<VV> cylinder heads for reliability

Dan & Synde dsjkling at sbcglobal.net
Mon Nov 12 12:01:31 EST 2007


All the 140 heads I used on our Greenbrier had the valve seats replaced.
The first set was done before I got them so I can't really count those
because I didn't know the shop.  The next 3 sets were done by a reputable
shop.  They were different heads a couple times.  I got sick of being
stranded.  The addiitional HP at the top end wasn't worth it to me.  Most of
the time, I was just wishing I had a little more low end torque so I'd push
harder on the gas.  The secondaries would then open and all would be lost so
I'd have to back of the throttle to get it back.  Even tried them without
the secondaries and just blocked off the ports.  Now I had the risk of
dropping the seats without the benefit of the added flow so what was the
point in the end.  When that last set dropped a seat, I was done.  All those
dropped seats had ruined days and trips I was on trying to have a good time,
not to mention the vast amount of money wasted.  Maybe some can make them
work in an FC in their environment and load levels; I can't.  Nothing made
me want to quite the Corvair hobby more than the grief those 140 heads gave
me.  They also didn't help in trying to win other people over to Corvairs.
They saw all the problems I was having and told me they were glad they never
got into Corvairs.  I had one person tell me they had thought of buying a
Corvair years ago but having seen the problems I was having with the seats
had decided not to.  All that for a lousy 20-30 HP on the freeway.  Now I
have modified 110 heads on it and no more dropped seats.....imagine that!
Sure did make me gun shy for awhile though everytime climbed a steep grade
or started the engine cold.

Your experience and mileage may vary.....

Dan Kling

1961 Greenbrier Deluxe, 4spd, 3.89  On the Road Again,  yeehaw :)
1963 Spyder, restored   4spd Saginaw
1967 Ultravan #299  Newest of the herd!! Almost killed me already!!



http://www.flickr.com/photos/81412237@N00/sets/
A few pictures of the Greenbrier, UltraVan, engine and tranny tear down with
more to come!

JVHRoberts said:

> And on top of that, spend the $$$ to have the seats deepened and redone,
if reliability is at the top of your list. If you do that, even 140 heads
will fit the bill!






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