<VV> Head Issues

Fri Mar 25 18:48:53 EDT 2011

Hey Mark,

Yes, that's what I was told by the garage owner who did the rest of the work, 
that he sent the heads out to have the valves redone. I never saw the heads 
again until they had been instaled on the engine. Looking at the pictures, the 
one good one - the others don't look that bad on my screen, does sending them to 
VV cause the terrible loss of focus? Anyway, the valves and the head itself 
don't look any different from when I took it off the engine. Should it?

As for doing another valve job on another head, that was my concern also. But I 
also wonder about the feasibility of welding the head with all the innards still 
in it. Do they not have to be removed, meaning another valve job to put them 
back. Sorry I don't know more, but I don't.
>Message: 3
>Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:53:44 -0700
>From: Mark Durham <62vair at gmail.com>
>Subject: Re: <VV> Head Pictures - was Head Problems
>To: Byron Comp <byron.comp at yahoo.com>
>Cc: virtualvairs at corvair.org
>Message-ID:
>    <AANLkTikmXMcsQ4Aw5eT5Zaqdfi4r=VUmafM86Lwe_gbn at mail.gmail.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
>Byron, didn't you say the head just had a valve job? You may find it
>less expensive to have the plug hole welded and retapped than doing a
>full valve job again. It's not as easy as moving the valves, you also
>have to have new tolerance guides and valve seats, and unless you find
>a NOS head, that is not likely. Then the valves must be reground and
>lapped into the valve seats.
>
>If you are concerned about the welding of the head, my heads have been
>welded and the spark plugs angled closer to the exhaust valve, and the
>chambers were redone from a 62 102 to more like a 95 hp, but the
>tolerances are closer, I think they raised the compression on the
>engine. Anyway, I now must run a longer thread tapered seat spark
>plug.  But, the heads took the welding with no problem and the engine
>runs great.
>
>Mark Durham
JR,

I thought I had done that, but apparently not good enough if you're looking at 
the pic and telling me I still need to do it. My thoughts are also to have it 
welded, drilled and tapped. I found a shop locally that specializes now in 
motorcycle engines, used to do alot of VWs back in the day, who said he can do 
it, but is concerned about cutting down the area just above the valves where his 
weld has "run out" of the hole into that inner area where the metal ring goes to 
seal against the outside of the cylinder/jug. He thinks he can do it, but it 
will take a custom setup since the two planes of the head are not strictly 
parallel. Thus some extra time and money. I don't want to reveal his estimate 
right now 'cause I'd like to hear from anyone onVV who wants to do it.

>Message: 6
>Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:16:50 -0500
>From: "J R Read" <hmlinc at sbcglobal.net>
>Subject: Re: <VV> Headless pictures
>To: "Byron Comp" <byron.comp at yahoo.com>, <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
>Message-ID: <7D5FC2A8D789492ABD47BE745531B092 at OFFICEDELL>
>Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>    reply-type=original
>
>Cleanup and deflash this head - then have the machine shop weld - drill - 
>tap a new spark plug hole.  They need to match the other two holes.  While 
>they have this head, do yourself a favor and deflash the other side - which 
>can be done without removal.
>
>If you find a "numbers matching" head elsewhere for cheap, it is going to be 
>a question mark as to quality.
>
>Above is what I would do.  Your call.
>
>Later, JR

Hi Matt and Joel,

I tried the insert route, but the hole was too big and when I tried to "seat" 
the steel insert, it shot right through the hole and into the cylinder.

>Message: 7
>Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:20:56 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Matt Nall <patiomatt at aol.com>
>Subject: Re: <VV> Headless pictures
>To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
>Message-ID: <8CDB930847D4B30-1464-2F77 at webmail-m028.sysops.aol.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>Easy fix!  Have them insert all 3  holes and be done with it!!  no heat that 
>way!
>
>
>Matt Nall
>Charleston, Oregon
>http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/reswr0kp/
>
>
>Message: 8
>Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:39:26 -0500
>From: Joel McGregor <joelsplace at earthling.net>
>Subject: Re: <VV> Headless pictures
>To: Byron Comp <byron.comp at yahoo.com>,    "virtualvairs at corvair.org"
>    <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
>Message-ID:
>    <D522952017BFA547BC2D93BEBA6A3BE345D0FE5956 at W2K8SBS.joelsplace.local>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>If the hole isn't too big use a TimeSert.  It's a solid steel insert unlike the 
>typical wire wound inserts.  Much stronger and takes more space.  The install 
>>tool expands the insert to lock it in place.
>Welding is also a good option if you can find someone that knows what they are 
>doing.  Welding on aluminum is not a problem like cast iron welding is.
>Joel McGregor

Michael,

Yours sounds like an intriguing possibility. I thought I had asked about that 
and got a negative response; I know I did from one of the local mechanics I 
talked to. I'll run that suggestion past the cycle mech. Thanks. I'm not sure I 
understand what you mean about pinning the bushing. Can you explain?

And Thanks to all who have replied with your good ideas. I appreciate 
everybody's willingness to help. I would like to hear from anyone who might have 
a head for sale that I could at least make a comparison of costs between 
welding/repairing and replacing.

Byron "Headache" Comp
'64 Monza Vert
Gainesville, FL

>Message: 9
>Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:44:18 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Michael Kovacs <kovacsmj at sbcglobal.net>
>Subject: Re: <VV> Headless pictures
>To: Byron Comp <byron.comp at yahoo.com>
>Cc: VV <virtualvairs at corvair.org>, fastvair at yahoogroups.com
>Message-ID: <715186.23641.qm at web82003.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>I had one just as bad. The machine ship fixed it this way.
>
>drilled out all the messed up threads
>found a threaded bolt that would fit the hole. 
>tapped the hole to fit the bolt.
>drilled and tapped the bolt to fit the Corvair spark plug.
>cut the head off the bolt.
>installed the now perfect bushing.
>pinned the bushing.
>
>MIKE KOVACS

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