Guide to Tipping I keep about 15 different valve guides next to my valve-refacer to use when “tipping” the valve stems. By clamping the guide into the machine instead of the stem of the valve, I can easily insert the valve and use two fingers on the head of the valve...

Making Impact on Head Disassembly Here is a fast way to disassemble cylinder heads. Take a 1/2” impact driver (the type that you twist and hit with a hammer) and place an impact socket that is just a little smaller than your valve retainer onto the impact driver. Next...

Stud Installation Secret We all know head studs and main studs give better clamping force for our fasteners. Did you know that bottoming out the stud is a bad thing and the stud should never hit the bottom of the hole? Studs should never be torqued into place and...

Honda 1.7 Cylinder Head Heat Caution Some issues to be aware of when checking out late model 1.7L heads like the D17A1. These heads have the exhaust ports come together inside the head and merge to one larger port. I have found that they seem to retain more heat in...

Save Used Head Parts Our shop does a lot of cylinder head work. We keep several parts from old cylinder heads in marked boxes. Sometimes you lose an odd ball valve lock that no one keeps in stock. At this point, that box marked “Valve Locks” is worth it’s weight in...

VACUUM CHECKING PORTS WITH EGR HOLES It’s difficult to vacuum test the exhaust valves on the 5 valve per cylinder VW cylinder head and many other heads due to the EGR hole in each port. I’ve found an easy solution. Save the dried silicone from the tip of the tube of...