taking the head off help

[00.400ex#55]

first off how do i get my cam chain off, its lossend now so do i just tkae out the cam too?

how do i keep my timimg so it wont be fawked when it goes back together?

[davetheslave]

I have always unbolted the cam gear from the cam, than you can take the gear off the chain. As far as not having to mess with the timing, I dont really know a way to do that. You usually have to re-align all your marks before putting back together. I usually set it to top dead center, than check where all the marks are lined up at, than make sure they are lines up the same way when re-assembling the engine.

[00.400ex#55]

ok that was much easier then i thought, i zipped tied the chain to the cam gear and just plunked in the hole. i was just woried of dropig the chain inside but the way i did it it cant happen.

the reason im taking it apart is because it was burning oil realy bad. now that its apart the sleve looks good but i cant see the rings. asuming its them. the inside of my head is crusdted with black stuff. not just burnt black, it has a layer of crap on it. same as the piston. what should i do about that???

[davetheslave]

Its either one of 3 things:
valve seals, rings, or the head gasket was bad and it was leaking oil into the head.

I would reccomend (since its apart already).

Pull off the cylinder jug, get it honed, and do new rings.
Replace valve stem seals, and have the valves lapped or ground.
and replace all the gaskets that are involved in removing the head and jug.

and that will fix your problem

[EX LONERIDER]

Originally posted by davetheslave
Its either one of 3 things:
valve seals, rings, or the head gasket was bad and it was leaking oil into the head.

I would reccomend (since its apart already).

Pull off the cylinder jug, get it honed, and do new rings.
Replace valve stem seals, and have the valves lapped or ground.
and replace all the gaskets that are involved in removing the head and jug.

and that will fix your problem

shoot... since you are that far in, just order a high compression piston and ring set to get more umph out of it. piston and ring kit will actually be cheap as a kit.

dont be cheap. replace your valve stem seals while you are there and if possible, have your valves lapped. should feel like a new machine once you do all that.

[davetheslave]

Might as well do the piston kit while your in there. He's right, its gonna cost just about as much. But don cheap it like he said. If you just do one thing like rings, and that doesnt fix it, you gotta tear it all apart again. When an engine is smoking and burning oil, just do it right the first time, and you'll be much happier, and you wont have to do it twice.

[00.400ex#55]

ok what exactly does lapping the valves mean?

the valves do look horable though..

whats the highest compression piston i could go to with running 93? i also heard that the deck hight or somthing lowers the compression ratios so would i be able to go to a piston with a litle higher compression ration then recomended for 93?

[davetheslave]

lapping the valves is kind of a poor mans valve grind. lapping the valves basically smoothes out the surface of the the head, and the valve where the actual valve to head seal is made. ( I can tell you how to do it if needed).

define what you mean by looking horrible? gunk build up? or actual pits and gouges in the valve itself?

I probably wouldnt go much more than 11:1 You might be able to do 11.5:1, but I would check around with some people that run that ratio first.

[00.400ex#55]

il take a picture of it give me a few min

nvm i cant find the camera cord

[davetheslave]

this is what I would do:

get access to a bench grinder that has a wire wheel on it (just like a wire brush). And grind all the sludge and carbon off of the valves until their clean down to the bare metal. Than post a pic, and I'll be able to tell you if the valves are junk or not

[00.400ex#55]

ok after spending about 2 hours cleaning only the 2 intake valves, the valves look brand new. im almost positive its not the valves.

so what are the seals? i can see a little brown rubery thing on top of the valve guide is that it? were would i buy theses parts?

anything else i should know?

[davetheslave]

Its usually not the valves, just make sure you clean the 2 exhaust valves to. The stem seals are those little brown seals that are pressed onto the top of the valve guides. Replace those for sure. You can get them at the dealer C&D, or service honda. I think their around 5 bucks a piece.