Grinding valve stem to adjust lash?

Thanks for that.

I only have 2 valves that are out of spec, yes. I don't have any spare valves (maybe one or two) I have a bunch of bent ones from a timing belt job gone wrong though.

I should have let you all know that I have a spare set of 16 buckets to play with. They are all just larger than the set in use unfortunately.

Would you still take an alternate route then? I didn't see where he was shaving the inner wall of the shim and I don't see that as being a problem for me if I were to go with the dremel setup. I have plenty of room to avoid making that mistake.

If I was to go the grinding the valve stems route, would you mind elaborating on your technique using the bench grinder. Sounds like you just eyeballed it. Is that ok? How did you keep it straight?

Also, with the file, how do I know that I am straight on that part as well.

What is an SG?
 
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This may be a case where it pays to call around to a few race shops and explain your predicament. Race shops are constantly faced with non-standard, one off jobs and often have equipment to deal with it. As noted above, if you only have one shot at it don't mess it up by using the wrong tool or process. Somebody has done it before, or something similar and it's worth seeking them out first.

In this case the telephone will be your best friend. Look up any local shops and give them a call, they are unlikely to be hanging out on a forum waiting to answer your questions.

Cheers,

John

P.S. An SG is a surface grinder, a precision tool used by machine shops for grinding hardened metal.
 
matthewsx said:
This may be a case where it pays to call around to a few race shops and explain your predicament. Race shops are constantly faced with non-standard, one off jobs and often have equipment to deal with it. As noted above, if you only have one shot at it don't mess it up by using the wrong tool or process. Somebody has done it before, or something similar and it's worth seeking them out first.

In this case the telephone will be your best friend. Look up any local shops and give them a call, they are unlikely to be hanging out on a forum waiting to answer your questions.

Cheers,

John

P.S. An SG is a surface grinder, a precision tool used by machine shops for grinding hardened metal.
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Thanks, but I would not be here if I could trust my local race shop/machine shop. Pretty poor reputations around here. They are known to do poor jobs and I can do the same thing without paying them to do a bad job. As far as the buckets go, I have 16 of them to spare. I'd like to see this through to a DIY process if you don't mind. Like Ivan Drago said in Rocky, "If he dies, he dies". I can part the car out for half of what I bought it for and own several others.
 
4gfun said:
Thanks, but I would not be here if I could trust my local race shop/machine shop. Pretty poor reputations around here. They are known to do poor jobs and if I can do the same thing without paying them to do a bad job. As far as the buckets go, I have 16 of them to spare. I'd like to see this through to a DIY process if you don't mind. Like Ivan Drago said in Rocky, "If he dies, he dies". I can part the car out for half of what I bought it for and own several others.
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It's your car, sorry the local shops don't have your confidence. Sometimes there's a difference between shops that specialize in dirt oval vs. those that do work for road race folks. Main point is getting as much info as possible, if you don't need the car on the road soon then you have nothing to loose by doing more research.

Just realize that online research might not give a complete picture, I've been on the internet since before the world wide web and although I can search for almost everything I realize that often people with specialized knowledge don't randomly offer it up online, and many times the ones that do really don't have any more experience than I do.

I understand the urge to DIY, if you're willing to scrap this car and really want to learn then go for it. Just don't expect high end results with low end tools, there's a reason engine shops spend the big bucks on precision machinery. It will at least be worth your time to contact a machine shop and learn what a surface grinder can do vs. a dremel or bench grinder.

Cheers,

John
 
matthewsx said:
It's your car, sorry the local shops don't have your confidence. Sometimes there's a difference between shops that specialize in dirt oval vs. those that do work for road race folks. Main point is getting as much info as possible, if you don't need the car on the road soon then you have nothing to loose by doing more research.

Just realize that online research might not give a complete picture, I've been on the internet since before the world wide web and although I can search for almost everything I realize that often people with specialized knowledge don't randomly offer it up online, and many times the ones that do really don't have any more experience than I do.

I understand the urge to DIY, if you're willing to scrap this car and really want to learn then go for it. Just don't expect high end results with low end tools, there's a reason engine shops spend the big bucks on precision machinery. It will at least be worth your time to contact a machine shop and learn what a surface grinder can do vs. a dremel or bench grinder.

Cheers,

John
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Points absolutely taken. Willing to take a chance on the car. A bit of history here. I purchased the car not knowing that it was a specialty car. I have owned other Zetec "Foci" before. I just didn't do the research before purchasing it. I have owned so many automobiles that I am burnt out with reading about them prior to purchasing them so I actually get a rush from the newness of the vehicle. My bad.

I listened to the folks on the internet. Change the timing belt right now or you will be sorry since this is an interference motor. Much truth to that of course. Unfortunately, I took a running car and wrecked it when I "did the right thing" by changing the timing belt and tensioners with new OEM parts. The OEM tensioner grenaded when I started the car sending the valves into the pistons. Luckily this was at idle so the pistons are fine. I purchased a junk used head, one of 2 that I could find in the USA. All kinds of problems with that one. Grabbed the valves ET AL, lapped them into my original head and crossed my fingers. I did not send it off to my local machine shop who likes to belt sand heads for resurfacing either. The warp is still within spec and I never had any overheating problems prior to this incident.

Sending off the head to a specialty machine shop in the mail would have been half the purchase price of the car and that doesn't include the fact that the head just won't install itself (not that you said that it would but this is my thinking).

Then there is a possibility that the same thing will happen again once I put the new timing belt and tensioners on. Strange that this all happened because I have done T-belts on interference motors before.

So as you can see, my expectations are low.

I too have been around for a while and concur that many of those in the know don't tell on the internet.

The local machine shop folks, yeah not alot of luck. Most come from old money and hate to do anything that resembles work. This is what happens when you move to a bedroom community between 2 large cities to work. :) RANT
 
Idk man. I'm the type that if I'm rebuilding a engine top end I'm doing it all to better the engine and my success rate. Having a warped head can lead to all types of problems. Like you said just torquing the bolts alittle change your valve lash now throw in a warped head? Around here it'll cost 50 bucks and well worth the assurance.
Valves get yourself a table rest next to a grinder head that is perpendicular to the grinding surface. Preferable with a V in table so you can spin the valve stem as your grinding. Using a fine stone on the grinder and having you table rest 90* to the grinder will give you a good grind. By hand get yourself a block 1"X1"x1" long drill a hole in the center the OD of the valve stem making sure it is straight. Put valve in hole hold it a file your business end. Using the end of your block as a reference for square. Check your progress with a small machinist square.
Grinding the buttons idk without the proper tooling and I don't think a Dremel is it will be a shot in the dark and results can lead to imploding your motor. How will you assure your grinding the button parrallel, your depth of grinding and surface quality? You'd have better luck lapping the opposite side of the button, The side that rides the cam? How much material are we talking a thou or two or ten?
The thing with your local machine shop is their gonna have the set ups to do a simple task.
 
Thanks for all of the insight! FWIW talking about .1mm of material to get where I need to.
 
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