day and suddenly had a garage full of white smoke, a coughing engine (although still seeming to run strongly). and some oily fluid dripping out of the header and tailpipe.

I never got a consensus of what the issue is, but the least problematic would be a blown head gasket, which is how I'm tackling it first. Of course the next and most serious issue would be rings/pistons, etc., which is going to take a lot more than I'm currently prepared to deal with.

So, I'm hoping to see something obvious when I pull the head so that I can replace the gasket and get it fired back up again.

Bill