Frankenstiens creation...

[Rav335uk]

I'll measure mine tomorrow, but its from a E34, and let you know the size.
1mm skim , let me know how you get on with it, oh and what sort of look you get from the guy when you ask him

[Cypriotgeeza]

haha im sure its not going to be worse than the look i got from my manager at work..
his advice "you want to kill yourself so go right ahead" lol
ill let you know how i get on..Just hoping the head is actually skimmable and not warped

thanx Rav much appreciated as usual!

[leeparkes]

Heres my rad Rav..cant really see how small it is from the pic :

Looks like an M20 rad





Do a boil test on it to see if its blocked, pour hot water in the top hose and feel around the rad for cold spots

Cold spots=blocked

The way ive got the hoses it looks like i was testing this one

[Cypriotgeeza]

yea it looks identical!! Is an M20 rad up to the job?

i will do that test tomorrow mate and tell you the results..needs a good flush through anyway as its full of gunky coolant lol

[leeparkes]

M20 rad will be ok if its a 'good' one,mine was running one last summer with no over heating issues even in heavy traffic

Heres my DIY flushing service in action

[Cypriotgeeza]

loving the diy flushing there^ lol i will do that in a little while

Two questions i have are -Which fan was you using with that rad?
- What brackets was you using as mine was secured with cable ties lol

Ok the head is now at the engineers being:
-Skimmed -1mm
the mans face was a picture lol and i quote: "1mm..you sure about this?"
-Valve stem seals being replaced
-Valves de-coking and being lapped back in-- which is whats costing me the most as like the man said "they are an absolute nightmare to do, and there is always the risk of damaging the cam
Which is why im letting them do it lol

He told me to leave it with him for about a week so theres no rush/problems
Ill keep you guys updated when i have more pics

[Rav335uk]

LOL, I bet he thought your were for the 1mm skim

[Cypriotgeeza]

lol he was writing my details and he actually stopped and looked up at me after i told him i want a 1mm skim

really cant wait to get it all back and back together now

[Cypriotgeeza]

Ok just spoke to the engineer and he is saying the head is quite badly distorted and that if i was going to go ahead with the skimm and other bits and bobs im prob going to need an oversized head gasket.

he said he's going to price it up and get back to me..wondering if its still worth spending money on a head like this?

*EDITED* ok just spoke to him again outlining that i wanted a 1mm skimm and so there would be no need for a thicker gasket,

he said theres a little bit of wear on the exhaust guides and if i wanted that it would be another £100 on top which im wondering wether to do or not.

*EDITED..again* Just got back from dropping the front cover to the engineers and have given them the go-ahead for everything which includes new exhaust guides...made sense to do them while the head is there and i'll know they are done then!
ill keep you all posted when its back in my poseession

[Cypriotgeeza]

**UPDATE**
Yes peeps the day has finally come..i HAVE MY HEAD BACK!!!

this is the full list of what has been done:
-Strip clean and decoke cylinder head
-Remove valves, springs cams rockershafts etc
-Overhaul head as required using 6 New exhaust valve guides
-Reassemble using customers own stem seals
-Machine face to remove 1.00mm
-Grind in valves and reassemble rockershafts and cam
-Re-cut valve seats
-Reface valves
and they added this which made me smile--NOTE AT CUSTOMERS OWN REQUEST TO MACHINE FACE TO REMOVE 1.00mm. NO GUARANTEE.

and here she is:-





Just need the rain to stop long enough to get going on the rebuild !

[Rav335uk]

Very

[ImysE30]

M30 porn

[Cypriotgeeza]

thanx guys!
I just wish last weeks weather was this weeks weather cant wait to get it back together!

[charlE30]

Going to sound like a right numpty now but what advantage do you get from skimming 1mm from the head, I'm guessing it increases the compression ratio?!? Does it not throw out the timing?

I know very little about old school tuning methods

TIA

[Rav335uk]

As far as throwing the timing out, not much, as I think the slack in the chain is taken up by the tensionor.
I would ask Gareth, as he's started this 1mm head skim craze.

[zaust]

You will have no problem with it being advanced a smidge. Get a o/e head gastket for a head that has been skimmed twice. And the chain tensioner will keep it correct.

(don't forget to beeld the tensioner).

[zaust]

Won't affect it fella. The amount of advance will be so small the you won't notice, And the tensioner will keep it in the correct place anyway. Get a o/e head gasket for a head that has been skimmed once (dealer only) and remember to bleed the tensioner.

[Cypriotgeeza]

Won't affect it fella. The amount of advance will be so small the you won't notice, And the tensioner will keep it in the correct place anyway. Get a o/e head gasket for a head that has been skimmed once (dealer only) and remember to bleed the tensioner.

bleed the tensioner? first Im hearing of this..

is there a thread with how to do this?

[zaust]

When your about to do it phone me, (Number in sig ↓↓↓) I will talk you through it. Its an easy job but very important

.

[Cypriotgeeza]

Thanx zaust!

Got back from work today and jumped straight on the 3.5..Gave the block a good clean up all ready for the head to be put back on now

As it was


Cleaning up bores/pistons and face:






and heres the pure gunk which came out of the head bolt holes


Im hoping to get the cylinder head on tomorrow (if the weather is decent enough!) Getting really excited now cant wait to hear her purring again

[kieranbusak9]

what did you use to clean up the head/block faces that good? those piston tops and bores look clean!

[Cypriotgeeza]

Petrol and a rag for the pistons/bores..you dont want to be using anything abrasive in there!

and used sand paper and a sanding block for the cylinder block, dont know what grade it was

[zaust]

Phone's on and waiting.

[kieranbusak9]

my pistons look waaaaay different to those, mine are domed and have cut outs at the top so the valves don't hit em, the only time i have seen that type of piston is in an m3 block.

[Cypriotgeeza]

my pistons look waaaaay different to those, mine are domed and have cut outs at the top so the valves don't hit em, the only time i have seen that type of piston is in an m3 block.

i've never taken a 3.5 apart before so have no idea if it is normal or not lol

can anyone else comment on their pistons??

[Cypriotgeeza]

also got the head back on today!!

Almost ready to fire her up

[zaust]

Did you put the bottom end on TDC first ? And did you put the head at the correct tdc position too before putting it back on ????

[zaust]

All done now Easy, is it not !!

[kieranbusak9]

ifits that easy, come and give me a hand with mine! i was swearing taking mine apart, can't imagine what its like putting it back together...

[Cypriotgeeza]

SHE LIVEESSSS!!! i started it and it fired up first time..only problem is when i touch the throttle it cuts out..im thinking possibly dodgy idle valve or a breather which is sucking in air?

heres a pic of the oil (if you can call it that seeing as there was more water than oil in there) which came out




Also on the thermostat housing i have another hole with a bolt in which could probably house a temperature sensor which will trigger the electric fan..if anyone else has gone down this route what sensor did you use? thanx

[Cypriotgeeza]

Also want to thank everyone who helped me along the way..couldnt have done it without you guys! still a long way to go!

[Rav335uk]

Well done, the problem with the cutting out, is the TPS switch adjusted properly???
Also, on the therm housing, use the centre hole for the temp switch, use a ford one with two prongs, can't remember the part number but is was a low 80 degrees one.

[Cypriotgeeza]

i've never adjusted the tps and it was running good before i took it all apart..i will investigate further tomorrow

i take it the positioning of the temp switch makes a difference?

[Rav335uk]

Yes, some have it in the rad, I have it on the thermo housing.

[zaust]

Nice one fella. Glad it's nearly there.