A few head work questions

smoken02

smoken02

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Feb 6, 2007
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Im going to have my local machine shop do my head work. Not being to familiar with the cummins performance world. I need to tell him what I want done and give him some numbers. My head is all stock right now. What I would like to do is have him O-ring it. He needs to know how much protrusion. I have no idea. Tap the freeze plug holes and do the valve seats. What is normaly done to the valve seats to keep them from dropping? Also I might as well put some good springs in it. Anything else I should do or need to know? Im still debating on putting a cam in while the engine is apart.
 
If I remember right, I think the protrusion on mine is .008

x2 on the cam

not sure about the valve seats.
 
Protrusion varies - should be matched to clamp load, wire size & material, gasket choice, etc.
 
Does your machine shop have the jig for the head if not there is a machine shop in Sandwich,IL that has the jig.He has done a decent amount around here.
 
He mostly does o-ring jobs for big block chevy drag engines. He said he could o-ring my head. He just needs to know wire size and protrusion. Im not sure what gasket or wire. I have arp studs now. Torqued to 135ft lbs. As far as the cam goes. I was going to look into a Dieselpros cam. I emailed them I think. I hope it was the right Dieselpros. There was no information on there website.
 
XLR8R said:
Protrusion varies - should be matched to clamp load, wire size & material, gasket choice, etc.
Click to expand...

X2 on this. A common setup would be .041 stainless wire, .008 protrusion, stock head gasket and the studs you mentioned. I take it this is on your 02.

Tapping the freeze plugs inside the valve cover can save problems, more on common rail engines, but it's never a bad idea.

There are lots of options on retaining valve seals. I would bet you machine shop has their own favorite method. The seats in my heads are oversized and rolled.

Cams can make a big difference.

Hope this helps....
Paul
 
Yes it is on my 02. Are oversized valve seats the best way to keep them from dropping?
 
paulb said:
There are lots of options on retaining valve seaTs.
Paul
Click to expand...

:Cheer: Fixed it for ya...

I know you meant seats - just didn't want a bunch of folks asking about the various valve seal retention techniques! LOL
 
I use .041 stainless wire with a .001" press and .010" protrusion with ARP's at 140. Mic your wire before grinding the tool.

I don't see how a fixture would aid this job. A rigid, tight mill with a long X does a perfect job. Those with an inadequately long X often make up for it with skill.
 
stubspuds said:
I use .041 stainless wire with a .001" press and .010" protrusion with ARP's at 140. Mic your wire before grinding the tool.

I don't see how a fixture would aid this job. A rigid, tight mill with a long X does a perfect job. Those with an inadequately long X often make up for it with skill.
Click to expand...

Stock head gasket?
 
Ok, I went and talked to my machine shop guy. I guess he o-rings blocks not heads. I could try doing it at work in are bridgeport, but im not sure where the o-ring goes in relation to the combustion chamber.

Howling. Who is your guy in Sandwich? I may just call him.
 
smoken02 said:
Ok, I went and talked to my machine shop guy. I guess he o-rings blocks not heads. I could try doing it at work in are bridgeport, but im not sure where the o-ring goes in relation to the combustion chamber.

Howling. Who is your guy in Sandwich? I may just call him.
Click to expand...

Isky, probably others as well, sold hand tools that centered in the bores and cut a groove. Automotive machine shops have widely varying definitions of machine work. If they insist on using such a tool on your engine you might decide thier idea of machine work doesn't parallel all that much with yours.
 
Since I have never seen it before. How does this work? Does the o-ring just press on the head gasket?
 
Presses into the groove in the head and because the groove is smaller than the wire it will petrude out of the head. I know CF is a B****rd name on here but there was a guy who just posted pics of his work on a bridgeport machine in the last couple of days down in the second gen 12v powertrain section. Alot of good info there. On edit feeling nice. Start on page 2.
Head Gasket job. - Dodge Cummins Diesel Forum
 
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We usually use .048 wire for DD's, I have a company that makes one solid ring to your specified size(id, od, or centerline diameter) usually go with .010 protrusion, stock HG. We just oring the head and have it crush to the center of the fire ring on the gasket. Not much to it really. We just did a head for a 6.7 using one of lazersmiths new headgaskets, turrned out real nice. But time will tell.
 
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