Gasket Matching Heads

[TazMan]

Can I gasket match with the valves installed?

[RedBird]

you can, but it's a bad idea, with all the metal shavings...... and why? it's pretty cheap to go rent a valve spring compressor and just pull them out, then put them back after your done. Makes sure you can get *all* the metal shavings out

[geldartb]

the last post made no sense what so ever. you go and tell him its a bad idea then tell him to do it.

its not a bad idea. it removes the extra material giving the air a staright through flow instead of catching on the extra metal.

[2.8RS]

Take the valves out if you do do it. You will see gains but take the valves out. You don't want metal shavings in your motor.

the last post made no sense what so ever. you go and tell him its a bad idea then tell him to do it.

its not a bad idea. it removes the extra material giving the air a staright through flow instead of catching on the extra metal.

He's saying its a bad idea to do it with the valves still in the head.

[Superdave]

the last post made no sense what so ever. you go and tell him its a bad idea then tell him to do it.

its not a bad idea. it removes the extra material giving the air a staright through flow instead of catching on the extra metal.

Makes sence to me..



but yes, remove the valves. You can buy a C clamp spring compressor from Sears for around $30 which makes the job very easy.

[ForcedFirebird]

Makes sence to me..



but yes, remove the valves. You can buy a C clamp spring compressor from Sears for around $30 which makes the job very easy.

Agreed. I can't remember if mine was $20 or $30, either way, most autoparts stores will rent you one and you only need to give a deposit equaling the cost of the tool - ie, if you keep it, you pay cost, bring it back and it's free.

[El_Diablo]

just bought my craftsman c clamp style for $20 a few weeks back at the most, deffinetly a good tool to have if you plan to mess around with engines

[TazMan]

Sounds good. Thanks guys. I was looking at a few valve spring compressors that were pretty cheap on e-bay.

I just have a couple of questions about removing the valves.

When I remove them, do I have to change any seals or anything like that before I put them back? When I reinstall the valves, do they have to go back in the same place they came from or can I put any intake valve in any intake port and any exhaust valve in any exhaust port?

[2.8RS]

Sounds good. Thanks guys. I was looking at a few valve spring compressors that were pretty cheap on e-bay.

I just have a couple of questions about removing the valves.

When I remove them, do I have to change any seals or anything like that before I put them back? When I reinstall the valves, do they have to go back in the same place they came from or can I put any intake valve in any intake port and any exhaust valve in any exhaust port?

It would probably be best to put the valves back in the same place where they came from. I would probably replace the seals and such. It would keep you from having to do it down the road and I don't think that they are that expensive.

[PCGUY112887]

I was going to do my heads the same way, but on my 3500 the GM gaskets already perfectly matched ALL of the ports on the head!

It was great, saved a bunch of time. On the LIM and UIM however... lots of material came off. Up to a quarter of an inch in some places.

[RedBird]

did you at least smooth the ports? that's a big part of it, the rough casting creates turbulent airflow.....

but yes only smoothing and not having to really remove any material would speed things up

[El_Diablo]

you dont want to smooth everything out... the area after the injectors should remain somewhat rough to help atomize the fuel

I was going to do my heads the same way, but on my 3500 the GM gaskets already perfectly matched ALL of the ports on the head!

It was great, saved a bunch of time. On the LIM and UIM however... lots of material came off. Up to a quarter of an inch in some places.

thats a big part of the reason the introduction of aftermarket gasket sets help us out so much

[ForcedFirebird]

I was going to do my heads the same way, but on my 3500 the GM gaskets already perfectly matched ALL of the ports on the head!

It was great, saved a bunch of time. On the LIM and UIM however... lots of material came off. Up to a quarter of an inch in some places.

Depends on your definition of "exactly"...



Here's sanded to 150, and matched perfect...



The intake mani side (you can see the carbon stains from the motor in stock form)...





the entire runner was polished the same, all the way to the UIM/plenum (that was matched to the metal upper gaskets...



I can agree that the 3500 heads need very little material removed for flow, gasket matching should be definately benificial.

[PCGUY112887]

Your heads must somehow be different than mine, since my heads matched the GM gaskets PERFECTLY. I wanted to remove something however could not find anything to remove.

[ForcedFirebird]

Your heads must somehow be different than mine, since my heads matched the GM gaskets PERFECTLY. I wanted to remove something however could not find anything to remove.

Did you remove the valve and bolt the heads to the manifolds? Mine are a perfect match after the work done.

I will admit they were very close (emphasized in the pics because of angle), but there was a little material to remove on three sides of most of the intake ports.