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The head's off, chipped valve.

To: List MGB <mgs@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: The head's off, chipped valve.
From: Der schwarze Buccaneer <js-allen@students.uiuc.edu>
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 20:43:17 -0600 (CST)
Howdy you lot,
        You may recall I've been having a compression problem with my '72
'B.  First, let me say thanks for all your advice!  It's been an enormous
help.  I finally had some time to pull the head off today, and sure
enough, the smaller of the two valves head, on #3, has a fairly large
chunk out of it.  I presume it's the exhaust valve.  So, it looks like I
need to, at the very least, replace that valve.   
        Having said that, I shall now shamelessly ask for more!  The
pistons have a black crusty carbon like deposit sitting in the concavities
(this isn't just a carbon layer, I mean chunks of stuff).  Ought I to
clean that crap off some how?  
        At least one of you recommended I have the head tanked.  What is
that, where do I have it done, and about what does it run?  There's quite
a lot of the same carbon crusties on the head's valve recess areas,
especially in #3's.  The water passages are pretty slimy too.  
        I don't currently have one of the nifty valve spring tools shown
in my Haynes, where does one get one (hopefully locally)?  
        My plan is to just work on the head and let the rings go until
next summer.  Is it wise to rebuild the head now, or should I just replace
the one broken valve and rebuild it with the engine?  I'm thinking hard
about one of the no lead valve kits, such as from VB.  Is there any mail
order house out there with cheaper prices?  I've got Moss' and Victoria's
catalogs, which are comparable, but I'd like to be sure I'm getting the
best deal out there (yeah, I'm pretty cheap right now, but I quite like
eating in a regular fashion:).   
        When I'm actually ready to work on the head, are there any things
I need to do that aren't mentioned in the Haynes owner manual?  I'm
guessing that I need to grind the new valve(s) to seat them properly, but
I'm not sure.  Someone mentioned using a drill to try to free carbon off
#3 before I removed the head...can I do this same kind of thing when
grinding the valve heads to fit the seats (using a polishing compound)?
Thanks again for all your help, it has been much appreciated!   

                                                -Scott Allen
                                                js-allen@students.uiuc.edu
                                        
        "At dawn we will face the greatest test of our resolve.  But I 
say this: though starving, hunger will not weaken us; though diseased, 
illness will not cripple us, and though weary, exhaustion will not claim 
us.  We can fight knowing that all true Reiklanders will forevermore 
honour our valiant gesture of defiance, even though our bodies be left to 
feed the beasts of carrion.

        Mind you...we could always surrender."  -Rick Priestly's Siege  


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