reputable small engine work

[350xorbust]

Anyone know where I can send my head/rocker cover,from my 350x (86) to get some work done in Canada? Ontario or Manitoba prefered.
Cam shat out on me tonight in my nos motor, and ate the inner trunion on the cam, and both the head and the rocker cover are shot.
I do have a spare rocker cover, so I should be able to transfer the rockers over to it, as they wernt effected, and I have a spare head, but it has two broken studs, but it would need all components swapped over to it.

[timex69]

Head and rocker cover from what engine? As a rule anytime I have ever run into trouble with heads and cams I find its usually cheaper to buy a used one on ebay and grind in new valves + install seals then it is to pay a machine shop 80 to 100 an hour plus parts to repair an old one especially since your in Dryden and will likely need to ship to either Thunder Bay or Winnipeg. Also what about going to a local mechanic with a basic knowledge of torches and mig welding and have him extract the 2 broken studs or drill and tap then just rent a valve spring compressor and lapping tools and compound and swap it out yourself. Save some $ for other parts. Potentially like a gasket kit and bore/hone depending if filings went down into the bore and scratched it.

[350xorbust]

I didnt realize the engine had to be pulled to get the head off, so Iv given up for tonight, but I will remove it tomorrow and tear it down to determin all damage.
What about valve seats, do u think a simple valve lap would do, or is there a way to transfer the new ones over to the old head?
I might try the local machine shop here to see if the inner trunion or cam support can be refaced...welded up and recut to the proper size. That would save a bunch of work. If I have no luck with the guys here in town, do you know of any shops that may be able to weld up that surface in either winnipeg or Thunderbay? Then all I would have to do is swap the components in the rocker cover over to the old one and buy a new cam.

[timex69]

If the valve seats in the head that is to be used still look good and the valves to be used are not wore sharp or damaged from the cam failure then a simple lap in will be fine. I know there is a few exceptions to this rule but generally valve seats are installed by an engine shop. I am living in north eastern Saskatchewan at the minute and there is a local engine shops around that my employer deals with on a regular basis resurfacing diesel engine heads and boring blocks so I will ask if this is a project for them. If not I can get you a few names in Saskatoon. Also im still not sure what motor you are working on so im going to assume its a 350x and this information might not pertain to the 350 but on the 200cc engines if you pull the cylinder studs and remove the valve inspection covers (24mm caps) the cylinder and heads will remove with the engine still in the trike.

[350xorbust]

Ya sorry for the confusion, yes it is a 350x, and I figured if the studs were to come out, I wouldnt have to pull the engine. Are those studs easily removable?

[timex69]

use the two head nuts if they are not capped. If they are capped find 2 new nuts that will thread onto the stud. Jam them together and then turn the bottom one counter clockwise to remove the stud

[350xorbust]

That works...thanx.
K no damage to cyl. I will flush the bottom end but thats a huge relief. So as far as the old head is concerned...how hard us it to swap over the valve guides from the new heads to it? Or is it even nescessary? What type of tool do i need to check the clearences in the old ones? I can swap over the rest of the valve train no prob and give the old valve seats a good lapping. They show no wear so im pretty sure they are ok.

[Dirtcrasher]

Is the oil FILTER in backwards?? Never had a crate motor launch and I have many.........

Did you squirt oil in the head prior to starting? What oil? Was it low on oil??

[350xorbust]

Like I said before when I got the engine it was full of some crystalline shat which I can only assume was very old oil
http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee516/chevysrule454/20140309_1744471_zps2145655a.jpg (http://s1231.photobucket.com/user/chevysrule454/media/20140309_1744471_zps2145655a.jpg.html)
I never did find out what it was, but it plugged up the oil pump.We didnt split the cases to clean it out but I did blow it out and used brushes to clean it all out. It didnt go up into the tranny gears , it was mostly in the bottom section of the engine case. We started it once for a few seconds before we realized the pump wasnt pumping, I guess the damage was done at that time, and it took a good romp down a gravel road,2 months later for the damage to rear its ugly head. I did however take a piece of mechanics wire to the oil passage way leading in from the oil line in towards the cam trunions, but they were all clear. The external oil transfer line to the head was clear as well.Luckily the damage was retained in the head and rocker cover, and good also that I never got rid of any parts from the original engine. I have finished transferring all the components to the old cover, so thats done, and it looks like I can get the one stud (thought there was two, but there was only one) welded up and re drilled and tapped, from the old head, here in my town. I dont have a spring compressor, so I cant at this time say whether or not the valve seats or guides are good or if they need to be replaced, but I will make some calls tomorrow to the local small engine repair shop, and see if they can check it out for me...I will keep y,all informed!

[350xorbust]

Well it looks good as far as the broken stud is concerned. The welder here in Dryden said he would have too much time invested in the head to do what needed to be done so I decided to drill the broken stud , retap the threads and use JB weld to support the broken off section of the external collar where the stud starts in. We will see if it holds. Tomorrow I get my hands on a valve spring compressor, and some valve lapping compound. Hopfully this will only cost me a cam. Does anyone know where I can find a cam (one up from stock would be great) in Canada?