WOODIN’ YOU LIKE SOME I have made a variety of valve holders, each made for different head configurations. I make them out of wood and drill holes matching the head configuration so I can replace the valves back into the same valve guides. The attached example is...
HEAD POST Sometimes it’s easier to work on something if you can get it a little higher up in the air. I made a steel post with a tapered end to hold cylinder heads up high above the assembly bench. The single post allows me to swing the head around easily and it is...
ISX CAM BEARING FAILURE ISX Cummins DOHC heads are often return with an injector cam bearing seized to the camshaft. The cause is twofold: 1) When the technician removed the camshaft on the head exchange, they stood the camshaft on end. Since the camshafts are hollow,...
COMBUSTION CHAMBER VOLUME SOLUTION Measuring combustion chamber volume is an important step when trying to achieve a specific compression ratio in a custom engine build. CNC machining the chambers or even sinking the valve job will increase the chamber size by a...
BIG D HEAD HANDLE Diesel cylinder heads are heavy and can be dangerous to move around. I use a rocker arm shaft and bolts from a Detroit to make a handle for carrying Detroit heads around the shop. It helps keep my fingers in working condition and keeps the head in...
MYSTERY OIL CONSUMPTION Sometimes we get engines in the shop that have unexplained oil consumption. The rings, valve guides and seals all appear to be just fine. Valve guide replacement, spring cup modifications, heavy porting and machining rocker arm bosses are just...