Damaged head, need advice
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From: Twin Cities, MN, USA
Damaged head, need advice
I bought a gude head package from a guy on ebay a few months ago and only recently started examining the part closely. What ive found has only disappointed me and made me wonder if this really is a gude head how did they manage to stay in business.
First thing I noticed is the head is milled down quite far. The flat areas outside just beyond the the valves is almost even with the rest of the head (certainly less then a fingernail). The valves might actually be slightly sticking out beyond the head surface. This I can solve with clay and perhaps a bigger headgasket.
Secondly it seems they hot tanked the head... apparently for a long time. All the machined areas are etched to a dull grey you can certainly feel with your fingernail. They managed to etch away almost all past signs of wear on any machined surface. I wish I had some pictures avaible now and will soon. Has anyone experience this and if so did you run it? I am afraid the heavy etching might mess with whatever tolences were there and at the very least destroy the smooth machined surface that is normall there.
Finally the package included what appears to be some reground cams. The machine work on the cams left sligh steps on the surface of lobes. This appeared to have left grooves you can feel with your fingernail on the rockers. The damage appears newer and the the guy who owned it before me said he only ran with it for 2000 or so miles. I trust he didnt run with it long because the amount of carbon in the exhaust and bowls is very low. Now if those cams can leave damage like that in only a few thousand miles how about 50-100k?
I will probably end up runing with the package but would like to know what to expect. If i had paid anything near retail for this I would be pissed. The fact I only spent 400 makes me feel better but if the package is going to self destruct after 20k its only going to mean time wasted.
Modified by postalrat at 8:59 PM 7/10/2005
First thing I noticed is the head is milled down quite far. The flat areas outside just beyond the the valves is almost even with the rest of the head (certainly less then a fingernail). The valves might actually be slightly sticking out beyond the head surface. This I can solve with clay and perhaps a bigger headgasket.
Secondly it seems they hot tanked the head... apparently for a long time. All the machined areas are etched to a dull grey you can certainly feel with your fingernail. They managed to etch away almost all past signs of wear on any machined surface. I wish I had some pictures avaible now and will soon. Has anyone experience this and if so did you run it? I am afraid the heavy etching might mess with whatever tolences were there and at the very least destroy the smooth machined surface that is normall there.
Finally the package included what appears to be some reground cams. The machine work on the cams left sligh steps on the surface of lobes. This appeared to have left grooves you can feel with your fingernail on the rockers. The damage appears newer and the the guy who owned it before me said he only ran with it for 2000 or so miles. I trust he didnt run with it long because the amount of carbon in the exhaust and bowls is very low. Now if those cams can leave damage like that in only a few thousand miles how about 50-100k?
I will probably end up runing with the package but would like to know what to expect. If i had paid anything near retail for this I would be pissed. The fact I only spent 400 makes me feel better but if the package is going to self destruct after 20k its only going to mean time wasted.
Modified by postalrat at 8:59 PM 7/10/2005
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 193
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From: ct
Re: Damaged head, need advice (postalrat)
sounds pretty fishy to me and considering you only paid 400? reground cams will do that to rocker arms...If your looking for something to last sell it and buy a different head.
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