<VV> Head Problems

[Mark Durham]

Byron, I'm concerned the cylinder stuck to the head, take a close look
there to see why. There are two options for the rings. The best is to
remove the top cover, unbolt the rod, and do it on the bench, then
reinstall.  #2, which is iffy, is to find a ring compressor the right
size that has a slot in it to go past the rod, or make one out of
aluminum, or just use a std compressor like this attachment. The one
made out of aluminum, is iffy, you may break the rings if you are not
used to doing it.

If you are having problems getting the head off due to interference,
take out the carb studs and lower the engine at the aft of the car
until it clears. Then put it back up until time to reinstall.

Make sure you replace the head and base gaskets, or if copper, anneal
before reuse.  Mark Durham



On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 11:25 AM, Byron Comp <byron.comp at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Thanks for everybody's comments and support. Yes, this was a recently rebuilt
> engine, just re-installed a few weeks ago. There must be some other trick I
> don't know about, too, 'cause I pulled everything loose on that side, gently
> pried the push rod tubes loose from the block, and then began trying to work the
> head off the cylinder jugs. Two and six came away OK, but four refused to budge
> and instead pulled the cylinder off the piston to where the rings now need to be
> recompressed. (See what I mean about it pouring!) But the current problem is,
> there seems to be too little clearance between the head, as extended on the long
> engine bolts, and the sheet metal body side of the engine bay. What am I
> missing? And how can I get the rings compressed again? The ring compressor sold
> by my FLAPS certainly isn't going to do it.
>
> As for the "compent CORVAIR shop", that's partly why I'm in this fix in the
> first place. There doesn't seem to be one within 100 miles of me. The one
> recommended by the local club is the guy who forgot to put the lower shrouds
> back on before installing the rebuilt heads in the first place. Now it seems
> he's also the one, along with the machine shop he sent the heads out to, as
> well, who failed to notice the oversize hole in the head now in question. Again,
> it proves the old adage, "If you want something done right, you'd better do it
> yourself." I was both too naive and with too few tools and savvy to do it
> myself and thought his reputation prevented him from screwing up my job; but as
> it turns out, I'm now further behind than I was when I picked up the engine from
> him several months ago. And possibly in deeper trouble and money to boot.
>
> Makes me wonder if it'll be ready for Denver after all.
>
> Byron Comp
> '64 Vert back in pieces
> Gainesville, FL
>
>
>
>>Message: 2
>>Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:21:42 -0500
>>From: Les Honke <corvair at mymts.net>
>>Subject: Re: <VV> Further Problems - was Oil Issues
>>To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>, <byron.comp at yahoo.com>
>>Message-ID: <BLU155-w45F32C2CBF07CF24869B2EA7B50 at phx.gbl>
>>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>
>>
>>Byron, it's probably time to pull that head (can be done without removing
>>engine, you're almost all the way there already) and take it to a good Corvair
>>>head rebuilder to get the hole welded/retapped.
>>
>>Don't recall if this was a rebuilt engine or not, if not might be just as far
>>ahead to install a good used matching head.
>>
>>Les
>>corvair at mts.net
>
>
>
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