New Zealand Datsun Club

Ive just had my head look over skimmed valve & seats re-cut. Etc.

When they skimmed the head they removed the cam towers (as ya do) now after fitting them back up the cam shaft is very tight to turn in the hole.

I haven't torqued the head down yet and will do that today to see if it comes right.
But im just not happy really. Its not the fault of the guy who did the head as he didn't touch that face and the Cam towers arn't originally from that head. Before it was worked on it was firmer to turn than a had that had just come off a running engine but a few qualified mechanics had a look at reckoned it would be no problem at all.

I do have another head complete original etc Cam spins over mint as. Only problem is that it has heavy corrosion round the water port and cylinder 4. It needs to be welded up. If i get this done who do you guys recommend?
Courier tickets don't really cost that much so really anywhere that people have had good results would be good,

Brett

every workshop ive worked out we always used flemmings cylinder heads.
Never had a single issue.
http://www.finda.co.nz/business/listing ... d-repairs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now with your cam caps have they been put back on the same order they were removed? Very important

Yea they where the guy stamped them all.
I just attached the head to the block loosened off all the cam towers. (with cam in them). Then i taped the towers a round a bit lightly and the cam freed it self up alot. So i slowly tightened then bolts on the towers up while turning the cam round alot and it has freed up heaps. I then torqued the head down (well to 40lbs) and it stayed like that.
Not quite as smooth as the other head i have but even better than it used to be when other mechanics had looked at it.

So it seemed that when i first put the tower's back on they must have been on a slight angle or something but now they are all even and it seems to be ok.
Well im with it happy anyway. If it seizes then i'll look at fixing and fitting the other head. Will piss me off though cos the intake gaskets are $80+ ex japan. Well was when i last got one.

Yeah, some of the books say never to remove the cam towers on L series motors but you've done it the way I've been told to do it, loosen them off and tighten them down slowly while tapping them down with a soft hammer. And don't do them up too tight or you'll strip the bolts.

Yea what is the torque setting for those bolts its not in my book. As apparently your not ever ment to remove them. But hey to late for that now.

I also don't know how you would mount the head to be skimmed with them in the way either,
The head bolts hold them down pretty dam tight to.

I would also Recommend Flemmings awsome guy to deal with and knows his shit,he did the head for my truck and I have had no problems with it since. He knew excatly what the head was off, even before asking me a question on it and J15s arnt the most popular engine around.

Excellent, When i get a bit of spare cash i'll get the head done ready for a spare as L18E heads arn't that plentiful.
Thats where i will be sending it for sure.
Thanks for your help.

DAT620 wrote:I would also Recommend Flemmings awsome guy to deal with and knows his shit,he did the head for my truck and I have had no problems with it since. He knew excatly what the head was off, even before asking me a question on it and J15s arnt the most popular engine around.

Another +1 on Flemings , he did an amazing job on my v6 heads

when i did my head i had the top face of it skimmed aswell to remove any possible warpage, then when re-accembling it i used cam towers of another head and still the cam turned mint, aparntly your ment to have your cam towers re-line bored when you re-build a head? i use pro-built engines down in invers for all my work and they do a good job also. (also was told cam tower torque settings were 12lb?, not much as the head studs hold them down anyway)

Cheers for that.
I don't know how you could line bore the cam towers as they are a single piece not like a cam cap which you can grind down to shrink the ID then line bore to STD. If you lined bored them then you would need an over sized cam shaft.

Well thats how i look at it,

I do agree on the skimming of the top side but i asked guy and he he said the head was petty dam straight. Just needed a tidy up on the bottom for the new gasket. My cam towers must have been out of line when i installed them first time seem heaps better now.

I tightened thoes bolts shitloads tighter than that 29lbs (thats as low as my torque wrench measured) I guess that should be ok. I need to get a 1/4 torque wrench.